HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach^[1] - 9 February 2021 - Although Covid-19 has brought depression to the world, it does not affect the "customization enthusiasm" in Hong Kong's renovation industry, rather, it helps the business to grow. Whether it is office renovation or household renovation, many people hope to improve productivity by personalizing the space, which further helps to improve their quality of life and the efficiency at work.

Business owners renovate their offices with emphasis on practicality and flexibility of space

According to the latest published report on January 2021, Premium Office Rent Tracker, December 2020, office rents in Central and Eastern districts Hong Kong are among the top 20 in the world. Among them, rents of the central districts are the most expensive, reaching the cost of  $240/square feet every year. Moreover, as the Hong Kong marketing environment is changing rapidly, the traditional office working mode needs to adapt to the constantly changing needs for the work environment. Due to the great impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, it's inevitable for the companies to make some adjustments, whether integrate or expanse business, therefore, the question for business owners to consider is how to make the best use of the small space.

John Wong, the manager of A1 WORKMAN^[2], said that more than 30% of customers choose to renovate their offices and use the custom furniture services in order to maximize the use of the space as well as coordinating the office styles. Besides, customers desire to have more than just a flexible office space but an office to meet the future intelligence requirement.

The large amount of old houses increase the need for second-hand apartments renovation

According to the reports from Centaline Property Agency, 60% of apartments purchased by Hong Kong consumers are among the categories of buildings aged 15 years or above and secondhand houses. These second-hand apartments are worrying many residents as they might have safety issues or structural problems, therefore, there are increase demands of old house renovation services in Hong Kong. "We too receive a lot of inquires from people regarding the renovation services, many property buyers tend to renovate their secondhand apartments before moving in, and before the renovation starts, demolition and restoration need to be done first. On the other hand, some people are concerned about the water-proof ability because the buildings are old, so they also want to use the renovation service.

Though people are fond of online shopping for disinfection home appliances and DIY small projects, they still rely on renovation companies for the big projects.

According to our survey, over 40% of property owners hope to redefine their homes based on their own aesthetic and living habits, creating the "ideal home" in accord with the personality and needs. However, most people are not able to do it due to the lack of time and the lack of skill, they may do some DIY works for small items, yet they still rely on renovation companies for the bigger project. In addition, people stay home longer now because of the pandemic and many families choose to order home appliances online, as a result, some Hong Kong renovation firms decided to establish the online stores for household appliances to meet this need. Take A1 WORKMAN for example, they set up a website for online home appliance purchase which not only provides online inquiry services but also delivery and on-site instillation service in areas like Tuen Mun, Tsuen Wan, Kwai Chung and Kwai Tsing, etc. According to A1 WORKMAN, the best selling products are sterilization air conditioner, fan, air purifier, vacuum cleaner, kitchen appliances and so on.

The use of space in the future is sure to change along with the development of the society, it is going to suit the needs of everyday life and the change of home/office settings. No matter the development, the first and foremost requirement is to be safe and practical. In a word, the priority of renovation and remodeling is to focus on quality and safety.

References

1. ^{^} Media OutReach (www.media-outreach.com)
2. ^{^} A1 WORKMAN (workman.com.hk)