The remodeling industry has largely recovered from its first quarter coronavirus-induced dip, according to the National Kitchen & Bath Association's (NKBA) revised Market Outlook for the second quarter. According to the report, the percentage of homeowners actively working on remodeling projected increased from 19% in the first quarter to 36% in the second quarter.
A larger number of kitchen and bath projects have been completed without professional help, though. Nearly one in five remodels relied solely on family members or friends during the second quarter and an additional 35% made exclusive use of DIY, both large increases from the first quarter. According to the NKBA, more than half of the active second quarter kitchen and bath projects avoided an industry professional, compared to only 30% in the previous quarter. Homeowners are increasingly favoring DIY because they are still wary of having workers in their homes during the pandemic and have less income to spend on professional contractors. Additionally, in many markets homeowners face no other alternative due to severe shortages of available professional remodelers.
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