Still a good year to look around at home show

YAKIMA, Wash. — Chris Howell didn't waste any time getting to this year's Central Washington Home and Garden Show at the Yakima Valley SunDome.

He and his wife, Anngela, are doing some remodeling to their Tampico home, and he rounded up his family to see what the show offered on its opening day Friday.

His wife held their 1-year-old son, Cash, while he pushed a stroller carrying their 4-year-old daughter Alidia through aisles of vendors.

"I just wanted to come down and see what they got," he said. "We just want to see the latest, greatest."

And despite a national recession, they couldn't have picked a better year, said Central Washington Home Builders Association executive officer Carly Faul.

This year the event has drawn 248 vendors, the most in the past five years, she said.

"I think people see in tough economic times, you have to keep your name out there," she added.

The Howells looked at everything from siding to paint and even hot tubs. "Even though we're not in the market for a hot tub," Chris Howell said with a laugh.

The couple is replacing all the interior molding in their home, lighting, doors and refurbishing their original hardwood floors.

He works for Alexandria Molding in Moxee.

With new construction slowed by the recession, he said he is seeing more people interested in fixing up their homes rather than buying new homes.

The city of Yakima received residential building permits totaling $3,468,567 during the months of January and February. That same figure for January and February of 2008 was $10,076,566.

"Fix it up, then sell it when the market gets better," Howell said.

It's a scenario that most builders acknowledge is occurring.

"The remodeling is what we're trying to push," said Jim Fickel, owner of Fickel & Sons in Yakima, noting that work permits for remodels are generally cheaper than ones for new construction.

Standing amid new floor coverings and paint, Jeff Rock of Standard Paint & Abbey Carpets said traffic has been good despite it being early on the opening day of the show.

"It's actually been pretty good," he said. "It's been pretty busy through here."

He also says it's the remodel business that's keeping things going right now.

Early in the year, business dropped at the store, but now it's beginning to pick up again.

"It took a while for people to warm up," he said. "But the sun is out now and people are starting to get eager -- spring fever."

* Phil Ferolito can be reached at 577-7749 or pferolito@yakimaherald.com.