Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Home Shows Are A Great Way To Get Home Improvement Ideas

If you haven't attended a home show yet, let me share with you my most recent experience, so that you can determine if it might be worthwhile for you to attend one. It is a great place to get home improvement ideas under one roof. While home shows are usually not free to attend, the small investment of $10 or so per person can have a big payoff if you are actively looking for home improvement ideas. Recently I attended my local Home And Patio Show and found over 200 vendors displaying everything from lighting fixtures to African violets. It's impressive, there is so much to see and absorb, take some paper and pencil or a camera to document any great ideas that you want to capture.

There were many vendors that showcased outdoor patio treatments, including paving materials, pools, lighting, and outdoor kitchens. There were landscape architects that presented ways to create a landscape plan for your home. There were several vendors with hot tubs that could be installed in an outdoor deck. Some vendors provide support services to homeowners such as security systems, insect control, and insurance. Others display tools and equipment that could be useful to a homeowner such as the Big Ladder. I have seen this product demonstrated several times and it still amazes me, how easily it converts from one size to another, can be supported on uneven surfaces, and can be used as scaffolding.

There were several vendors which displayed and demonstrated replacement windows, siding, and painting solutions. Yes, you can buy regular exterior paint or something called liquid siding, which is warranted to last longer than paint. If you want outbuildings such as sheds or saunas, this is the place to check them out. One entrepreneur had created a heavy-duty liner which could be used as an insert for your SUV so you could carry rocks and logs without damaging the inside of your vehicle. After emptying your load, just wash out the liner with a hose, let it dry, and put it away. I was impressed, but I don't have an SUV.

Another big area of focus was interior floor, kitchen counter, and kitchen cabinet choices. This is a great way to find out the latest materials and treatments that are available. If you have questions regarding something you've seen in magazines, take the magazine with you and ask away. The show took me several hours to go through and I learned a lot. When you start, make sure you get a map or listing of the vendors. Mark which ones are a must visit from your perspective, and start walking.

It's really important to stop and ask questions. It's not a high pressure sales situation, just an opportunity to get some basic information and determine if you'd like to speak with someone from the company again. The representatives at the show want to answer your questions, otherwise it would be a very boring 2 or 3 day time for them.

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