Improvements trending toward the upscale

Mar. 16, 2007
By JOSEPH M. DELEON News-Post Staff
jdeleon@fredericknewspost.com

FREDERICK — More than 200 vendors will show the latest in home efficiency, garage doors, fireplaces and security systems this weekend at the Frederick Fairgrounds.
     People who attend the 29th annual Frederick County Builders Association Home Show will learn about products and services to make the most of their homes.
     Bryan Patchan, executive officer of the Frederick County Builders Association, expects between 5,000 and 7,000 people to attend the free two-day event.
     “Curiosity brings them in — a lot of people just come to see what's new,” he said. “People come sometimes with tentative plans, vague plans to do something to their yard or home and they come to the show to get more tangible information and ideas to follow through with it.”
     Nationwide, home improvement spending increased by 1.5 percent in 2006 compared to 2005, according to Harvard's Joint Center for Housing Studies' Remodeling Activity Indicator. Homeowners spent an estimated $168.7 billion on home improvements and repairs in 2006.
     The home show has several advantages over information on a website or TV programs, he said. Attendees can talk to people and ask questions; company representatives often offer suggestions or ideas for improvements.
     Participants can get their hands on merchandise to better understand how it might fit their goals.
     Over the years, Patchan has noticed more emphasis on energy efficiency. That's mainly because of a steady increase in utility bills.
     “We're seeing more energyefficient products filter into the show,” he said. “People want to save money, but they're also concerned about the environment.”
     Another trend is the increased popularity of upscale products.
     For example, many people consider fireplaces rustic and ordinary, but more vendors are showcasing high-end mantles and ornate fireplace tools.
     “That goes for even things like garage doors and doors to homes. They're more upscale-oriented,” Patchan said. “Security is also an area that's growing. As people acquire more, they're more protective of that.”
     The shift to upscale products doesn't stop inside the home, he said. Landscaping and exterior improvements also follow the trend.
     “In larger homes, the outside requires a corresponding kind of treatment, a more upscale exterior to go along with the interior of the house,” Patchan said. “As prices go up, you can't stick a few plants in the yard and expect that's adequate landscaping for a house you bought for $500,000.”
     Another attraction is a series of home owner workshops. Participants can learn how to sell a house, remodel a kitchen or work with a landscape contractor.
     But the series isn't just for home owners.
     Participants can learn how to buy a house.
     All together, 10 seminars over two days will help attendees learn about buying, improving or selling a house.
     “I hope people will get more information on a particular project they're planning to do with their home,” Patchan said. “Information that will help them go from dreaming about something to making it happen.”