Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on Nashville home remodeling
Here we will look at some trends that have come about as a direct or indirect result of the COVID pandemic.
The COVID-19 pandemic started a chain reaction that led to far more adults and children remaining at home most of the time than ever before. This is a large-scale social change event that has had countless cascading effects and influences on just about every aspect of American life.
From making homemade bread to planting herb and vegetable gardens, homeowners are responding to the pandemic in a variety of interesting ways. The pandemic is having some interesting effects on Nashville remodeling, too. For example, many homeowners are remodeling to create space that’s private and camera-ready. (Ever heard of a Zoom room? Keep reading!) A recent Zillow survey showed that homes the include separate office space have jumped by 10 percent in the last year or so.
A nation of ‘homebodies’
Without a doubt, one major driver of Nashville home remodeling during this strange, pandemic-ridden era is this: People are spending so much time at home that people are becoming hyper-aware of the things they dislike the most about their house. Being at home for such a large percentage of the day (at least compared to that of pre-pandemic times) gives folks more than enough exposure to the things they like least about their homes. Pet peeves about one’s home can become more pronounced and exacerbated in times like these. Many of us tend to be more depressed and moody as a result of rather isolating circumstances, and that doesn’t make our pet peeves any easier to live with.
Rethinking open design
Some say that the recent remodeling trend of open design may be less desirable in times of pandemic.
In many cases, homeowner obsession with open floor plans that have been so popular these last few years is beginning to take a back seat to more closed-off areas within the home. Open plans are by no means completely dated (yet), but people are increasingly interested in more appropriate, responsible use of the wide-open spaces that were embraced by the remodeling industry and homeowners alike. Personal, private space is coming back.
Improving, expanding home office space
Home-based jobs call for better, smarter, cleaner home offices – plain and simple.
Since an increasing number of Middle Tennessee households include multiple people working remotely aka telecommuting, a larger percentage of the house should be able to accommodate more at-home workers.
Zoom rooms for home videoconferencing, learning
Needless to say, Zoom has made it into the national lexicon. Most of us have Zoom installed on our laptops these days, and many of us have Zoom meetings regularly. Regular video conferencing from home is practically a 
given today, often for multiple members of the household. This is a new reality for so many employees, business owners, traders, medical professionals, and, of course, students of all ages. Realty companies and real estate agents are starting to tout Zoom rooms in some houses on the market.
A Zoom room is pretty much what it sounds like: A dedicated area or room in your home with a clean, nice-looking background for your video calls, video meetings, and remote learning. Zoom rooms are aesthetically pleasing and tidy, hopefully in a quiet area of the house. Experts predict the dedicated video room trend is likely to persist for homebuyers and remodelers beyond COVID-19.
Private outdoor space
Since the onset of the pandemic, our appreciation of the outdoors and nature seems to have greatly increased. The act of simply going for a walk or sitting in a park has been a monumental source of reprieve. However, in the midst of a lockdown scenario, these activities don’t guarantee safety and aren’t universally accessible.
Related: Nashville outdoor kitchen construction & remodeling – Broderick Builders
Backyard nature connection is trending. With all that is going on, it’s no surprise that homeowners are focusing more on backyard spaces when considering remodels. Some buyers are even willing to settle on a smaller house or a house in a less desirable area in order to have a large backyard where they can spend more time in the open air.
Swimming pool demand off the charts
Demand for swimming pools is so strong in some parts of the country that Wall Street has taken notice. Pool was the number-one search term on Zillow in 2020. The stock of Poolcorp, the world’s leading independent distributor of swimming pool supplies and related outdoor living equipment (per its website), has been performing well and is on track for a very solid year.
As a result, the demand for home designers to provide private outdoor spaces for every type of home looks set to increase. It will be up to architects to work out how to integrate the outdoors into even the most compact of homes, experimenting with roof gardens, micro backyards, porches, and balconies. People may also seek a closer connection between their living spaces and the natural world, with folding glass doors merging these two zones together.
“Homecations”
Stricken with varying degrees of cabin fever, Nashville homeowners are coming up with creative ways to take a mini-vacation at home, or a homecation, in order to “get away” (to some extent, at least) despite being more or less stuck at home. Per Zillow, real estate keywords like dock, waterfront, and lake were very popular.
Homeowners appear to be seeking major and minor ways they can create luxury experiences at home, from upgrading to spa-like bath features, bath areas plush with plants, and so on.
Home fitness space
Home fitness was plenty popular before the pandemic hit, but now home fitness centers are in overdrive. Mass closings of gyms and fitness clubs in many parts of the country have driven not only the home workout market with all its programs and exercise equipment; it has also generated more interest in remodels for home gyms to accommodate the fitness programs and goals of Nashville homeowners.
90% of those asked say they’ll keep working out at home, even when gyms and fitness centers reopen, according to fitness company Beachbody in its The Future of Fitness survey.
Smart home tech that’s wise and safe
We want our homes to remain as clean and as germ-free as possible now more than ever before. Smart-home technology is coming to the rescue with bidets, self-cleaning toilets, appliances that can be operated without touching them (Alexa helps many households with that), and other hygienic solutions. Although many such products remain fairly niche right now, many of them will continue current growth trends to become new standards in Nashville home remodeling.
Here are a few smart-home features worth emphasizing in the COVID era:
- Voice-activated/ touchless faucets
- Voice-activated/ touchless and auto-flush toilets
- Smart thermostats
- Robotic vacuum cleaners
- Smart lights, electronic-assistant controlled lights
- Smart speakers like Alexa can perform a variety of tasks
The Internet of Things (IoT) is here. Smart home technology is becoming more ubiquitous and is increasingly appealing to buyers. A Zillow analysis found that listings mentioning a smart light in their listing description sold seven days faster than expected, and listings mentioning a smart thermostat sold 6 days faster than expected. Features like a shiny, new touchless faucet will rise in popularity as homeowners prioritize the cleanliness of their home to keep their families safe and germ-free.
Review your home security before a crime forces you to!
We strongly recommend a home security review as part of the overall remodel planning whenever you are considering any kind of remodeling. There’s simply no more convenient time to make simple home security improvements than right along with any other kind of home remodeling you may be considering or doing.
How Secure is Your Home? Home Security and Safety Questionnaire – SafeWise
New Home Security Checklist – Satety.com
Related: From ‘Zoom Rooms’ to Chef Kitchens: Zillow’s Top 10 Home Trends for 2021 – Zillow’s top home trends for 2021 are driven by COVID-era design and home features that will continue to grow in popularity even when the pandemic subsides.
If you’d like to talk to Nashville’s premier remodeling firm about any projects you have in mind, please do not hesitate to call us at 615.385.3210, or use the quick and easy contact form below.
Thanks for visiting the Broderick Builders Nashville remodeling website.
Resources: Effects of the pandemic on home remodeling
- COVID-19 Inspiring Future Renovations | Kitchen & Bath Design News
- Pandemic home remodeling is booming: What your neighbors are doing
- America At Home Study Shows Pandemic-Inspired Lasting Impacts on Home and Community Design | Builder Magazine
- How is Covid19 shaping design trends? 8 ways it has impacted design | Livingetc
- Fresh eco-friendly solutions for your pandemic-inspired projects | The Seattle Times
- Sheltering-in-Place Inspires Homeowners to Take on Remodels | Realtor Magazine
- 4 Ways COVID Has Changed Home Design
- How The Pandemic Has Officially Changed How We Design Our Homes (…And The Interior Design World In General) – Emily Henderson
- 5 Design Trends Emerging During the Pandemic
- 6 Ways COVID-19 Will Change Home Design – Architizer Journal
- 7 Major Ways the Coronavirus Will Change Interior Design Forever | Better Homes & Gardens
- How COVID-19 will change the way we design our homes | World Economic Forum
- Fitness at home: How the pandemic is changing our workouts – CSMonitor.com
- 9 pandemic trends that may stick around as part of our future routine – MarketWatch
- Coronavirus Pandemic Fueling Surge of At-Home Fitness
- fitness company Beachbody in its The Future of Fitness survey. – Bing
- These Pandemic-Related Housing and Design Trends Aren’t Going Away | realtor.com®
- Is The Covid-19 Pandemic Reviving A Historic Residential Design Feature?
- How The Pandemic Will Change Home Design – End Of Open Floor Plan
- The Future of Home Design – During and After COVID-19 | Remodeling
- 10 Different Design Trends That Will Be Everywhere in 2021—and Beyond | realtor.com®
