Without construction freezes, the construction industry has not so far felt economic pain from the coronavirus pandemic.
The construction industry, like nearly every other sector in the state, has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
But for one company, the health emergency hasn’t hurt business, so far.
Lynette Rogers, owner of Homescapes of New England, has found that her firm has been able to maintain business as usual, with certain exceptions in place. The company, based out of Epping, provides siding, window and deck replacements to homeowners.
Because people are home more Rogers said has seen an increase in sales leads. People are indoors and noticing things that they otherwise might not – the paint peeling around the windowsills or the deck that’s warped. She’s still able to perform measurement calls and presentations over the phone or via email, which has even turned into a time-saver, she said.
Still, some work must be completed on-site.
“In person, I wear a mask and measure windows from a distance,” Rogers said.
The majority of the company’s projects are going forward at this point, with few disruptions among Homescapes’ New Hampshire clients.
“Take each day as it comes, you never know when things can change.”
— Lynette Rogers, owner, Homescapes of New England
With some towns in Massachusetts stopping the issuance of new building permits, the story has been different across the border. However, if a project had an existing permit, work has been allowed to proceed, Rogers said, and these projects remain Homescapes’ queue. When confronted with a gap in the firm’s schedule, a different project is simply slotted in the empty space. When these projects are ready to move forward, they’ll be taken care of as soon as possible.
For work that must be done inside the home – like windows – safety measures such as zip walls work well. The team cordons off an area of the house to work in, then moves to another once it’s been cleaned up and sanitized. Rogers said that Homescapes’ teams top out at two people right now, in order to allow for safe distancing.
Homescapes of New England has work scheduled through the end of July, something that Rogers is grateful for.
“Take each day as it comes, you never know when things can change,” Rogers said.
‘Try to Keep Moving’
Homescapes’ experience may be more broadly shared.
A senior executive at a prominent Granite State building supply company told The Registry Review that the pandemic’s economic fallout does not appear to have hit the construction industry just yet. While there have been instances where projects that were going to get started have been postponed, the lack of a state-ordered construction freeze has prevented the sector from losing momentum.
And state workforce data appears to support this. Construction industry employment was up slightly in March, the most recent period for which data is available, compared to February 2020 and March 2019. New Hampshire has been under a state of emergency since March 13.
Rogers said the pandemic hasn’t caused Homescapes to retrench and stop marketing efforts.
For its 10-year anniversary on March 22, it held a special social media promotion giving away gift certificates to five area restaurants. If your business is still going, Rogers said, her strategy has been to do everything you can to keep it moving.
“You’re affecting other peoples’ jobs,” says Rogers.
A single sale for Homescapes of New England can affect four of her employees, along with subcontractors. Sharing her successes with other business owners, she said, is helping other them to see possibilities and keeps fear out of the mix.
“Try to keep moving forward and stay positive,” Rogers said.
