The rapid spread of the novel coronavirus has left a lot of industries and workers in a state of uncertainty. The impact of the global health crisis has caused certain businesses and service providers to cease operations indefinitely, including construction.
Certain construction sites in different cities, like Dover or Boise, which have already gone through the building commissioning process have been shut down temporarily. At least until the virus has been contained and the quarantine is lifted.
Of course, there are some renovation projects you can do all by yourself but what if you are in the middle of a major renovation? There are no clear guidelines for residential renovation projects at this time.
Is the project considered essential?
This is the main concern right now. Will your home be safe and secure even if the renovation work has been suspended?
While the government has still to clarify what essential construction work is, the most recent word from them is that home maintenance and repair work can still continue provided the workers are healthy and carry no symptoms.
Social distancing should still be practiced for the safety of everyone in the vicinity.
Guidelines should still be set in place
Certain rules should still be in place aside from social distancing.
The number of workers on a particular site should be kept to a minimum, keeping a safe distance of six feet from each other.
Workers should come to the project site in private or company vehicles and not by public transport.
If transportation proves to be an issue, evaluate the ongoing work and see which one of the workers can come to work.
Any worker that shows any symptoms of COVID-19 or has been exposed to a positive patient should not report for work and should immediately self-isolate for 14 days. The workplace should immediately be cleaned and sanitized as well.
No work should be carried out in homes that are isolating unless the nature of the work is an emergency such as plumbing or electrical work. Even so, work should only be carried out if leaving it undone will greatly affect the household.
Do not DIY it
We understand that you would want to get the job done at the soonest possible time, but doing it yourself is not the answer. While there are smaller and minor things you can probably do, such as painting or decorating, we discourage you from taking on any major renovation work, especially if you are not qualified to do so.
Just leave it to the professionals. This way, you are ensured that the finished work is structurally sound and building code compliant. Otherwise, if you choose to do it on your own, you might face some legal issues in the future.
Contractors that have existing home renovation projects should evaluate and determine whether their projects are essential or not. Different states have different lockdown rules. You have to make sure that before carrying out or continuing work on a project, you do not violate your state’s lockdown rules.
