Phil M. Sinha

Lumber shortages derail home improvement plans during COVID-19

By Phil M. Sinha 1 week ago
Lumber shortages are derailing some home improvement plans
Lumber shortages are derailing some home improvement plans

The lumber industry has been caught off guard by Canadians’ financial resilience during COVID-19, resulting in shortages that are derailing home improvement plans.

According to data from Statistics Canada, 5.5 million Canadian workers have been affected by shutdowns, either through a drop in employment or COVID-19 related absences. The unemployment rate has gone from 5.6 per cent before the pandemic to 12.3 per cent.

Despite the devastation to the job market, spending on home repairs and renovations fell only 5 per cent in May, compared to January.

“The lumber industry was not expecting this as can be seen by their production. U.S. lumber production was up an average 6 per cent year-over-year per month [from January to March] but dropped 7 per cent year-over-year in April and Canadian production was down 8 per cent year-over-year in the first three months of 2020

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Model building kits are about to be your next at-home obsession

By Phil M. Sinha 2 weeks ago
Model building kits are about to be your next at-home obsession
Model building kits are about to be your next at-home obsession

You and the kiddos have already put together and taken apart every puzzle you own more than once and you’ve stepped on so many LEGOs you’re ready to toss them in the trash. What’s next for your stay-at-home 2020 lifestyle?

Since bikes are sold out almost everywhere and it’s approximately one million degrees in many parts of the country, maybe opt for something like these Arckit Model Building Kits. Dubbed as the “architect’s LEGO,” these model kits will let you build anything from football stadiums to houses to cityscapes. They’re fun for adults and kids alike, and there are specific kits to suit every age and skill level. Better yet, they’re all on sale.

Welcome to your next social distancing obsession.

An Architeizer A+ award winner, this set comes with all the components and templates you need to build

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DIY Trend in Home Improvement & Automation to Soar: 5 Picks

By Phil M. Sinha 2 weeks ago

The global urban population is expected to swell by around 2.5 billion by 2050. Urban dwellers have shown a significant inclination to Do-It-Yourself (DIY) projects, in both home improvement and home automation. As the coronavirus pandemic have restricted people mostly indoors, they can now invest more time in DIY projects that drives the market.

Stay-at-Home Propels Home Restructuring

The pandemic has forced people to work from home and many companies have suggested employees to continue working remotely even after the coronavirus outbreak. Hence, many are now converting their unfinished basements into a workspace or working on DIY home-office projects. This includes expanding space to fit in another computer monitor and making a bookshelf that can fit perfectly into the space available.

Additionally, in the past years, the United States has been witnessed rising adoption of luxury real estate and with the rise in population of working women, families now have

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L.A. mayor calls on artists to design and spread the message: Wear a mask

By Phil M. Sinha 2 weeks ago
A free, downloadable poster, designed by Shepard Fairey's Studio Number One and Camilla Lonis, is part of the city's new L.A. Mask Print Project. <span class="copyright">(Studio Number One)</span>
A free, downloadable poster, designed by Shepard Fairey’s Studio Number One and Camilla Lonis, is part of the city’s new L.A. Mask Print Project. (Studio Number One)

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti’s latest weapon against COVID-19? Art.

On Wednesday, Garcetti announced a new initiative called the L.A. Mask Print Project, in which L.A. County artists can submit designs for posters bearing the public health message of the moment: Wear a mask. Posters chosen for the city’s coronavirus website can be downloaded for free, and Garcetti is encouraging local businesses and residents to display them.

“Wearing a mask is critical to helping us stop the spread of this virus, safely reopen our city and save lives,” Garcetti said in an email to The Times. “And we need to use every tool at our disposal to deliver this message across Los Angeles, throughout our country and around the world.”

Shepard Fairey’s Studio

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