When the country was plunged into lockdown, many people thought their best use of this extra time could be to redecorate their houses. However, as shops were forced to close and manufacturing was put on hold, it became clear that being able to access DIY supplies and home improvement services would not be as easy as they thought.
As manufacturers ran out of products, tradesmen were forced to stop working, and demand on online stores soared, their plans to paint their living room, install a new bathroom or extend their kitchen started to fade.
This is why, after three months of being stuck at home and having more time to think of changes they would like to make in their property, homeowners rushed out when non-essential stores began to open their doors in June, so long as they complied with social distancing rules and safety procedures.
Indeed, according to the latest findings from the British Retail Consortium (BRC), the increase in sales in June of 3.4 per cent was driven by those desperate to renovate.
The BRC-KPMG Retail Sales Monitor for June 2020 revealed lots of consumers were keen to stock up on DIY supplies following the opening of hardware stores.
Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the BRC, said: “Computing, furniture and home improvement all continued to do well as the public invested in home comforts and remote working.”
This is compared with clothing, footwear, health and beauty, which, she stated, are all “still struggling” as footfall continues to be lower than it was before Covid-19.
Households who are keen to carry on with their home improvement projects should call architects in South Lanarkshire to discuss plans for extensions and redesigns that could totally transform their property.