The pandemic saw demand for home renovations in Manitoba climb — and according to Tina Driscoll, vice-president of Dynasty Bathrooms, it hasn’t stopped.
“We’re 10 days into January and already our phones are ringing off the hook,” she said.
Since the initial surge in 2020, Driscoll says it’s been non-stop. She attributes it to people spending more time in their homes — even three years later.
“We like to believe that people are getting out and travelling more, but a lot of folks are still hunkering down and staying in their homes,” she said. “People don’t go on holidays because the holiday can be in your house.”
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But just as the demand for their services began to climb, their staffing levels dropped. This leads to a longer wait before renovations start — up to a year, in some cases.
It’s a problem that Lanny McInnes, president and CEO of the Manitoba Home Builders’ Association (MHBA), says affects all areas of the construction industry.
“Making sure that you’ve got enough people to do the work you’re contracted to do continues to be a challenge,” he said.
McInnes says the MHBA is trying to encourage people to choose a career in the trades, but that the staffing shortages aren’t deterring people from booking renovations.
According to McInnes, Manitoba’s older housing stock fuels a significant part of the demand; in fact, home renovations account for more of the financial activity in Manitoba’s residential construction industry than new home builds do.
“In terms of dollar amounts and in terms of permit activity, it’s always higher on the renovations side,” he said.
For Driscoll, she’s balancing wait times with serving as many people as possible.
“As long as we have clients that understand those timelines, I’m perfectly happy with the business that comes our way,” she said.
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