Three-day house renovation expo opens

About 100 architects, interior designers, building contractors, house developers and finance companies are participating in a three-day exhibition that opened on Friday at the Jakarta Convention Center.

Ella Harianto, communications manager of PT Panorama Convex Indah, which is organizing the event, said the fourth annual convention was aimed at providing "one-stop shopping" for people wishing to renovate their homes.

"Most visitors come to get free consultations on renovating their houses, from planning to financing," she said after the event was officially opened by the Ministry of Industry's director general for small and medium industries, Zainal Arifin.

Organizers expect the number of visitors to increase to 40,000 from last year's 30,000.

Ella said 40 percent of the participants were interior design and architectural firms.

"There has been a 35 percent increase in event participation," she said.

Makhfud Irfan, mortgage product division head at the convention's main sponsor, Bank Danamon, said the bank hoped to make Rp 30 billion (US$3.17 million) in transactions during the event for the financing of house constructions and renovations. -- JP/001