Building industry vendors arrived Friday afternoon to booths walled off with plain fabric and tables covered with crisp white linens. When they left the Georgia Mountains Center later that day, the same booths looked like home.

"If there is anything going on at your house (you need to fix) or you're building a house, you should come here and see what's under the roof here," said Van Neese, executive officer of the Home Builders Association of Gainesville-Hall County.

The 2011 Northeast Georgia Home Expo will showcase building products and services from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. today and continue noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.

"The expo is geared toward people who have homes or who would like to build a home or remodel," said Carl Williams, president of the association organizing the expo. "There is a wide variety of things to look at."

There also will be a diverse group of people to talk to, all of whom share one thing - survival.

Neese and Williams, who is also president of J.C. Williams Construction, said they settled on that event theme since the expo showcases those who persevered despite the economic wrecking ball that destroyed so many others the past two to three years.

"This event tells you who is still in the business and able to service this community. These people are all professional and they're still here, and they're here for a reason," Neese said. "They found a way to weather the storm. That's what you want when you build a home."

Williams added that the expo gives consumers an opportunity to compare goods, services and prices.

The nearly 100 booths include landscapers and decking specialists who have set up their makeshift patios and decks with stone pavers, potted plants and plenty of floor samples.

A bar-like credenza with mounted TV and granite counters demonstrates what's possible in a bar or kitchen remodel.

Custom bed makers and high-end mattress distributors have presented a sweet dream all their own.

Even the giant bin of soil stationed inside the arena promises a cool demonstration showing what's possible in a high-tech septic tank.

Tickets to the expo are $5 for adults. Events, music and giveaways are planned, including gift certificates to major hardware stores.