Every spring, Packerland Home Improvement hits the road. We send our Project Consultants out to local home shows to talk with homeowners about their replacement window and door projects. After more than 40 years in business, we’ve been to a lot of these show! Here are our best tips for getting the most out of your local home show!

Check out the vendor list before you go

If you’ve got particular projects in mind, you should look at the vendor list before you go to a home show. If it’s a niche industry that handles the type of project you’re looking to do, for example installing Geothermal heating, you’ll want to make sure there will be a company there to talk to. On the other hand, if your project is more mainstream or you’re just starting to get general information, you’ll want to check the vendor list so you know which companies to talk to and won’t miss anyone.

Bring Address Labels

Many vendors run sweepstakes or raffles. If you plan to enter these drawings, it can be helpful to bring address labels so you don’t have to write your information each time.

Bring “before” pictures

A picture is worth 1000 words, and at a home show, they can be even more valuable! Instead of trying to describe what your home or yard looks like, a picture allows the expert you’re talking with to get a more accurate look at what you have so they can offer better suggestions on how to move forward.

Bring measurements

If you’re trying to determine your project budget, bring measurements. Most home improvement projects require an on-site estimate to generate an accurate price quote, but having a rough idea of the physical size of your project can often be enough to get a ballpark figure.

Write your questions down

Whether you’re interested in general information about the project or more specifics about individual companies, be sure to write down any questions you have before you go so you don’t forget to ask something.