When you consider the manmade wonders of the world like the Great Wall of China and the Egyptian pyramids, it’s amazing that they built these massive, structurally sound wonders without the use of technology. It took them decades to complete, including hours of labor each day.
Now, buildings much taller than the pyramids can be completed in less than a year with the use of technology. We have zoning tech, calculator tools, interior and exterior design programs, heavy machinery, and so much more to ensure sound and flawless design.
The same goes for home improvement. Projects can be completed in just a few weeks thanks to extensive technological advancements. When it’s time to remodel your home or make other major repairs, don’t enter the process blindly. You don’t have to take weeks to build a home wall like they did in ancient times. There’s a whole host of tools that can make your projects more manageable.
1. Apply for a Loan
Forget the days of waiting in line at the bank for a loan to complete your home improvement project. Now, you can borrow money from online lenders who take the wait and grunt work out of traditional loans. You can even borrow money through an app on your smartphone.
Not all loans are easy to obtain online. When dealing with home improvements, you should first try a home equity loan, which puts your home up for collateral in exchange for the funds.
“A home equity loan can be a good option if you suddenly have expenses that are surprisingly bigger than you thought they would be, or you want to tap into that equity for repairs and home improvement,” explains the home equity loan review site Home Equity Line of Credit.
They go on to explain some of the risks that a home equity loan poses, and encourage users to take advantage of online tech and read reviews.
“Home equity loans can be used to finance nearly anything. However, it’s not a typical debt loan, but rather you spending an investment…You should not spend these funds lightly, irresponsibly, or for thoughtless purposes.”
2. Use Apps and Online Tools for Home Design
“Wouldn’t it be great if you could see what your design ideas actually look like before you implement them?” asks Ronique Gibson of Freshome. “You can — for free! There’s no need to buy computer programs, books or tutorials.”
Gibson is referring to a number of free online design tools. You can design any room and get a sneak peak at the finished product before jumping into the project. Try out a paint color, move around furniture, and even arrange walls from your smartphone. All you need is the original blueprints of your home and some creative ideas.
Some of the best online tools include:
- Planner 5D
- Ikea Home Planner Tools
- Design a Room
- The Home Renovator
- SmartDraw
Each program is free, so you can easily download and test it out before you start designing.
3. Gather Online Information
No home remodel should begin without researching plenty of inspirational designs. There are dozens of places where you can gather ideas about color schemes, furniture designs, floor plan layouts, functional repurposing, and so much more. There’s no need for expensive subscriptions to home magazines or visits to showrooms in the big city. You can access an entire database of creative ideas for free in desktop and app form.
Before beginning any project, take advantage of some of the following inspiration hubs:
- Houzz
- HomeZada
- Better Homes and Gardens
- This Old House
- Kindle books
There are also a variety of free online courses that share basics about interior design and remodeling. You can learn a lot about your amateur renovation to save both time and money.
4. Basic Repairs Tutorials
You can be your very own handyman with the right tutorials. Emergencies should only be handled by professionals, but you can save yourself a few bucks by handling basic repairs on your own.
For authoritative tutorials on basic DIY repairs, here are some great digital resources:
- Official YouTube channels
- This Old House
- The Family Handyman
- DIY Network
- DIY Home Repair
- com Home Repair
As a word of caution, make sure you don’t take on any project that’s above your skill level. “More than 100,000 people injure themselves each year doing home improvement jobs,” says an article from HouseLogic. “So add medical bills to your DIY budget, and you ending up spending the same, or more, than if you hired a pro. We’re not suggesting that you call a plumber each time you need to plunge a toilet. But think twice.”
You can save yourself a lot of time, money, and stress by inviting some technology into your home during a renovation. Use these tips and explore some of the other ways that today’s advancements simplify the home design process.
