Gas prices and the impact on home improvement projects

The effects from the rise in gas prices don’t stop at the gas pump.

Mallory Micetich, a home care expert at Angi, explains how the increasing gas prices affect the home industry, and what you can do about it.

“The high gas prices are already starting to affect both pros and homeowners. Pros use gas to travel to different job locations and for some of their equipment, which means many of them will have to raise their prices since the cost of running their businesses just got more expensive. And if you’re a homeowner, the best thing you can do right now if you’re taking on a project is open a great line of communication with your pro,” Micetich said.

Before you start your project, ask if there are any price increases or fees that you need to be aware of.

Some pros are adding the extra cost straight into their quotes, while others are charging additional transportation fees. Make sure you ask very clear questions about pricing to avoid any surprises later.

“Try to add some extra wiggle room into your budget to account for the higher prices of gas. When we talked to our pros, about 75% of them, according to a recent poll that we did, said they plan on increasing their prices due to the higher gas costs. So you’ll need to create a new budget that takes this into account. If you aren’t sure how much extra to budget, talk to a few pros that you regularly hire and see what they’re planning to do,” Micetich said.

You can save on transportation costs, by bundling your projects together.

For example, if you need to repaint a bedroom and your kitchen cabinets, get them done at the same time. This will decrease the pro’s time driving, which will lower the overall cost of your project.

“My last tip is to book local. In general, the farther the pro has to travel, the higher their prices will be. Try booking a local pro in your area to save on transportation costs. Pros are more likely to take on projects near them anyway, so hiring local is a win-win.,” Micetich said.