It’s been over a year experiencing a global pandemic, and many Canadians hoped that 2021 would mean the light at the end of the tunnel. Unfortunately, it’s not over yet. Positive cases of COVID-19 are once again on the rise, and provinces are issuing lockdown notices and advising people to stay at home.
If you’re anything like most Canadians, you haven’t travelled at all this year, and your vacation savings is now building up in your bank account. That excess cash combined with a year at home means that you’re might be setting your sights on a home renovation to make the space that you share with your family every day a little more livable.
This is even more of a priority if you have an older home, which tends to be more cramped, closed in, and with fewer amenities than the typical home. Now might be the perfect time to tackle some upgrades.
If you’re planning a home renovation, you aren’t alone. Many Canadians have been attempting or completing home renovations over the past year. This increase in demand combined with reduced supplies has led contractors to book up months in advance. Fortunately for you, all is not lost. You can get started on your home renovations now without having to wait for a professional.
Here are three COVID-friendly DIY home renovation projects that will make your space more enjoyable during our second year of living through a global pandemic.
How to Evaluate Your DIY Capabilities
Before you tackle your first do-it-yourself (DIY) project, it’s essential to be frank with yourself about your capabilities. It would be best if you were careful not to bite off more than you can chew, especially since professionals are often booked weeks in advance, which means you may not be able to find someone to undo your mistakes promptly. Ask yourself the following questions to determine your DIY capabilities:
- What tools do I have at my disposal?
- Am I knowledgeable enough to purchase additional tools?
- What DIY experience have I had throughout my life?
- What recent DIY expertise do I have?
- Am I willing to spend significant amounts of time researching to fill the gaps in my knowledge?
- Am I comfortable getting out of my comfort zone?
- Do I have a trusted friend or family member to help me when an extra pair of hands are required?
The answers to these questions will help you determine whether you should stick with beginner DIY projects or if you are prepared to tackle more advanced renovations. If you have an older home, be aware that there may be unpleasant surprises lurking beneath floors and behind walls – which is why you should know what you’re doing in some respects.
Spruce up Your Outdoor Space
This beginner-level COVID-friendly DIY project is an excellent choice for any homeowner wanting to expand the usable space on their property. With summer approaching, consider turning your underused backyard into an extra living space. We like this DIY project because it is scalable depending on your funds and expertise. This project could be as simple as reclaiming your yard from weeds and overgrowth, planting grass, and creating garden beds. Or, if you’re feeling adventurous, consider building a fire pit, flagstone patio, upgrading your existing deck, or making deck furniture.
We also love this project because outdoor projects are pretty forgiving. You can take your time working on it in the evenings and on weekends. If you make a mistake, it will in no way impact your ability to enjoy your home, and you can take your time rectifying the issue. Just make sure to call before you dig to ensure you don’t encounter any electrical, gas, or sewer lines.
Create a Dedicated Home Office Space
If you are one of the many Canadians now required to work from home permanently, you may have found your makeshift office space in your older home’s unfinished basement isn’t entirely cutting it. The perfect COVID-friendly DIY is to upgrade your office space by adding drywall, improving your lighting, and adding a heat source. Each of these upgrades is doable, even if you’ve never tackled them before.
Your home office might be the perfect place to hone these skills. If your office equipment is lacking, you could try your hand at building a desk or have one delivered to your home. Finally, many older homes have moisture issues in the basement, especially in the summer, which can be remedied by adding a dehumidifier.
Convert Your Attic
With the whole family home at all hours, an excellent strategy for expanding your living space is to tap into unused spaces in your home. Many older homes have unfinished attics, which can be a good candidate to extend your home’s usable space.
This COVID-friendly DIY project is more advanced than those mentioned above and hinges on two keys aspects: access and structural soundness. First, your attic needs to be accessible. Some older homes have staircases into the attic, while others only have hatch access with a ladder that descends when you open the hatch. Staircase access is ideal, but hatch access will also work. The other important factor to consider is whether the joists support your main floor ceiling (and will span under the floor of your attic). You need to determine if they will support the finished space. Many attic joists cannot support an extra living space’s weight, so you’ll need to consult with a structural engineer to confirm that the beams are sufficient and do not need to be reinforced.
Once an engineer gives you the green light, you’ll need to insulate the space, install electrical outlets and lighting, drywall and flooring. If your attic ceiling is low, the area may only be suitable as a recreational space for your children. If your attic is more extensive and has staircase access, you may consider turning this space into a home office or master suite complete with a bathroom.
As much as we hoped that the global pandemic would be winding down in the summer of 2021, all indicators seem to point to another season of restrictions until the various vaccines are widely distributed. Renovating your older home to be more COVID-friendly will undoubtedly improve your quality of life while we wait for the pandemic to subside and life to get back to normal.
