Making home improvements have been more popular than ever now, and several local businesses services the Aiken area expressed how the pandemic has affected them.
“From a positive standpoint, our business really grew; and I kind of attribute that to the fact that people, possibly working at home, are there to see what’s going on with their house from the interior side and exterior side,” said Jonathan Vick, the owner of DependaCoat, DependaRoof and DependaGutter.
Vick’s company will be one of many vendors participating in the Aiken Standard’s two-day Spring Home and Garden Show held at the H. Odell Weeks Activities Center, 1700 Whiskey Road, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, April 16, and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 17.
Vicks companies are multifaceted when it comes to construction work. The company offers exterior painting, exterior coating, residential, industrial, commercial, all wood repair, carpentry, masonry, windows, doors, gutters, almost anything on the exterior of the home, also interior work as well as remodeling and refinishing.
Vick said people would often call his company for help in regard to their home improvement and their business did “very well” during the beginning of the pandemic. Vick’s crew was able to work successfully during the pandemic.
“With us, it was mainly exterior painting and power washing on the outside of the home because that way we were able to work,” Vick said. “We didn’t go inside at all within the last year to the homes during the pandemic, it was all outside work; and with our crews that we have, crews from three to six, we were able to social distance, wear masks, and do work on the outside to keep going.”
While COVID-19 has shut down a lot of industries, it has been helpful to some industries and hurtful for others, said JD Norris, the owner of DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen. DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen is a full-service design, build and remodeling company.
“Initially, it was a little bit of a negative (effect). I think when society got over the shock, and then circumstances changed in people’s lives and they either found their self at home often or more time to focus on what they wanted to make changes to, it seemed to stir an uptick in the construction industry,” Norris said.
Norris is not sure if COVID-19 was responsible or not for the increase in his business, but he did notice the effect it had on production. He said he experienced slowdowns in delivery with appliances and that production is really busy, so their response in delivering their product slowed down.
Recently, DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen has had more request come in for kitchens; and Norris suggests when remodeling anything to not rush a plan because it is a large investment. Also make sure it is correct so there will be no regrets and to lay out expectations for contractors and ask questions, he said.
Vick said it is important to always try to be proactive and measure and to pay attention to your home.
“Don’t let things go by the wayside. Don’t let them just linger and become a problem, at least work on getting it addressed so it doesn’t become more of an issue or more of a problem,” Vick said. “Just be proactive in maintenance as best as possible.”