DANVILLE — It may still feel like winter outside, but it's now spring, according to the calendar. For many homeowners, that brings to mind the need for improvements or new projects to their abodes.
They can get plenty of ideas and help with that today at the Hendricks County Home and Garden Show. It runs from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Hendricks County 4-H Fairgrounds and Conference Complex, 1900 E. Main St., Danville.
More than 85 vendors are on hand offering services and products that benefit both the inside and outside of a home.
Tim Piekarski is in sales for Springer Construction Inc., which serves the Greater Indianapolis area. They're a full-service contractor that can also perform remodels and additions.
"We pretty much do everything someone can't get done on their own," Piekarski said.
Spring is a big time of year for construction repairs and other issues.
"There are always people this time of year with that on their minds," Piekarski said. "Maybe they found something that wasn't keeping them warm over the winter months or damage they should've repaired at the end of last year but ran out of time. Spring and fall are usually the two big seasons. People are either getting ready for winter or have been reminded what winter did to them."
Forget waiting until late March to do something about it. Piekarski has been attending home shows like this since the second week in January.
"It's endless for the first three months of the year," he said.
And weather's generally only a factor in keeping some people from coming to these events.
"In January and February, you're always going to get people that, if the weather's not bad, will have the idea to come and see what's new and different," Piekarski said. "Those looking for specific answers will come out regardless of the weather."
One option at this show that's somewhat new is Natural Valley's recycled granite. Just over a year old, the Brownsburg company takes granite scraps from countertop manufacturers and can stack them to create nice visual elements to homes both outside and in.
"They can be applied to any vertical surface," said Chuck Damler, who owns Natural Valley Recycled Granite with his wife Marie. "It's really easy to put up. It's 100 percent natural stone with lots of color variations. You have the ability, because of the way it's put up, to do your own design. You have a lot more flexibility than if you're buying regular tile."
Like with many other home improvement companies, spring is the time of year when Natural Valley sees many people considering outdoor projects. But they also get a lot of clients seeking to add this kind of style indoors during the winter.
"It's hit and miss," Damler said. "We're trying to work more with builders and designers to spec this stuff so we don't have to rely as much on the tides of the seasons."
Tickets for the home and garden show are $10 at the door. Proceeds benefit Sheltering Wings, an emergency housing facility for women and children affected by domestic violence.
For more information, visit the website at HendricksHomeShow.com.
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