As our country continues to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, many businesses are facing a lot of uncertainty. It might feel difficult to plan for the future—especially if that future involves trying to renovate a commercial space. With guidelines around operation and capacity in flux, a lot of property owners and entrepreneurs who had renovations on their agenda for 2020 are faced with the question: Should you start commercial renovations in the middle of the pandemic?
For obvious reasons, we can’t answer that question for you. The truth is, whether or not now is the right time to take on a renovation project depends on your specific circumstances. However, here are just a few of the pros and cons associated with starting a commercial renovation project in 2020.
A Few Reasons to Pause
Let’s get the bad news out of the way first. One obvious reason why now might not be a great time to take on renovations would be if your business is experiencing financial instability. If:
- You’ve been unable to operate normally
- Your profits have been seriously impacted by the pandemic
- Your business is still closed with no signs of opening soon.
- Your employees have transitioned to working remotely and aren’t currently using the space
. . . Then it might be worth pausing to consider whether now is really the right time to tackle your project.
Why Starting Renovations Now Might Be a Great Idea
On the other hand, now could be the perfect time to start commercial renovations for a variety of reasons! Here are just a few reasons why you might decide to move forward.
Revamp Your Space Without Hurting Your Business
Taking advantage of a slower period might allow you to knock out that project you’ve been planning without inconveniencing your customers. Especially if your doors are still closed due to social distancing guidelines, this could be a golden opportunity to get some work done.
Take Advantage of Temporarily Empty Offices
Likewise, if your employees are still working remotely (or mostly remotely), this could be a fantastic opportunity to upgrade your office space. Taking care of renovations now prevents potential workflow interruptions that businesses usually encounter when trying to do renovations with employees present.
Capture Your Community’s Attention
Depending on what kind of business you operate, doing renovations during this lulled season might be a great way to stay top-of-mind in your community. Make your renovations feel like an event—talk them up on social media or get local press involved. That way, when you’re finally able to operate at max capacity without social distancing restrictions, your client base will be thrilled to come check out your new changes.
The Choice is All Yours
Deciding to get started with commercial renovations isn’t a decision to make lightly, but when you’re ready to hit the gas, we’re here for you! Here at JC Smith, we’re proud to work on commercial projects in Martinsburg, West Virginia and the tri-state area.
Our team has expertise in both commercial and residential renovation, so whatever project you have in mind, we’d love to help you breathe new life into your space during this strange season. Get in touch with us here to learn more about our process for commercial renovations!
