How Coronavirus Might Impact Your Home Design Plans
Friends, family and clients have called me frequently in recent months asking if I know why this light fixture is backordered that they are waiting for from Pottery Barn that they ordered in June, or why their window coverings order they made online is taking 6 months to arrive, or why a sectional couch was received over a span of weeks and none of the sections match. So I figured it was about time to explain some of the changes the industry is facing during this unprecedented time.
Delays. Order delays are more common than any of us would like these days and this stems from multiple slowdowns. Responsible factories have slowed down production to accommodate safer workplace practices. This has slowed the pipeline of new goods available to ship. Some factories shut down during the mandatory quarantine and have not reopened due to many financial and workplace hardships so this has further slowed down the arrival of new pieces. In addition, shipping delays have caused the system to further slow down. Both international and domestic shipping hit a wall with the slowdown in the spring and have not yet recovered. Many lead times have extended by weeks and months due to the slowdown in production and shipping.
Incorrect Orders. We’ve all experienced this one lately and as a designer I see it almost daily in my business. Retailers have tried to catch up with the overwhelming demand since the economic slowdown and are racing to fulfill orders. Since warehouses are wading through the new workplace safety regulations and a ever changing availability of workers, new hires and untrained staff make more mistakes. It’s frustrating to receive goods we have waited forever for only to find they are the wrong color, or shipped in multiple shipments from different dye lots or runs and they simply don’t work.
Overwhelming Demand. As we all sat in our houses back in March we started making project lists in our minds about everything that just had to get done. Now! All the unfinished projects, mismatched furniture and old countertops started to be too much to bear after weeks turned into months and we couldn’t stop looking at them! So as soon as quarantine lifted households everywhere started to tackle these projects. There simply aren’t enough contractors, cans of paint and dining room tables to go around. Many homeowners found that their favorite contractors and tradespeople became unavailable or had raised their prices due to demand so high that many projects became overwhelming or unattainable.
As the design and home improvement industry has adapted to all the changes since early this year, we’ve also updated our business models and practices. Many designers now offer virtual design which limits contact between homeowners and designers. Designers have needed to add safety protocols to contracts and in-home visits to protect both themselves and homeowners. Contractors have also adjusted their businesses by limiting the number of tradespeople on the job site and staggering trades and projects to keep safe distance while working. This has further slowed the progression of work since job sites have adapted to a slower timeline to accommodate safer work.
Overall the design and home improvement business hasn’t seen record business like this in many years. While all the increased interest in home design and remodels has been a boost to the industry it has also caused pricing, safety and ethical matters.
The best way to navigate all the nuances of the design and remodel industry is to hire trusted experts. Interior and exterior designers have been working hard to educate themselves in all the industry changes and are able to walk clients through the delays, upcharges and timelines since they are working with all the moving parts in the industry day after day. Designers also have relationships with tradespeople and contractors and can guide clients through questions about when to start projects, what to expect with pricing and how to negotiate projects for the best results. Designers can also work with homeowners to ensure the safest job site precautions to ensure the work is done in a streamlined and efficient way keeping families and tradespeople safe.
Jobsite Safety Measures
As a society we keep falling more in love with our homes and realizing how important they are to our day to day mental health and the pressure for home improvements continues to grow. My advice to friends is always to find trusted experts who understand the design and remodel business from start to finish, ask questions and make sure that their wants don’t overwhelm their needs. Keeping the budget at the forefront and not losing perspective during this stressful time is especially tough. It’s also important to shop around and not rush into projects out of mental exhaustion and desperation. I have found that during this time, I have made myself available to clients in more ways than I traditionally would have. I communicate by phone, text, social media and in person when appropriate. By being on-call for my clients I’m able to keep them engaged in their project and not overwhelmed when questions or delays arise. I’ve also embraced the increased communication that has further built the strength of our relationship. Commiserating over homeschool woes, sharing stories about our kids, the frustrations of working from home and other personal experiences has only enhanced my understanding of my clients and allowed me to give them more depth in their design product. Overall, this challenging time has brought more substance to my business and a group of clients who have lifted me up and allowed me to continue to work in this fulfilling creative field. With the right team, anything is possible, even in the middle of a worldwide pandemic.
