Why DIY is on the Rise Since Covid
You may or may not know that lumber is up over 200%, home prices have skyrocketed all across the country, and that employers are feeling increased pressure to allow the majority of their staff to work remotely.
Let’s go ahead and face it, you probably knew all of these things unless you have been living under a rock for the past year.
DIY Home Improvement and Woodworking as The Hobby of Choice
While many Americans turned to drink and talk shows, many others turned to improve their lives.
We’ve seen an increase in book purchases, gym equipment, and of course, home improvement equipment.
Woodworking equipment such as saws, levels hammers, and paint has been flying off the shelves so quickly that Home Depot can’t stock orders from China fast enough. But Why?
Why Home Improvement Has Been so Prominent
One reason is of course men have had more time to do the work that they had been putting off.
With more time they have been able to get the right equipment and fix up the house the way they had planned.
Many homeowners have gone all out and have turned their garages into woodworking shops.
This of course means that you either need to expand the garage or park in the street, but for many, this is an easy choice.
Americans are stocking their garages with all types of woodworking and DIY equipment from welders, to table saws and cabinet saws.
Some have even gone so far as to buy planers and start making furniture, although since this article is focused on DIY home improvement, we’ll save that for a furniture-making article.
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What DIY Projects are Americans Choosing?
While the most common projects historically have been complete remodels, without knowing how long they would be out of work, it appears most homeowners have opted for shorter projects such as new cabinets, building decks, and awnings, and painting the interior of their home.
Fresh Paint Throughout the House
Okay, so this is an obvious one and one it doesn’t take an engineering degree or too much practice to be able to pull off yourself.
Paint store, swatches, pick your favorite, move furniture and tape edges, paint, let dry, have your wife change her mind, go back to the paint store, pick new paint, quadruple check with her to make sure this is the final pick, paint again and move your furniture back to where it belongs.
In the best-case scenario you’re looking at a weekend, the worst-case scenario you’re looking at a full week. Total cost $400 – $1K for the house.
New Cabinets in the Kitchen
We jumped from entry-level to expert on you quickly, did you catch that. This is a difficult first project.
This at the minimum requires a table saw, router, hopefully, a CNC router, an edge bander, stain (or paint), and exact cutting.
Make this a project for 3 years into your woodworking journey if you’re brand new to furniture making.
Bathroom Refresh or Remodel
A decade ago I would have encouraged you to avoid doing this on your first project. However, with the new one-piece vanities that are on the market, this is easier than ever.
Just know that not all toilets look the same and not all vanities are compatible with all hookups.
Make sure to measure twice and buy (and cut) once and that you are able to make all of the plumbing work.
Avoid any redirects or cutting new holes in the wall unless this is an area you have some experience in.
Basement Finishing
In the middle of the country, tri-level homes have become the norm. It is a very economical way to get more square footage from your home without necessarily needing a larger plot of land.
However, in states like Colorado, these homes typically come with unfinished basements.
If you are looking for a basement finishing company, you could make the last part of your lockdown much more enjoyable than the first part.
However, if you are trying to do it yourself, it could prove to be a difficult project as it requires finish carpentry work, plumbing, and electrical knowledge, painting, and typically either a bar or countertop construction.
If you just got your home, you will still need to hand the drywall downstairs.
This whole project could mean that you hire a number of different professionals, hire a general contractor or hire a complete basement finishing company like Colorado’s On Point Builders.
