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10 best home improvement apps

Summer is the perfect time to finally tackle your DIY and home remodeling list. Tackling home projects yourself is a great way to save money.

Some home projects are easy to do by yourself and can save you a lot of money. For example, Popular Mechanics estimates that installing your own wiring for a ceiling fan can save you up to $350, while building your own customized closet storage could save you up to $2,300.

YouTube video tutorials and home improvement guides are a great resource for learning how to repair and redecorate your home, but don’t overlook the usefulness of your smartphone or your tablet. These top 10 home improvement apps transform these devices into DIY tools.

1. Paint Tester

Cost: Free on iTunes and Google Play.

Paint Tester by Luminant Software allows you to take a picture of your walls and try out different paint colors on them. You can select from a palette or upload a picture of the color you want. This is the perfect way to find out if your friend’s wall color would work with your furniture and décor, too.

The iOS version received a 4.5-star rating over 86 reviews, while the Android app only received a 3.5-star average rating from 122 reviewers. Reviewers said that as long as the room is well-lit, then the app will work well. Many reviewers have commented that this app has saved them time and money. This app can also help you determine which paint color is right for your exterior, too.

2. Zillow Digs

Cost: Free on iTunes.

Zillow Digs is packed with home improvement and interior design ideas that come with cost estimates, remodeling steps and links to products and paint colors. You can collect and save images on a design board or ask an interior designer where to source the project.

If you find a design you like, Zillow Digs will offer product details so that you can re-create the look yourself. The 79 reviews for the latest iOS version give it a 4.5-star rating.

3. My Measures Pro

Cost: $5.99 on iTunes.

Unlike other measuring apps, My Measures Pro allows you to store and share product dimensions. The app allows you to annotate each photo with arrows, angles, measurements and text comments. It allows for multiple detailed photos.

For example, this app would allow you to take detailed photos and include a variety of measurements for your kitchen countertops. You can then send your project as a PDF or image to local contractors. This app is only available on iTunes, with insufficient reviews for the latest version, but the 1,467 reviews for all versions end up at four stars.

4. RoomScan

Cost: 99 cents on iTunes.

RoomScan is a great app if you need to make a floor plan of your room or home. If you use the app with a laser measure, then your floor plan will be very accurate. Doorways are added just by walking around the room with the app, and rooms are connected automatically.

The newest iOS version has only six reviews, but the 352 reviews for all versions make for 3.5 stars.

5. Home Design 3D Gold

Cost: $9.99 on iTunes.

Home Design 3D Gold allows you to remodel or redecorate your current home or build the home of your dreams. It has more than 800 objects available for home and garden remodeling. A day and nighttime feature helps you visualize how a room looks when natural light shines on it.

The free and $6.99 iOS versions do not include all of the objects and features in the Gold version, which averages 4.5 stars from 2,817 reviews. Android currently does not feature the Gold version, but free and $6.99 versions are available.

6. Fountain: Live Expert Help for Home Improvement

Cost: Free on iTunes.

If you want to be connected with a professional, yet do not want to pay the costly price for advice or house calls, then Fountain is the ideal app. All you have to do is ask your house repair or remodel question into the app, and you will be connected to professionals you can text or video chat.

Your first call is free, but each call afterwards costs $7 per 15 minutes. The app gets five stars from 40 reviewers. Right now, this app is only available for iOS, but the Android app is said to be coming very soon.

7. Houzz Interior Design Ideas

Cost: Free on iTunes and Google Play.

The Houzz Interior Design Ideas app has more than 5 million high-resolution photos of interior and exterior décor.

With this app, you can browse and save photos, get links to products, see reviews of local professionals and have access to hundreds of renovation and DIY articles. With a 4.5-star average rating from over 184,000 Android reviewers and a five-star average rating from over 146,000 iOS reviewers, this is a must-try app for those who need decorating ideas and inspiration.

8. Remodelista

Cost: $2.99 on iTunes.

Remodelista is followed by big design fans, such as Martha Stewart and Gwyneth Paltrow, and the latest version earns a 4.5-star rating by 1,013 reviewers.

You can find many linked products, project ideas, décor inspiration and home tours. Some reviewers say that the linked products are pricy, but Remodelista can still be a great resource for motivating your creative side.

9. Handyman Calculator

Cost: Free on Google Play.

The Handyman Calculator app helps you calculate costs and materials of each project, reducing material waste. You can also create shopping lists and search through wide range of tutorials. This 4.5-star Android app has been featured in This Old House magazine and on BobVila.com.

10. Interior Design

Cost: Free on Google Play.

The Interior Design Android app is packed with beautiful home images and interior design inspiration. In addition, you can store your favorite images and share them with friends. More than 4,600 users gave this app a 4.5-star rating.

Whether you are doing a major remodel on your home or just updating the paint color this summer, utilize these apps to save you time and money.

From GoBankingRates.com: 10 Best Home Improvement Apps

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