How did COVID-19 affect the demand for Roofing in the UK?
How did COVID-19 Affect the Demand for Roofing in the UK?
Considering that more people are spending more time at home thanks to lockdown, it’s probably no surprise that home improvement jobs experienced a 12% rise in demand. Home and garden maintenance was highest in need, with indoor maintenance and repair being the jobs people required the most help with during the first lockdown.
Considering that lockdowns and local tier restrictions were in place all through 2020, this was fantastic news for tradespeople unaffected by government restrictions and still able to work.
With a 51% Increase in Searches for ‘New Roofing’, this was Clearly Another Popular Home Improvement Activity
It increased massively in interest around the 22nd of September when the government introduced home working. Considering this, more people may have been thinking about converting their attic space into a home office and perhaps considering replacing the roof as part of this.
There was further interest in ‘new roofing’ during the second lockdown as well. There are a couple of reasons why this might have happened. Firstly, roofers were experiencing quieter periods, so homeowners may have been keen to exploit this. Home improvement loans were also cheaper at this point. At the same time, some households might have been eager to obtain a more affordable quote.
In other cases, the demand for new roofing fell. This was particularly noticeable during the first lockdown, where there was a general shortage of construction materials. As such, supplies in builders merchants were meagre. Add to this the inflated cost of materials, and it’s easy to see why demand dropped.
Another period when demand fell was around the time when the third lockdown started. As more business premises became vacant, landlords were probably keener to rent them out rather than repairing them.
Another Term that Increased in Popularity was ‘Roof Install’, which became 39% More Popular
This was particularly prominent during the middle of the second lockdown. It may be partly explained by the more considerable demand for online shopping, which placed a demand on online distribution centres. Substantial buildings with vast roofs made from metal or ply membrane.
Another point when people more frequently searches ‘Roof Install’ was when children returned to school. Because parents didn’t need to invest lots of time into homeschooling, they probably had more time to get in roofers and supervise them properly.
During the first lockdown, searches for ‘roof install’ were somewhat erratic. Although the government permitted many building sites to remain open, many did not, as social distancing was impossible to maintain.
Although not as popular as the term ‘roof install’, ‘re-roofing was also being searched more (by 16% to be exact). This could be down to rising new home sales, more lavish spending on commercial and residential work, plus more significant investment in major infrastructure in the UK.
Which Cities were Most Interested in Roofing?
The first is Hemel Hempstead, where major companies like ASOS and Amazon have large warehouses. Not to mention a large number of business units that probably require roofing maintenance.
Hull was another city with much interest in roofing. With a large student population, landlords might have used the opportunity of students visiting home during lockdown to complete essential roof repairs on their properties. The city is also renowned for its involvement in manufacturing, healthcare and retail. Again, businesses which tend to occupy large properties with vast sections of roofing. Similarly, this could be why roofing was searched so much for Broughton Astley as well.
In smaller places like Stockport, many old buildings are currently being converted into luxury apartments. In Hambleton, the myriad of industrial units for food manufacture, agriculture and beverages are likely to provide plentiful work for roofers.
Despite Lockdown, Roofers have Never Been in More Demand!
There are a couple of reasons why roofers may not have been in demand over the last year or so, like the closure of some construction sites and the difficulties in obtaining roofing materials due to shortages.
However, Google Trends indicates that roofers have been in more demand than ever. While furloughed, it seems more people have been using their time to get in tradespeople to sort out their roofs. Also, the need for online shopping and deliveries means it’s never been more critical to keep distribution centres and warehouses well maintained.