We still need a lot of patience to renovate the living room or bathroom or to have a heat pump installed. The waiting times vary from a few weeks to months and are caused by a scarcity of materials, the pressure to become more sustainable and a shortage of professionals, according to a tour of NU.nl.
Many contractors are overjoyed that there is currently so much work, they know at the Dutch Contractors Federation (AFNL). But that does not mean that all requests are processed and executed quickly.
“There are a number of reasons that we still have to wait a long time for renovations to take place. For example, there is a shortage of wood and iron. Materials often have to come from abroad, supplies are sometimes not on time and then there is also a shortage of professionals,” says an AFNL spokesperson.
The shortage of personnel is partly due to an aging population. In addition, the influx from education is limited; too few professionals are trained.
There is also pressure from the government to make homes more sustainable, for example by insulating, purchasing solar panels or installing a heat pump. “Many consumers are now working on this, which means that contractors can hardly handle the work.”
Plumbers, mechanics and installers are also currently dealing with a shortage of materials. There are supply problems with, among other things, pipes and cabling, ceramics for the sanitary sector, central heating boilers, ventilation systems, solar panels and hybrid heat pumps, says industry organization Techniek Nederland.
“Consumers have to take longer delivery times into account. These can vary per product and installer. Delivery times of a few weeks to months are not unusual,” says a spokesperson.
‘Great demand for hybrid heat pumps’
According to Techniek Nederland, there are various causes for the shortage of materials. “The rising gas price and the uncertainty about the supply of Russian gas are leading to a high demand for, among other things, hybrid heat pumps and solar panels. Home owners are realizing that it pays off more than ever to increase sustainability and save energy. That is a positive development, but it does mean that waiting times are increasing.”
Suppliers of, among other things, hybrid heat pumps and inverters for solar power installations have been suffering from the worldwide shortage of chips for some time. This is the result of the continuing shortage of microchips and raw materials and a strongly increasing global demand. New lockdowns in China are on top of that.
“The logistics chains are also still suffering from the aftermath of the corona pandemic. The war in Ukraine is now causing additional logistics problems and reduced availability of raw materials.”
Problems play in entire construction chain
The problems affect the entire construction chain. For example, plasterers or tilers, often the last link in a renovation, sometimes have to postpone their work for weeks because colleagues had delivery problems in the weeks before.
The Dutch Entrepreneurs’ Association for Finishing Companies emphasizes that the planning is under pressure as a result. “And then you may think: my bathroom is not that big for a renovation? But if one of the handymen does not receive certain materials, the rest stagnates,” said a spokesperson.
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