Last year the lack of travel and holiday opportunities spurred massive demand for home improvements, as families spent holiday money on fixing household problems and making improvements. But will 2021 see the same phenomenon?
2020 saw a year of unequalled disruption for most businesses . . .
. . . And here at my decorating business that was certainly true for us. When the first lockdown started, in March, we had already commenced work on painting exteriors, up on ladders or towers, and our schedule was already booked up throughout most of that summer. But nonetheless, those clients who wanted us for interior painting work in Cheltenham and beyond rescheduled the jobs, with our consent, to ensure neither party posed a danger to the other. Working outside was allowed, and the risks were very low under that glorious weather in the spring and summer, but as sun crept lower after late June, and the clouds began to darken, our exterior painting work started to wane.
But any fear that we had that work would cease took a peculiar turn in September. Enquiries started coming in as lockdown was eased, and requests for interior painting and decorating saw a marked increase than even the year before. Speaking to clients it was apparent that money they would usually have spent on holidaying away was instead being diverted to improving the home. This is not just from a decorating point of view either, many of the associate trades that we work with also saw a busy autumn: from plumbers to builders and joiners, it seemed as though the client base had taken a pause for breath and then exhaled in one go, a sharp outpouring of demand that had us all reaching for our paint brushes.
And back then, like many others, we somehow believed that it 'would all be over by Christmas.' As we cautiously carried on with our work, we were rocked by the new variant that appeared in the south east. That caused us to reconsider our schedules, and in some cases postpone our appointments with elderly clients. And yet I feel it was the right decision: with the winter upon us and the infections rising sharply in the run up to Christmas, I didn't want to risk anybodies health at a time when conditions for the virus were optimal.
We weathered 2020. It wasn't graceful or pretty and there was no panache in muddling though, but we were very lucky we were able to continue working. And with 2021 here, and the percentage of people vaccinated rising by the day, it might be that, domestically at least, we can see some sense of normality before midsummer. I do wonder if foreign travel will be available to offer holidays however - some countries will be slower administering the vaccinations, and will likely remain closed to tourists for some time more.
So the question remains, will 2021 be a holiday, or a home-improvement?
Whatever your decision, stay safe, distanced, and let's get vaccinated!
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