Construction During Covid-19

Dear Customers,

We’re reaching out to our clients to offer some perspective on the state of construction amid the COVID-19 crisis. First and foremost, we recommend transitioning any ongoing meetings that may have previously been face-to-face to video conferencing.

We interact with hundreds of property owners and contractors every day, which gives us insights that we hope can benefit you.

Is this a good time to begin or continue a construction project?

• Yes, we think so, with two important exceptions:
  1. If you now need the cash you were going to spend on your project for non-discretionary expenses, postpone your project.
  2. You should not have workers in a house you are living in during lockdown.

• The pre-construction process takes a lot longer than most property owners expect*, and most of what needs to be worked on can be done remotely. This can include video walkthroughs, quoting, negotiation, bid leveling, architectural design, planning, and permitting.

• Now more than ever, premier contractors have availability in their upcoming schedules.

• Interest rates are low right now, and many contractors are offering very fair pricing with the intent of filling their schedules for the next few months.

Should I have contractors in my home?

• In light of social distancing measures, we are now encouraging video walkthroughs for our contractors over Zoom and Facetime.

Is construction allowed during lockdown?

• In the majority of states across the US, construction is ongoing. Here is a map to some of the rules. Of course, this is subject to change, but the contractors with whom we work are, for the most part, continuing with their projects on schedule.
  

What do we see for the future?

• We know that many of our clients are wary about moving forward with a construction project due to economic uncertainty. This sentiment was expressed to us in a wave around mid-March.

• We also know that, in the same way anxiety seemed to come to us all at once, relief may come all at once. At that point, contractors will be overwhelmed with business, prices will increase, and timelines to start projects will be pushed. It will be a lot tougher, logistically, to move forward with a construction project with a reputable contractor once this storm passes.

In short, we believe you can continue working on your project as many phases of a construction project can be done remotely, and there are advantages to starting your project when contractors are eager to take on new work. In our network, we’ve seen contractors who had been booked through 2020 taking new clients today. 

If you want help navigating construction during this time please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at [email protected].

Best,

*Typical timeline prior to breaking ground:

• Design: 45-90 days
• Contractor interviews and selection: 30-45 days
• Contract negotiation: 15-30 days
• Permitting: 15-90 days