Editorial
Front Page - Friday, October 8, 2010
EXPO provides information on increasing home value
Erica Tuggle
Teresa Groves, the executive officer for the Home Builder’s association, stands in front of their offices on Old Harrison Pike. The Home Builder’s Association Remodeling Expo will be on October 21 from noon to 8 p.m. at the First Tennessee Pavilion. Groves encourages Realtors and locals to attend for the food, live music, children’s activities and the information booths of remodeling companies and products.
- Erica Tuggle
For the first Home Builder’s Association Remodeling Expo there will be a mix of information, expertise, food, live music and activities that will all add up to a fun event.
The Home Builder’s Assoc-iation of Southern Tennessee is a non-profit organization that promotes and protects the home building industry including new home construction, remodeling, development and light commercial work. The organization has more than 500 members in the companies of the Home Builder’s Association, area builders and associate members.
Teresa Groves, the executive officer for the Home Builder’s Association, says that they decided to branch out with this remodeling expo to inform the community of Realtors and citizens of the remodeler’s council with the Home Builder’s Association and the work they do.
The expo will be Oct. 21 from noon to 8 p.m. at the First Tennessee Pavillion downtown where there will be lots of free parking, she says.
Groves says, “One of the main reasons our remodeler’s council decided to do the expo, and one of their targets, is Realtors. They wanted to invite all the Realtors to come because a lot of times when someone is interested in selling a home there is work that needs to be done to the house that the realtor may suggest to the seller. Also, when someone is interested in buying a home, but wants improvements done, they would like a recommendation from their realtor of who to use.”
She says with this expo, remodeling companies and the products they use will be on display under one area to help with the ease of the process of home improvement. She says not only Realtors, but the general public, is being encouraged to come so that their individual needs can be met.
Unlike, the Tri-State Home Show that that Home Builder’s Association puts on in the spring, the remodeling expo will be more information based and less elaborate. Groves says she is hoping to have about 125 booths in the remodeling expo by the time the event arrives. These will be booths for products on kitchen cabinets, flooring, carpeting, painters and everything else that a home remodeler would be looking for, she says.
“They may have some of their products there but more importantly they will get to talk to people ... It is a smaller venue and a one-day event as compared to the three day, Tri-State Home Expo in the spring,” Groves says.
The remodeling expo is free, but all are encouraged to bring a canned food good item that the Home Builder’s Association will donate to the Chattanooga Area Food Bank. The Home Builder’s Association donates proceeds from their Tri-State Home Show back to the community as well. Last year the Home Builder’s Association donated $2,500 to the Chattanooga Area Food Bank, the Habitat for Humanity ReStore and the American Red Cross.
Groves says, “A lot of times when someone is interested in remodeling their home they don’t know who to use or where to go. Our remodelers in our council are licensed, carry insurance and liability and it is a group of professional individuals. We wanted to get the message out to the community and the remodelers that there is a professional group of remodelers that they can count on.”
Groves says the set up of the remodeling expo will be similar to the Chattanooga Market. There will be food and beverages for purchase so that attendees can visit the event on their lunch hour and grab a bite to eat. They can come during the day or make the event that evening after work.
There will be children’s activities and a band specializing in ’70s, ’80s and ’90s music that will play from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. and fun for everyone will be there, Groves says.
The Home Builder’s Assoc-iation and the Home Builder’s Association remodeling council organized the remodeling expo, and the event is sponsored by Ferguson and Tennessee Valley Credit Union. Groves says the Home Builder’s Association is mailing out letters to all the local brokers that will contain free tickets for giveaways during the event like a television and several other goodies.
Groves says, “We encourage the Realtors and the general public to come because we feel it will not only be helpful for whoever comes but also be a fun day or evening to be able to get out.”
For the Tri-State Home Show in the spring, the event will be held Feb. 25 to 27. She says many vendors from last year’s show have confirmed attendance for the upcoming show and they will be bringing some “unbelievable” displays they have already said they are working on.
For more information on the Home Builder’s Association, the Remodeling Expo, or the Tri-State Home Show visit www.hbast.org or call 624-9992.
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