Coronavirus has led to the government urging people to stay at home where possible, and with many people now homebound, taking on a renovation or home improvement project is the perfect opportunity to keep busy.
Self-isolation isn’t an overly pleasant experience, but opting to renovate or improve your home during the coronavirus crisis could be more beneficial than you think.
Not only could these changes help to add value to your home, but they could focus your mind away from working from home and keep you occupied while the outbreak continues.
(MORE: Renovating a House: The Complete Guide)
DIY Home Improvement Ideas
While tradespeople may not be able to attend your home to perform a job, there are several quick makeovers or larger-scale improvements you can take on, including:
Creating a Dedicated Home Office
Having a dedicated home office could be valuable when the schools shut on Friday. If you have a room that isn’t used very often, or is used for storage, such as a spare room or garden room, consider setting up your home office there.
Make sure you have adequate natural light and consider adding some task lighting, which can be particularly useful if you are working later in the evening.
You’ll need adequate power points and a good wifi signal too, so consider these when setting up.
(MORE: 12 Home Office Design Ideas)
If you are moving your home office into a storage room, you’ll want to remove the stored items in advance, helping you to optimise the space. These storage ideas can be used to effectively maximise your room’s space.
Laying Laminate Flooring
If you have a busy household that is self-isolating, there could be more wear and tear on your floors, so laminate offers protection. Laminate is also easier to keep clean.
You will need the right equipment in order to lay this flooring yourself. And depending on your design of choice, it can make your home feel more spacious, which could feel most welcome if you’re homebound for several weeks.
You can probably buy everything you need online, however, while 7-day delivery is available on tools sites such as Screwfix, the current problems facing some businesses could delay deliveries.
This how-to video from builder Andy Stevens demonstrates how to lay a tongue and groove dry-fix flooring system.
Insulating a Loft
Insulating a loft can make your home more energy efficient by reducing heat loss and thus your heating bills. And this is a task you can do yourself. For materials such as boards, rolls or slabs, tools sites such as B&Q remain open for delivery.
Decorating Your House
Have you been putting off a painting or decorating job? Now’s the time to get to it. Not only can the job be completed within a couple of days, but the whole family can get involved — keeping you all busy and doing activities together.
Furthermore, adding a lick of paint can add around 5-10% to the value of your home. These tips for decorating your own house will help you ensure a long-lasting, professional finish.
Planning Future Home Improvement Projects
You’ll likely be spending a sizeable amount of time with your family in the coming weeks, so why not use this time to assess future home improvements you could benefit from? This might be the perfect opportunity to begin planning an extension project.
Alternatively, if being in the same living room for large chunks of the day with your family members leaves you fighting over what to watch on the TV, you could consider converting your garage into a separate living room for your children. If you are longing for a larger plan space, you may also consider creating a new kitchen diner by remodelling or knocking down internal walls.
These projects could also help to boost your kerb appeal, and do not need to be particularly expensive. They also shouldn’t be hugely disruptive. But make sure you do them once you’ve finished work for the day.