A dozen home impK)vement iobs you can sell

ORE AND MORE home

remodeling jobs are becoming simple enough for do-it-yourselfers to tackle. If you aren't keeping up with products being offered to simplify projects your customers want to do, but are afraid to try, you are undoubtedly missing out on some profitable sales.

Read on for suggestions ofprojects and products which all but the completely unskilled d-i-yer can use with confidence. If you have your doubts about your customers succeeding with them, arrange for some seminars or clinics to give basic instructions and provide manufacturer's instructions with the materials. Consider an installation service or referral system as well.

SIDING has be.en improved in both appearance and ease of installation. Whether aluminum, vinyl or wood, siding has become ajob which many d-i-yers are attempting. Don't hesitate to recommend it.

DOORS are now considered "door-ityourself ' projects in both wood and metal Many of those on the market come with ready to install frames to make it easier. Set up a display to show how to do thejob.

CABINET front replacement systems have been designed for the d-i-yer. Peel and stick veneers make the job Iook professional. For the really experienced, ready-to-install units make it possible to redesign as well as refresh a kitchen. Have both types of systems available.

CEILING PANELS now come in a variety of styles simulating tile or parquet as well as other textured finishes including tin. Easy to install to cover cracked or outdated ceilings, the panels give no hint of the fact that they are panels. Use a few patterns in vignettes to show how good they can look.

ROOFING also has become a project which you can recommend with confidence to any fairly proficient do-ityourselfer. Self-aligning shingles which can be applied over old roofs make the job easier.

PANELING has always been a d-i-Y job, but new patterns and textures including those that look like expensive wall coverings such as cane add new interest to the project. They can be applied directly over old walls with adhesive or nails. Have a demo clinic this spring.

BATHROOM remodeling has become easier with ready to put in place showers, tubs and tub surrounds as well as ceramic tile backer board that is water resistant. Some do-it-yourselfers also are replacing tiles on walls or counters or switching to formica.

HOME MAINTENANCE jobs are part of home improvement because everything works better when they are done. Do-it-yourselfers certainly can replace air and furnace filters, weatherstrip doors and windows, re-grout sinks, tubs and tile. Fost a list of suggested maintenance chores and have a fix-up seminar.

FLOORING replacement has become a do-it-yourselfjob with the advent of stick in place parquet and tiles. Sheet goods also can be easily cut and installed. To make the job even easier for your customer, be sure to suggest the covering which can be cut to fit with scissors.

PAINTING and PAPERING are traditional do-it-yourselfjobs, but they are more enjoyable with the latest materials and tools. Display a sample kit of the new tools available as well as charts explaining how to determine the amount of material needed. Don't forget the ladders.

TELEPHONES, once the sole responsibility of AT&I, are now ranked as do-ityourselfjobs. Stock a line ofaccessories including brochures which explain how to do thejobs.

SKYLIGHTS are becoming more a do-it-yourselfjob as units are engineered, according to the manufacturers, for almost foolproof installation. Clinics and application literature will be helpful to your customers.

Story at a Glance

How retailers can utilize advances in new products and building systems to help their customers with a wide arraY of d-i-y proiects.

I N THE PAST five years. home centers I have seen their potential client base more than triple in size. Several reasons account for this increase, all emanating directly from the fact that more and more homeowners are choosing to renovate their present home instead of purchasing a new one.

Escalating prices for new homes have made it less feasible for many to move up. Instead two-income homeowners are using their available irnancial resources to improve their present homes. In addition, steadily appreciating home values have made home improvement loans easier to obtain. First time home buyers are also recognizing the financial benefits ofbuying the older, less expensive homes and fixing them up themselves.

A popular remodeling technique today is that of opening up rooms with natural light. Homeowners have discovered the cost effectiveness of using increased natural light to visually expand a room.

For example, a typical room addition will cost an average of $27,000. On the other hand, the illusion ofextended space can be created for about $10,000 by changing existing windows and doors or installing new ones where there are none. For retailers, this has been a boon for replacement window, garden window, patio door and skylight sales. With sales of 21 million units last year, replacement windows are a hot home improvement item.

Manufacturers are backing the retailers by producing a wide variety of windows so that there is little need for a homeowner to go outside the home center for custom work. Some have added computer aided drafting systems which allow them to produce custom products with a short turnaround.

"We hnd that homeowners are looking for dramatic new ways to open up their