Despite Devastating Effects on the Broader Economy, Pandemic Has Been a Boon for US Home Improvement Joint Center for Housing Studies

The river rock she wanted in order to help set an aquatic theme was nowhere to be found this spring, so Camille had to use 53 bags of pea gravel as a substitute. At 40 pounds a bag, she hauled them from the store in four trips. “Deck construction is up 275%,” Anderson says, quoting increases from March to July of this year.

Forbes Home adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. To the best of our knowledge, all content is accurate as of the date posted, though offers contained herein may no longer be available. The opinions expressed are the author’s alone and have not been provided, approved, or otherwise endorsed by our partners. The home remodeling market has been in continued expansion despite the pandemic. Energy-efficient thermal insulation, replacement windows, and lighting.

• If you don’t already have wiring from overhead lighting, you may need to hire a professional, which can significantly escalate the cost of this project.
• Lush greenery, a healthy lawn, and the right mix of flower beds recover an estimated 267% of the cost of upkeep at the time of the sale, according to a HomeLight survey.
• Improve your front landscaping, paint your front door, power wash the front walk or complete another curb appeal project this year.
• Refurbish an old frame by giving it a fresh coat of paint, then replace the art with a patterned doormat trimmed to fit the frame.
• With higher budgets for home improvement projects, pricier renovations like changing windows and replacing walls for glass are feasible.

Planning a home improvement project but don’t have the money for it? Find out if you can release the equity in your home to fund it. All features, services, support, prices, offers, terms and conditions are subject to change without notice. A simple tax return is one that’s filed using IRS Form 1040 only, without having to attach any forms or schedules. If you have a simple tax return, you can file with TurboTax Free Edition, TurboTax Live Assisted Basic, or TurboTax Live Full Service Basic.

Wall paneling is a great way of lending a modern home some traditional charm and can be deployed in all kinds of rooms. From acting as a frame to your artworks to adding depth to your living room, there’s no limit to what you can do! Far from just adding a striking appearance, wall paneling also helps to protect the material of your wall, and make your home more insulated. Another offshoot of the pandemic was an increasing interest in how we use our gardens. Without the ability to venture out and even celebrate our birthdays outdoors, homeowners have had to focus on making their gardens into fun, multi-purpose spaces. Go for lively wall colours if you want some low-cost home improvement ideas.

Some of Riley’s best projects include a fireplace makeover, a DIY modern pet bed and her popular $10 cabinet makeover. Riley also blogged the renovation of her friend’s outdoor poolside sitting area. Not only did she transform the space on a budget—she completed the project in just one day.

Which properties your local authority can help improve

Detroit pride factors heavily into the series, which is no surprise since Tim Allen moved to Michigan with his family when he was 11. Allen’s TV alter ego Tim Taylor is incredibly proud of living in Detroit but that’s not where the Taylor home actually was. But like most TV series, it doesn’t matter where you actually are as long as you act like you’re somewhere else. Get the latest This Old House news, trusted tips, tricks, and DIY Smarts projects from our experts–straight to your inbox. If you’re searching for the perfect rug, but can’t find your dream design, don’t despair.

If your property has an outside swimming pool, especially one that is run down, you might want to consider filling it in. Out the back a well-designed garden can add a great deal of value, it should feel like an extra space for entertaining or relaxing, rather than an expanse of House & Home Improvement grass. It’s essential to trim borders, clear pathways and cut back any overgrown trees or bushes, particularly if they block direct sunlight into the property. Never underestimate a tidy, clean room and pay special attention to high-impact rooms such as the kitchen and bathroom.

No matter where we live, access to green space makes a big difference to our happiness levels; we found we’re significantly unhappier without it. Even if we don’t have a garden or balcony, bringing some greenery into our homes will improve our overall well being. Our homes are happier when we invite people to share them with us. This increases our pride in our homes, as well as the emotional connection we feel with where we live. Both of these factors are important drivers of home happiness. We’ve found that taking the time to improve our homes has a positive impact on home happiness, regardless of whether we enjoy the process itself or not.

If you don’t know how to install flooring, look for a class at your local home improvement store. Saving money on labor will allow you to choose more beautiful flooring than you could otherwise afford. Whole house renovations can add value to your home, but there are ways to upgrade your home without going into debt or ransacking your savings. Painting, re-grouting tile, and power washing the outside of your home won’t cost a lot of money, but these do-it-yourself home improvement ideas can add real value to your home.