Pittsburgh Remodeling Expo to offer advice on DIY projects

Home remodeling jobs often require more than hard work and craftsmanship.

You might know all the steps it takes to put on a roof, but if you don't know all the things to keep the warranty in effect, you could be going in the wrong direction, says Carl Griffiths, an assistant manager at the Lowe's Home Improvement store in Richland.

He, along with Wesley Dixon from the Altoona-based Home Solutions, will be giving talks on the decision to use a professional or go the do-it-yourself route at the Pittsburgh Remodeling Expo, which will run from Jan. 2 through 4 at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, Downtown.

The 13th annual show will be focused on educating homeowners in a variety of remodeling issues, says show manager Nick Vedder from L&L Exhibition Management in Minnesota.

They include talks on geothermal heating, interior projects and financing. In addition to speaking at the event, Griffiths also is helping coordinate Lowe's role as a sponsor of the show.

Dixon will focus on trying to Design Outside the Box. To do that, Dixon says, a homeowner almost has to take on a professional mindset and see the possibilities present. For instance, he says a client once wanted a fireplace in a redone kitchen. But, he says, the kitchen was too small for any kind of hearth they investigated.

He found a ventless, gas fireplace that is 15-inches by 12-inches and made it fit amid the cabinetry.

Dixon is a senior designer with Home Solutions, a firm that is moving into Western Pennsylvania after being focused in the northern and central parts of the state for 38 years. The company has a Warrendale office and hopes to have one in the South Hills by the spring, he says.

The company does exterior work, kitchens and bathrooms. He also will talk about kitchen remodeling basics.

Griffiths says the important part of a job is not cost, but value. A roofer who is aware of all of the issues in a warranty could be more valuable than costly, he says.

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Pittsburgh Remodeling Expo to offer advice on DIY projects