Who has seen the recent Amazon Prime commercials—the one where the guy is late-night scrolling and finds the table of his dreams, or the one where the woman finds the perfect statement piece in a teal blue chair?
While Jeffrey Osborne’s On The Wings of Love plays in the background while the guy searches and finds the table and Whitesnake’s Make a Statement plays while the woman envisions the teal blue chair in her home—both envision how different and wonderful their homes will be with these signature pieces of furniture.
When it comes to home repair projects, some people can see exactly what they’d like their home to look like once the home repair job is finished—just like that guy who fell in love with his table and the woman who can’t get enough of her chair. For others—they’ve got to see it to believe it.
New advances in technology—like home repair apps—are making it easier for renters and homeowners to visualize how a piece of furniture might look in the foyer and which color paint looks right on the walls—all before they get started.
What home repair service apps are there?
Home repair apps, which also come with guides, calculators, and color-matching software, offer homeowners affordable home improvement tips, DIY strategies, and interior design suggestions.
Whether your home is in need of a re-design or you’re simply looking to master the basics of home repair, searching Google for “home repair services near me” may no longer be necessary. These home repair apps are rising in popularity, and they’re taking the guess work out of home repair by sharing professional insights right to your phone that you can access anywhere, anytime.
These are some of the most popular home repair services apps out there:
WikiHow – There are thousands of how-to guides on WikiHow, some home-related and others completely random, like “how to put your husband on a diet without him knowing it.”
IFixIt – Use IFixIt as a DIY guide and cost estimator for household repairs, like fixing furniture or finding plumbing solutions. There are also repair strategies for tablets, smartphones, and household appliances.
DIY Tip Genius – This home repair estimator app from Family Handyman is chock-full of DIY guides and time-saving home improvement tips. Sort, sift, and save your favorites from the 3,800+ expert tips currently in the app.
iHandy Carpenter – This app is “the lightest, prettiest and most handy carpenter tool kit in the world.” Using the built-in sensors on your iPhone or iPad, this app transforms your device into a set of handy tools. Use this home repair app to verify the verticality of lines or walls, level flat surfaces, measure angles from 0 to 180 degrees, and measure objects longer than your phone.
Photo Measures – Who else is not a pro at sizing up the height, width, and square footage of a room—or good at remembering it? This cost estimator app is the perfect companion for home repair planning. With Photo Measures, you can take a photo and write the measurements directly on the photo, saving those details for future reference. Architectural Digest says the app is “very useful when shopping or meeting with contractors.”
TapPainter – Thinking about painting the interior of your home? Explore the colors before you buy the paint. TapPainter lets you visualize spaces in new colors with respect to natural lighting conditions. Virtual fan decks from top brands allow for plenty of options.
Pinterest – Pinterest offers plenty of inspiration to pique your interest in home repair and home remodels. The more you scroll, the more you see the endless possibilities in home updates, home remodels, and home repairs.
What about when things break and I can’t fix my home repairs myself?
Some home repairs aren’t about interior decorating, re-design, or boosting the value of your home. They’re more about fixing broken home appliances. Not everyone is a DIY-er. And that’s OK. It’s smart to not play with electrical wires if you don’t know what you’re doing.
When home systems and appliances, like air conditioning units or washers and dryers, stop working, you’ll want to evaluate if you have the experience to take on the repairs yourself or hire a professional. Whether you do or whether you don’t, a home service contract offers protection on home systems and appliances and can save you money.
Is home repair insurance the same thing as a home warranty?
Most home warranty plans, otherwise known as home repair insurance, offer varied levels of coverage. If the item in question—say it’s your broken dishwasher—is written into your contract as covered and it breaks down due to normal wear and tear, you can pick up the phone and make a claim. Your home warranty company will likely send a repair contractor near you to begin repairing or replacing the broken unit.
“Home repair services near me” may not need to be a search term you need to type into Google again. With the rise of home repair apps and the contractors your home warranty company provides—you’re already covered.
