Backlog is inevitable in the home services industry, but the past year has been a reminder of just how unforgiving these delays can be for contractors and homeowners alike. The pandemic directed a spotlight on the value of loving the place you live. In addition, the current housing market has many homeowners choosing to renovate and remodel their homes, with some trying to draw more value from a bull resale market and others reacting to sticker shock by choosing to renovate existing homes rather than buy new.
All told, the pandemic has put home services front and center. And throughout the year, that amplified demand has at times reverberated into heightened prices for essential building necessities — as well as unintended and uncontrollable delays or escalated contract prices that may lead to uncomfortable conversations with homeowners.