Thousands expected to visit Q-C event
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By Jody Ferres | Saturday, February 11, 2006 |
John Schultz/QUAD-CITY TIMES Mark and Ronda Czerwinski of Rock Island talk with Pleasure Pools and Spa employee Mike Wojcinski about the features of this whirlpool Friday at the Quad-Cities Homebuilder’s Association Home Show Expo taking place this weekend at the QCCA Expo Center in Rock Island.
Having trouble deciding how to accent your living room?
Is your utility bill astronomical from the dinosaur machine in the basement? Tired of the old clunker of a box that you call a refrigerator? Or maybe you’re just plain tired of that beige carpet with the juice stain in the corner.
With 151 businesses occupying 326 booths, the annual Quad-Cities Homebuilder’s Association Home Show Expo taking place this weekend is ready to help Quad-Citians make their building and home improvement dreams a reality.
“We create the opportunity for people to shop for home improvement projects under one roof,” said Dave Burrows, executive director for the Quad-City Homebuilder’s Association. “What would take you hours driving around in your car will take you an hour here.”
From window professionals to kitchen gurus, more than 65,000-square-feet of space at the QCCA Expo Center in Rock Island is chalked full of area businesses with the latest trends, hottest sellers, and reliable products.
The annual show is hosted by the Quad-City Home Builders Association. The association includes more than 450 businesses are spans across nine counties in Iowa and Illinois. Burrows, who has ran the show for 24 years, says the businesses showcased are the type Quad-Citians can trust.
“You’re getting good quality work from good quality businesses,” he said. “They pay a lot for association fees and booth space. Your fly-by-nighters aren’t here.”
If you’re looking to have a family room that makes everyone on the block jealous, stop by the booth that was named Best of Show 2006.
Reference Audiovideo, a Davenport business specializing in custom-built home theaters, is a hot spot at the show. Reference Audiovideo custom designs home entertainment rooms. Duane Randleman, a designer for the company, said technology planning is the key for any room.
“Technology by itself doesn’t guarantee anything,” he said. “You have to harness the technology to get quality.”
And with high energy costs creeping up around the area, visitors can get energy-saving questions answered at the Gabrilson booth.
According to Greg Gabrilson, one of the hottest items is the Carrier hybrid heat pump.
“Many people have moved toward a high efficiency gas furnace with the heat pump,” said Gabrilson, who said added with a geothermal heat pump could save consumers between 60 percent and 75 percent of their heating, cooling, and hot water bill.
Between 12,000 and 15,000 people are expected to visit the show this weekend. Kewanee, Ill., residents Pat and Vernon Tuthill decided to make the 50-mile trip because they have plans to do some remodeling on their home this spring.
“We have a big, old house and we want to spruce up the outside,” Pat Tuthill said. “We’re looking at working on the front porch and the windows. Here you can see so many ideas that are new to us.”
And even those who work around the building industry everyday come to the show to get even more ideas.
“I’m looking at building some spec houses and want some new items and ideas,” said Todd Tracy, who owns Techno Block Construction, Aledo, Ill. “Coming here is a great idea, especially if you’re going to be building a house.”
The show runs from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. today and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $6 for adults and free for 16 and under with a paid adult. Parking is free and additional parking is available in the city parking ramp at 17th Street and 3rd Avenue. Free MetroLINK park-and-ride bus service will be provided to and from the show.
The city desk can be contacted at
(563) 383-2245 or newsroom@qctimes.com.
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