Coronavirus restrictions bring good news for solar, tank and double glazing businesses

The Australian economy may be tanking due to the coronavirus pandemic, but for businesses promoting self-sustainability the sun is still shining.

When COVID-19 restrictions were announced by the Federal Government in March, like many businesses, solar installation company Solar Hub were dreading the impact.

"We were worried like everyone else about our ability to survive — whether or not we were going to have to make job cuts" chief executive Benn Masters said.

But surprisingly, the business is planning to put on more staff.

"Our leads have probably increased by about 20 to 30 per cent," Mr Masters said.

"Which is quite substantial for a business like ours."

Tanks, double glazing also in demand

Steven Napier, owner of Territory Tanks and Plumbing, said his business had seen a similar increase in customers looking to install water tanks.

"It has increased — the phone has definitely been ringing a lot more," he said.

Mr Napier believes people are looking at ways they can become more self-reliant in these strange and uncertain times.

"We sell a raised metal corrugated garden bed, and they've all sold out. People are trying to grow their own veggies.

"It's that permaculture attitude where you grow your own, you're self-sufficient, and rainwater falls under that as well.

"People are probably setting up for the worst."

Double glazing, which allows households to preserve heat and save on power bills by adding an extra layer of window glass, has also been in high demand.

Michael Westra, director of Magnetite Double Glazing, said his April sales total was up by about 10 per cent.

"We've gotten busy … it's affected people's spending, in my opinion, and people are looking to do home improvements," he said.

But, they said, it is possible this trend only exists in one part of Australia — Canberra.

Both Mr Masters and Mr Westra said arms of their solar and double glazing businesses elsewhere around the country were not faring as well.

"In Canberra, we don't tend to get as affected by downturns in the economy as other areas of the country. So, you'll find a lot of people still have their jobs, fortunately," Mr Masters said.

Panic-buying backyard chooks

Perhaps one of the most telling events since the pandemic started has been the panic buying of backyard chickens in Canberra.

Rodney Bellchambers, who has been working at his rural supplies business in Fyshwick since the 1970s, said panic buying started as soon as the Federal Government announced restrictions.

"We got inundated on the Monday," he said.

"It was everything, it was all our seeds to grow vegetables, even dog food.

"People just panicked and were buying anything and everything."

In particular there has been an overwhelming demand for chickens, which Mr Bellchambers said ran out quickly, and were not likely to be available for some time.

"We're fielding anything from 20 to 50 calls a day, 'have you got chickens, have you got chickens?'" he said.

Has Canberra become a city of preppers?

Lauren Kalkman has just complemented her solar panels and tanks with double glazing — but she said she was definitely not a prepper.

"I would say I am an urban farmer — or trying to be one," Ms Kalkman said.

She agreed though that there was a growing group of people working to be more self-sufficient, which extended beyond the territory.

In the long term, Ms Kalkman said it could be be one of the benefits wrought by the world-wide crisis.

"I think we should look for silver linings as much as we can through a really difficult couple of months," she said.

"So, if people can enjoy being at home a little bit more and doing a few more things for themselves — I think that's a fabulous outcome."