After a year of adaptation amid frequent supply chain disruptions and material shortages, builders are evaluating and refining COVID-required practices to find the best route forward. According to a survey conducted by Pro Builder and Home Innovation Research Labs, a large segment of national builders will continue expanding their stable of suppliers to shortcut pandemic-driven supply chain issues and fluctuating materials prices.
More builders are also incorporating consumer-demanded products and home amenities to meet new lifestyle needs and concerns like indoor air quality, occupant health, and floor plans suited for remote work spaces. On the contrary, the majority of national builders were required to adopt virus-mitigating practices on their job sites throughout the pandemic, a precaution many may not continue in the year ahead, according to NAHBNow.
Some of the top practices builders plan to continue include:
- Expanding their stable of suppliers because of pandemic-driven supply chain issues and materials price volatility, which they don’t expect to scale back when those crises abate.
- Incorporating consumer-demanded products and features to meet changing lifestyle needs, including a greater emphasis on indoor air quality and occupant health, floor plans with at least one dedicated office (and likely another), spaces for remote learning, and more and bigger outdoor living areas.
Others they may not continue include:
- Adopting virus-mitigating practices on their job sites, and in their design centers and sales offices.