This is not the time for most to be considering remodeling their kitchen. However, while many of our lives are stalled and we are looking forward to better times. While the declining stock market can actually make remodeling a kitchen a good business decision, here are some things to think about.
Financial uncertainty, such as the declining stock market can lower the number of homeowners looking to renovate their kitchens. But these are the best times to be borrowing the money needed to do major renovations such as kitchen remodels.
Just as reacting quickly to health directives can flatten the outbreak curve and allow our healthcare system to deal with the pandemic, reacting quickly once the health crisis has subsided can make expensive kitchen renovations inexpensive or free.
Interest rates have plummeted due to the havoc created by the Coronavirus COVID-19 and falling oil prices. Refinancing a home at lower interest rates will allow many homeowners to reduce their monthly mortgage payment while also being able to withdraw enough money to pay for a kitchen renovation.
It is the uncertain times that create the opportunity to get such great financing. Sitting on the sidelines too long when you have a kitchen renovation you are contemplating would miss the opportunity.
Hoping our customers can stay safe during this stressful time, and once it IS safe, that they don’t miss an opportunity that happens only once every ten or so years.
Here is a our blog on financing a kitchen renovation
And here is a video by Third Generation Contractors on the same topic
Paul, Julie, Ed, Chris, Lauren, John, Tom and Stacia
Main Line Kitchen Design
6 Replies to “Why the Pandemic and a Declining Stock Market Can Make Remodeling a Kitchen a Good Business Decision.”
Electrical Contractors North Shore
I was looking for this information relating to why the pandemic and the financial crises can make remodeling a kitchen a good business decision. You have really eased my work by posting this article, loved your writing skill as well. Please keep sharing more, would love to read more from you!
Dennis Yannakos
That’s so true! Thank you for sharing!
Frank Cicero
Instead of borrowing money in this unsettling time you could remodel by investing time to researching ideas that are cost friendly to both sides of the fence. As a contractor I do not like to haggle over cost but I could advise my customers by educating them on a lower cost remodel while still maintaining a high quality outcome .
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
Hi Frank,
Better to do both. Refinancing right now would lower almost everyone’s mortgage payment while still allowing them to take out enough from their home’s equity to renovate a kitchen. Almost no one can pay for a kitchen remodel with 100% cash. Assuming you were going to be renovating a kitchen sometime in the near future, doing it now when contractors like yourself will be more flexible on helping keep costs down and when they will be lowering their mortgage payment makes a lot of sense.
Manie
How about contractors reducing their quotes, so homeowners DON’t have to borrow money? With exorbitant cost of construction, I am not sure if reduced interest rate would be reason enough to remodel now, because at the end of the day I am paying off that loan, but the contractor is earning the same amount of money. Not enough incentive here…
pmcalary[ Post Author ]
Hi Manie,
Contractor quotes will probably be less after things return to normal. However this won’t determine whether you need to borrow money. You either have it or you don’t.
For example: Saving possibly 10% on the contractor costs for a total renovation might save 5% of the total renovation costs, since the materials for a kitchen usually cost as much as the contractors charges. Since kitchen renovations usually fall between 25K and 100K, and of course there will be people spending much more, the 5% you might save on construction isn’t that significant in determining whether you will need a loan or not.
Actually going into an expensive renovation with the attitude that the contractor should “sharpen his or her pencil” usually translates into contractors not bothering to send you an estimate or tacking on 20% because they assume you might be hard to work with.
I always recomend that homeowners be as nice as possible and offer coffee and snacks to contractors and to get several estimates. A few cups of coffee an some cookies might lower each estimate by a thousand dollars or more.
Remember just like you are interviewing contractors THEY are evaluating you and what kind of person you will be like to work with. If they get a bad vibe it will be reflected in the price you get.