Judie Docs, Executive Officer, North Coast Building Industry Association (NCBIA), CSP, MCSP, CGP, CMP, MIRM
What does the turmoil of the coronavirus mean for new homes and communities? For starters, we are all spending more time at home, and gaining a greater appreciation for, or frustration of, all the things that come with that.
What started as work from home, though, may have morphed into something bigger and more important for those of us involved in home and community development, or life from home.
Lifestyles could be re-made; this disruption to clear the way for underlying trends that are already out there to become more mainstream.
In home design, that means:
- Smaller footprint homes, more attainably priced will continue to be the product type of choice. If consumers re-boot how they earn a living or pivot to a different career, attainability will matter.
- Home wellness technology to monitor health, track at-home fitness and maybe even detect the temperatures of visitors coming and going.
- Floor plans need to become more multifunctional for working from home, for gathering with others, and for supporting multigenerational activities all happening at once — i.e., no wasted space, and more space that can be made to work however the person or family living there needs it to. For example, laundry sinks could be replaced with tubs that double as DIY dog washes, and garages could be turned into home gyms.
- Storage, storage, storage, everywhere— but hidden in plain sight. Storage that works and isn’t just a quick fix for small remnant spaces. And what about tastefully designed hand sanitizer dispensers near the front door?
- Indoor/outdoor spaces that work. For example, porches that are deep enough to sit comfortably in a chair. Sometimes this means an extra foot, and it adds cost. But consumers that value this will make trade-offs elsewhere for it.
The innovators and creators who make this industry so great will come out of this stronger and more committed to doing everything possible to contribute to creating spaces and places for people who, more than ever, have come to see the importance of home.
We are your local not-for-profit trade association representing member companies involved in all aspects of home building, remodeling, and other aspects of services available to help you in the future as well as more information on the above topic. So, you can see it is for your protection that you use a NCBIA member. If you are unsure that your contractor is a member of the NCBIA or you are looking for a list of NCBIA members, you can visit our website at www.ncbia.com or call 440-934-1090. We also have a job posting board (under the Industry tab).
Just Built! Our 24/7 Virtual Parade of Homes!!! Allows you to look at some of our builders’ new homes and communities on your mobile device or computer at your leisure. We know time is our greatest asset and via our NCBIA Virtual Parade of Homes, we save you time looking for a new home or a community that fits your lifestyle. The Virtual Parade of Homes is open online 24/7. Many of the homes featured in our ALL NEW Virtual Parade host regular open house hours for those consumers who are looking to tour the actual homes. You can click through to builder websites to see what they have to offer.
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