Do-It-Yourself with Lowe's on-line

Home improvement projects can break a budget. However, thanks to many on-line services, the average homeowner can tackle many of these projects alone. A cornucopia of knowledge can be found at Lowe's on-line site. Whether you shop at Lowe's or the neighborhood hardware store, utilize the corporate chain's information to do it yourself and save money. Scroll through the Project Center at www.Lowes.com for help.

How-to Clinics

For every homeowner who feels that the number of the local handyman is not all there is to know about home improvement, most large chain home improvement warehouses like Home Depot and Lowe's offer clinics in the stores to teach the basics of home repair. Offered for approximately an hour each Saturday, these clinics span the realm of home maintenance from painting to decorating, attracting wildlife, and re-tiling bathrooms. Most of these clinics are free or ask for a nominal fee with prior registration requested.

Involve the Kids

Not only will children learn valuable skills but they will also be entertained at the children's clinics offered by these chains as well. With small fees for supplies, children can build birdhouses or create rubber band powered cars.

Got to the Library

While the traditional library is always useful, it may lack the specifics needed for projects such as deck building. Log onto Lowe's.com and scroll through the articles in the How-to Library. Each article features needed diagrams and step by step instructions written in basic language. While some projects still may be challenging to master, the library gives a feel for what needs to be done and allows the homeowner to choose which projects are able to be tackled alone and which need help.

Lowe's also includes Interactive Design Tools which allow you to 'build' your project with help. Featuring a Closet Maid closet designer as well as deck designer, the site allows you to 'see' the end product and evaluate the needs and costs of such a project. Jump to the Project Calculator and cost as well as material needs can be estimated. This allows proper budgeting even for small projects such as mulch application.

Get a Guide

Buying guides for projects are available on-line or in person at most large chain home improvement stores. Tablets line the aisles at these stores, and by tearing a sheet from the tablet you hold a list of needed supplies for a specific project. For instance, when buying a tub surround, not only are most of the needed supplies located within the same aisle as the surround, but the paper guide also lists the tools needed such as a cutting blade and tape measure. Guides aide in sizing and measuring for purchases as well.

The home improvement warehouses are on your side. Their business is improving your home, so they want to help you do just that. Although contractors do make up a large portion of their business, they're more than happy to allow you to save the contracting costs and do it yourself. After all, won't you be able to afford the second project if you do?