With more than 1 million applications in the iTunes and Google Play stores, smartphone users can download apps that will entertain a cat, measure paranormal activity in a home and turn a phone into a voodoo doll. However, there are much more useful apps that can help homeowners with maintenance, home improvement and consolidating information they need to keep their home running smoothly.
The Handyman Calculator
This Android app takes the head-scratching conversions and calculations out of home improvement. The 5-star, free app provides dozens of different calculators to figure stud spacing, square footage, asphalt volume, arc length, grass seed quantity and angle conversions, just to name a few. Based on measurements, a shopping list can be generated that will calculate types of materials needed, quantity and cost.
Ongoing
When was the last time you pumped your septic tank? What about the last time you inspected your fire extinguishers? A home has dozens of features that need to be regularly examined but the task often falls to the wayside and forgotten during a busy year. Ongoing, a $2 app for Androids, reminds homeowners about regular maintenance duties they need to perform. The calendar-type application creates a monthly schedule of upkeep, which includes the not-so-glamorous tasks of cleaning gutters, sweeping chimneys and tuning up a HVAC.
Paint Swatch Apps
There are a number of color-matching apps for smartphones that can help you find the perfect paint color. Which app you prefer will most likely to depend on which brand of paint you prefer.
The ColorSnap app by Sherwin-Williams “takes color inspiration from a photo in your library or one you just snapped.” Based on the color, a user receives the Sherwin-Williams paint color that it most closely matches or a recommendation of complementary colors. The app also contains a store locater. Benjamin Moore’s Color Capture also analyzes a swatch to find a similar paint color from their library of 3,500 colors and provides a store locater. Both apps are free and are available for Androids and iPhones.
BrightNest
BrightNest, a web-based and iPhone app, is a home improvement metropolis and project-organizing hub. Apartment Therapy dubbed the website as the “Mint.com for home maintenance.” A user can record information on home inventory, keep track of specific home details such as air filters’ sizes and paint colors, schedule maintenance through Angie’s List and much more. Another useful feature is is that the app downloads information on a user’s appliances such as manuals as well as model and warranty information. The app also includes a vast library of blog posts on every aspect of homeownership.
You can find hundreds of other home-centric apps in the iTunes and Google Play stores, including a yard sale mapper and construction level, to make homeownership easier an
The best home improvement and maintenance apps streamline tasks, from project planning to execution. Notable apps include Houzz for design inspiration, HomeZada for project management, and TaskRabbit for finding skilled help, ensuring efficient and organized home improvement efforts.
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