Butler County Home Show gives home improvement ideas
CONNOQUENESSING TWP — Vendors at the Butler County Home Show said this time of year, finally out of winter and with spring well underway, is often their busiest time for home care and home improvement.
The same period of time, home show season, also gets spent promoting their businesses and reaching more potential customers.
“A lot of the groups around here seem to have really good deals. I know a lot of the shows, you’ll see a lot more deals with all the people around,” DJ Rickman with Home Genius Exteriors said. “I think there’s just such a good variety, that people like to see the different aspects they can do throughout their house. Things they might not be thinking about regularly.”
The show, being held now through Sunday, April 12, at the Family Sports Center on Evans City Road, is one of a series of home shows in the region scheduled throughout the winter and spring seasons.
This year’s event includes vendors offering services for all types of home improvement projects. Andy Amrhein, an expert on home remodeling, will be available Saturday, April 11, at 2 p.m. to share advice on common projects and how to fix common problems.
Visitors can learn from vendors and inquire on projects in areas including roofs, windows, pest control, bathrooms, tiling, tools and equipment, cabinets, lawn care, furniture, lighting, plumbing, bed rooms, faucets, technology, broader remodeling and more interior and exterior work.
“We’re one of the only vendors that offers grout-free tiles, and we offer windows, doors, garages are really big in the spring so we do that as well,” said Nick Steer of Liberty Home Services. “February through, probably the end of June, it’s probably the busiest for a lot of places.”
The show opened at 3 p.m. Friday. By 3:30, it was packed with residents interested in DIY project ideas and looking for the best deals.
“It brings everyone together to one location where they get to check everything out, and I think a lot of people have been coming to these for years. They just do it every year. They care about their homes,” Steer said.
Many of the companies that participate in the Butler Home Show offer deals and April specials, such as 50% off certain materials, while promoting the work they do.
“For our business in general, our windows get done in one day. This is big for us to show off,” Nathan Ziegenbein of Mad City Windows & Baths said. “This time of year is the most busy. We go all year around, because we have canvassers knocking door to door … we’re always working.”
Companies at the show range in size, from bigger, regional ones with multiple branches to smaller, one-man shops.
“We’ve been in the water treatment business for over 40 years. People think of us, they may think of farm stuff, we do water treatment in Western Pennsylvania,” said Terry Cranmer, a 25-year employee at Agway. “We do a few shows, we do some fairs. This is one of the things we get out there, it gives us a chance to talk to people.”
Visitors can also get free quotes and estimates on potential projects.
“Home-show season is always busiest. The home shows in spring and fall are very important, in the summer time things can get slower. A lot of people learn things here,” Ashley Ciaramella of Leaf Home said.
