Homeowners tackle spring projects, looking for deals

People in the Southeast are finding different ways to save money while completing spring projects. 

1: Saving money on tools 

When it comes to outdoor cleaning tasks, there is a lot of enthusiasm to remove stones from the lawn and The Rental House in Steinbach has tools to help complete that task.

Oliver Kopp and Harold Penner at The Rental House in Steinbach.

The mini tiller is quite popular this time of year and Oliver Kopp says it just makes sense to rent a tool like that instead of buying it. 

“The vast majority of people doing these projects, rent it, bring it back, it doesn't clutter up the garage,” he says. “It doesn't eat the way the bank account to save that money for that next big project. Maybe you can add on to your deck next year because you have those savings.”

Oliver Kopp says The Rental House has a large inventory of tools for people to rent, for indoor and outdoor projects.

Kopp says The Rental House is like a tool bank, helping people complete projects with the right tools. 

“Borrow it when you need it, at an affordable rate, that way you don’t have to fork out the thousands (of dollars) for the tool and not know what to do with it after.” 

@steinbach_online The Rental House has the tools you need to get your yard cleaned up this May Long Weekend #steinbach #yardwork #steinbachonline #therentalhouse ♬ original sound - SteinbachOnline

2: Saving money by opening cash accounts 

Corwin Penner at McMunn and Yates in Steinbach says customers can save money by opening an account. 

“When you come in and you set up even a regular old cash account, you will get a better price than retail,” he says. “So, if you have a basement renovation you want to do, you know you're going to be spending a couple years or a couple months, whatever the case is, sign up for an account we'll get you better price.”

Corwin Penner at McMunn and Yates says they have an incredible customer base.

3: Taking advantage of sales 

Alex Koop at WM. Dyck and Sons in Niverville says they wouldn’t normally see a lot of customers working on bathroom renovations during this time of year, “it helps that we have a bathroom sale going on. So, we’re seeing lots of folks getting tubs and showers. If you’ve got kids and you want your own space, we see a lot of folks adding bathrooms.” 

All three businesses also notice that people are eager to improve their outdoor living space, which often involves fences, pergolas, gazebos, and decks.

Alex Koop at WM. Dyck and Sons says composite decking is a popular option for low-maintenance decks and there are a variety of colours to choose from.

“Folks want to move into low maintenance decking,” Koop says. “So, a big one that we’re seeing a lot of is composite.” 

Corwin Penner at McMunn and Yates says they are seeing customers picking up supplies for a wide variety of spring projects, from home renovations to yard improvements and gardening. 

Penner says people are also replacing old windows, accessing the Manitoba Hydro Window Rebate, to help pay for the necessary home improvements. 

Kopp says tool rental is the most affordable option for most people, but he encourages customers to consider how often they’ll use a tool and then decide if it makes more sense to rent or buy.

Alex Fast at WM. Dyck and Sons in Niverville says people have an easier time tackling projects when they take advantage of sales.

Whatever the spring project people are planning, Koop, Penner and Kopp recommend looking for sales and talking to the professionals about getting the most value out of every dollar. 

When construction is complete, this will be the new home for The Rental House, just around the corner from the current location.