The construction industry is undergoing a massive transformation and we are witnessing that now. Yes, as you read this, the industry is making both micro and macro changes in every aspect.
The transformations include how we:
- establish what we are going to create
- formulate viable solutions
- establish the process we will utilize to implement those solutions
Let us look at each of these three pillars to see what is transpiring and how that affects you, and we will even peek at what is coming!
What Are Some Of Our Reasons For Building?
The basics have not changed for millennia, shelter and defense. More recently, I have come to notice changes in ‘why’ we build. Our homes have become so much more to us than simple shelter from the elements, and the castle keep for defense is real low on most of our priority lists. In many cases, over the last decade or so, people have adopted uses into our homes that typically occurred in a different venue. Our workspace, our entertainment space, our shopping space, our exercise space. Over the years, (pre-pandemic), our collective utilization of our homes has fundamentally changed.
Home Offices
The home office, a place where we would go to pay the household bills and take care of our personal business has transformed. Since the pandemic, most of us have transitioned from our normal office routine to working from home. Working from home was made possible via the explosion of internet communication systems. From logging onto the company server to ZOOM meetings, to pandemic driven fallout, we are working from home more frequently than ever before. This has driven the need for a different type of home ‘office.’ Even more so if our spouses are working from home as well. Ten years ago, or less, this statement would have met with considerable skepticism. Not so today. It is virtually (pun intended), the norm. It is quite common to have two separate offices in a contemporary home, and not just a converted extra bedroom either. We still want those.
Home Entertainment
Entertainment covers so many facets of our lives and has changed dramatically. Home entertainment specifically exploded with the ability to rent a video of your favorite movie, bring it home, and watch it on your TV. That was so popular that our TV’s have become huge screens and even had their own room to boot. Big screen theatres are still around but aren’t nearly as common as they were 10 years ago. We no longer go to the ‘Video Store.’
We have access to more online streaming than we are capable of viewing. YouTube, HULU, Paramount+, they are but a fraction of what is offered. This has added to the desire and ability to stay home and get more for it.
Even today, we entertain family, friends, and even clients at home. This dynamic has changed the way we design our homes. The kitchen has always been a hot spot for gathering during hosting. Now, we plan for it instead of cramming a bunch of folks into a small kitchen. Kitchens have gotten more sophisticated to keep up with the culinary expectations for ourselves and our guests. Of course, there is still going out to a restaurant, but the billion-dollar kitchen and appliances market tells us that the home is so much more.
Comfort And Convenience
We have been shopping from our homes for years and the trend continues to grow. Several new companies are popping up and existing ones are expanding their services to meet our rising need to stay home. Stay Fresh, Uber Eats and InstaCart are all relatively new and thriving companies meeting this demand. Amazon…well, enough said there.
The brick-and-mortar stores are decreasing rapidly as we shop from home. You can order almost anything from home and have it delivered with ease. Albeit there are products we still want to touch and feel before purchasing, but even those have diminished. The comfortable space you made in your home, whether the kitchen counter, a sitting area, the TV room, or the home office is now your department store as well.
Our homes have dramatically evolved to meet the ever-changing lifestyle demands. This shift has rippled into the industry as well. Stay tuned for next weeks article to learn more about the effect’s on our supply, demand, and industry standards.
