Krysten McCumber and Jessenia Feijo
The GTA Home & Reno show is using the Family Day weekend to help homeowners turn their current houses into their dream home.
On average, building your dream home in Ontario costs $700,000 and purchasing a new home in the GTA costs almost as much. A better option, said a former HGTV contractor on Holmes on Homes, might be a renovation that can cost under $10,000. Damon Bennett will be giving his top tips on home renovations at the International Centre Sunday.
“Take your time,” said Bennett. “I find it my job to help people go through this process. I’ve seen too many people ripped off, I’ve seen too many bad jobs done, and I know what they cost.”
Bennett suggests contacting at least three references before signing a contract. Although your friend may know someone who tiles bathrooms in their spare time, in the end it’s better to go with a professional.
“So if you go through a bad renovation, I just dealt with someone who lost $40,000 from their cousin on a renovation that the cousin tried to do. They tried to save money, give all the money up front and they never seen him again. And that was his cousin,” said Bennett.
As homeowners head into the spring season and start thinking about renovating, Denise Hayward, GTA Home & Reno Show manager, tells Humber News that the theme of the 2016 show is renovations and Do-It-Yourselves.
“You come down here to the show to get inspiration and motivated to make your house a home,” said Hayward.
One of the main attractions at the show this year is a fully built and furnished home that visitors can tour.
“We’ve got a 2,100 square foot dream home and it was, it was built in Quebec, takes about three months to build it in a completely controlled environment. It 2 ½ bedrooms, 3 baths and it’s a wonderful home built with entertaining and family in mind,” said Hayward.
If your home needs a boost, consider attending Bennett’s show, Sunday at 2 p.m. Bennett makes sure everyone at their show feels like they are walking away with good advice and new connections.
“I want to know their experiences because their experiences help other people with their experience,” said Bennett.
The show includes more than 300 exhibitors, featuring indoor and outdoor décor and design, experts speaking throughout the weekend and activities for children to include the whole family. The GTA Home & Reno show runs Friday until Monday at the International Centre in Mississauga.