The North Carolina Home Expo, held at the Crown Complex Friday Sept. 22 through Sunday Sept. 24, is an event meant to turn a house into a home.

Matthew Desmond opines, “Housing is essential to human flourishing. Without stable shelter, it all falls apart.”

Stable housing addresses environmental factors such as air pollution, recreational resources, access to healthy foods and medical care.

Healthy People is a health promotion and disease prevention program of the United States Department of Health & Human Services. The Healthy People 2030 objectives are to attain healthy, thriving, lives and well-being, free from preventable diseases, disability and injury.

Built Environment is one of the sub-sections of Healthy People 2030. Built environment is “surroundings created by humans for humans and used for human activities.”

According to Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, a person’s zip code can determine their life expectancy. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation reports Cumberland County has a life expectancy of 77.70 years. North Carolina has the life expectancy of 76.40.

House and home are not interchangeable concepts. House is a physical, mass-produced, assembled, designed by architects, planners, and builders. Housing Divisions represent the current technology, interior design, and appliances.

According to Farahan Samani research study, “No one lives without a home, and home plays an inescapable role in the reflection of the human desire for longing. Belonging underpins human sociality. Security and emotional attachment can be linked to appliances, furniture, dishes, flatware, silverware, home accessories and bric-a-bracs. Every item has a story. Home ownership is essential to the psychosocial aspects of agency and self-determination."

Agency and self-determination are reflected by home repair and home improvement. Home repairs are projects to maintain the function of the home. Home Improvement are the enhancement of the aesthetics of the house.

The Spruce Website announce the renovation trends for 2023 are influenced by the pandemic, escalating cost of materials, spiraling housing market, and aging well in place.

The projects run the gamut of fixing broken fences, repair for burst water pipes, bathroom and kitchen upgrades and updating appliances to energy-star.
Patios, decks, outdoor living spaces are reflective of Outdoor living. The open-space concept is being segmented into compact and enclosed areas.

The renovation trends feature garages, sheds, and rooms designated as Home Office. This practice is reflective of mental health awareness.
How does a person decide to renovate or to move? According to the Property Brothers, Drew, and Jonathan Scott, HGTV, the questions are, “Am I in the right location? Is there enough room for family growth? What are the costs?”

According to Todd Tomalak, Zonda Building Products Research, the brief list of projects with one hundred per cent of return of investment are HVAC electrification, garage door replacement, replacement of siding with stone veneer, and entry-door replacement.

Aging- well-in -place options are door levers, bath bars for the bathroom, vinyl and bamboo flooring, and easy grip cabinet knobs. Budget -friendly projects are painting, plants, and home accessories.

The North Carolina Home Expo is family-friendly, one stop shopping to create a legacy.

The Expo features products and the service demonstrations can range from kitchens, bathrooms, windows, roofing, siding, general contractors, gutters, doors, windows, flooring, garage doors and painting.

Past vendors of the Expo have been All-American Gutter Protection, Bath Fitters, Leonard USA, Superior Sleep Mattresses, Moxie Solar, Southern Exposure Sunrooms, and Groundworks. Homeowners can be apprised of trending home design and home improvement innovations.

The North Carolina Home Expo will be held at the Crown Center. It will be a three day event, Friday, Sept. 22, from noon to 6 p.m.; Saturday Sept. 23,10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday Sept. 24, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, visit https://northcarolinahomeexpo.com.