Favorite Four: Home Improvement Apps

Posted by Jennifer Allen on January 31st, 2013

Had one of those winters where bits have fallen off your house, or you've simply got bored of how one room looks and fancy a change? I've managed both of those, but I've found a silver lining in terms of delving into the world of home improvement apps on the App Store. Here are my favorite four apps that will both inspire and help those with DIY projects planned for the coming Spring.

Handy Man DIY
The Swiss Army Knife of home improvement apps, Handy Man DIY does a bit of everything. It offers a tool to help users calculate how much paint, flooring or trim they need to cover a room. It also offers some great tutorials on completing various bits and pieces of a project, along with lists detailing commonly used items and materials, to ensure there's no way that you'll forget what you need to finish the job. It rounds things off with a price calculation tool, and some seasonal reminders of when things should be done.

iHandy Level Free
A free app, iHandy Level Free provides a virtual spirit level, allowing users to align pictures correctly, measure angles and slopes accurately, and calculate the pitch of the roof. Much like a flashlight app, this won't be a tool that's used on a daily basis but it will be handy at regular points while undertaking home improvement.

Dream House
It's not all about struggling to patch up roofs or completing plumbing tasks, it's also about turning a house into a home. Dream House offers the inspiration that many need when it comes to figuring out how they want their place to look. Similar to walking around Ikea and taking in the ambience and feel, Dream House offers a virtual tour of rooms to give users a glance at how their house or apartment could look.

Woodcraft
Handy with power tools and love carpentry? You're a better person than me. Also, Woodcraft is an ideal app to try out. Part design tool, part 3d modelling app and part woodworking aid, the app helps budding and professional carpenters alike figure out everything they need to know about a woodworking project, all through its design interface leading to some very accurate measurements. It'll take some practice but the completed designs will be very rewarding.