Recession fears were checked at the door during the Home and Garden Show this weekend as thousands perused through more than 450 exhibits.
Terri Higgins, show manager, said the show was sold out as usual and crowds — which usually hit 55,000 — didn’t diminish this year.
“I think for anyone that has been holding off on renovating their homes, now is the time to do it,” said Higgins, adding that it’s great to see it so busy.
Stuart Young, owner of The Granite Shop, said this year’s show proved profitable for the company.
“In talking to people, you wouldn’t think this was a recession,” Young said.
However, he noted that only a few people had talked to him about the renovation tax credit.
“It’s a great gesture,” he said. “But it would be nice if it wasn’t capped at $10,000.”
He said it would’ve been more of an incentive should it have been around $50,000 or $60,000.
Rob Comartin, a 39-year-old father of two, was at the show talking to exhibitors about his plans to add 2,600 square feet to his home.
The renovations’ total cost will be around $900,000.
“(The tax credit) isn’t why we’re renovating,” he said, adding between the other grants they’ll get it adds up to about half a per cent of their expenditures.
Now, Comartin said, is a good time to get something done since companies aren’t seeing the boom they did a few years ago.
