Romanians want new houses

The growth of the Romanian DIY, home improvement and garden market started in 2020, in the context of the permanent growth of customer demand on all distribution channels. This development was consolidated in 2021, DIY retailers ticking new store openings, but also new investments in digitalisation, with a focus on e-commerce and more targeted delivery services.

The growth of the DIY market in Romania, in the period 2020 to 2021, was due to considerable changes in consumer behaviour, more precisely the emergence of new consumption habits and expectations of the consumers. During this period, the home became an office, school, playground, but also a relaxation area, so that, to make their stay more comfortable, many Romanians, especially those in urban areas, invested in redeveloping their homes and outdoor spaces.

On the other hand, the pandemic did not close the construction sites in Romania, on the contrary. This sector continued its accelerated growth both due to the maintained fiscal and governmental facilities (low salary taxes and the New House programme), and due to the changing consumer behaviour on the real estate market: Romanians wanted new and more spacious houses.

For 2021, the KeysFin company estimated an equally strong growth, especially in terms of demand, taking into account residential projects in all key areas of the country, after the construction sector’s turnover (building construction, civil engineering and special construction works) in 2020 reached a historical maximum of over RON 126 bn (EUR 25.5 bn).

Claudiu Ciobanu