What to Take With You to a Home and Garden Show

When heading to your first Home and Garden show in Des Moines, it helps to be prepared.

If you have an exterior windows and doors project that you need done soon, Home and Garden Shows are definitely worth a visit. No, not a TV show. Home and Garden Shows are local exhibits where contractors of all kinds in the home improvement industry, along with landscape professionals, will attend as vendors showcasing their work and what they can do for visiting homeowners.

Your first Home Show can be exciting, but there’s a lot of information to take in and a lot of walking to do. It’s important that you’re prepared for anything. Here’s our guide to everything you need to take with you to the next Des Moines Home and Garden show.

Pen, Paper, and Plenty of Questions

Again, there’s a lot of information to take down at a Home Show, and you want to make sure you don’t miss anything. That’s why it helps to bring a pen and paper, or a tablet if you type faster than you write, and plenty of questions prepared beforehand. You’ll want to talk to multiple exterior windows and doors contractors to find the best one for your job. Consider asking each group questions similar to the following?

• What sets you apart from other exterior doors and windows contractors?
• How long have you been in business, and what accreditations or awards do you have?
• Are you a part of any associations in your industry?
• What exterior doors and windows manufacturers do you work with?
• Do you have your own installation crew or do you have subcontractors? How long have you worked with your subcontracted crew if so?
• What warranties do you offer? Do you offer any financing options?
• How soon could you start and how long would the project take?

Your Own Information

In order to get a good estimate about the length of time your exterior doors and windows project would take, you should bring information for the vendors to work with. This includes full measurements of the window or door, your budget, and photos. You should have both photos of the current doors and windows as well as photos that resemble what you’d like the result to look like. Some homeowners choose to create a Pinterest board to show vendors what they’d like. You can keep all this on your mobile device so that you won’t have too much to carry.

Comfort

You’ll spend much of your time walking around, so you should make sure you’re comfortable. Wear comfortable shoes and bring a jacket in case it’s chillier in the show than it is outside. Wearing a backpack and large pockets will help you to keep your hands free so you can take notes. Bring a bottle of water to stay hydrated, because it might be a long day.

Room for Goodies

Home and Garden Shows almost always have contests or special promotions, as well as artisan booths. Chances are, you’ll leave the Home Show with more than you had when you arrived. So it’s a good idea to bring a larger bag than you need or to make space in your car. If you can bring a buddy with you to help you, so much the better.

Interested in attending a Home Show? In Des Moines, you can always look out for the Des Moines Home + Garden Show. Their website and email subscription will keep you posted about ticket sales and any special deals. Mark your calendars for next year, and maybe we’ll see you there!