Whether you’re buying your first home, building your second or just thinking about remodeling all together, the 11th Annual Home Building and Remodeling Show this weekend is a good place to be.
“If you have a big project in mind such as a room addition or a kitchen or bathroom remodel — or a small project, you will find the area’s top contractors on hand to answer questions and offer their products and services,” said Chris Bond, the show’s manager. “We have all of the latest products for homeowners to shop, compare and save.”
» Where: Baltimore Convention Center, 1 W. Pratt St., Baltimore
» When: 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday
» Tickets: $6
» Info: www.homeshowcenter.com
With an expected attendance of more than 10,000 people over the entire weekend, the show will feature approximately 250 companies exhibiting their newest products and services. As the largest home show in Baltimore, it showcases the latest and best products in areas like home building, kitchen and bath remodeling, windows, siding, roofing, doors, home security, flooring, water conditioning and landscaping. Products include sun rooms and custom remodeling, patios, water gardens and retaining walls, satellite and home theater systems, hot tubs, saunas and spas, and countertops and cabinetry.
“Trends this year include a lot of energy-efficient products — the latest heating and air-conditioning equipment, insulation products and windows and doors,” Bond said.
One of the companies touting the green trend is My Green Cottage Mid-Atlantic, a Pennsylvania-based company serving the mid-Atlantic region that will be exhibiting at the show all three days.
Dan Trimble, My Green Cottage’s home consultant and a builder, said some of the newest trends are “structural insulated panels” and “insulated concrete forms” for the greenest and most energy-efficient living possible.
“The bottom line is about reducing energy consumption, and it’s usually a no-brainer,” Trimble said. “There are also things happening with geothermal heating and cooling, as well as wind and solar systems. This is something everyone starts worrying about when gas prices rise. But you have to spend a little money upfront to save a lot of money later.”
