DIY websites for Fixing your Condo

January 12, 2009 11:52 AM

I just bought a condo and am looking for websites that are dedicated to doing DIY things to improve your home ranging from doing cheap/green projects, cool home gadgets, to major remodeling jobs...

There is a site that I kind of view and is a good example of what i am looking for and that site is: http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/la Any and all ideas are welcome!!!!

posted by matthelm to home & garden (5 comments total)

Congrats on the purchase. Here is a news aggregating site dedicated to do-it-yourself blogs and sites.

I hope it helps.
posted by YFiB at 12:11 PM on January 12

I sort of like IkeaHacker for novel ideas.
posted by wfrgms at 12:14 PM on January 12

Instructables frequently has good DIY articles posted. The 'home' and 'green' subcategories may be of interest to you.
posted by hungrysquirrels at 12:55 PM on January 12

I'm working on my 97-year-old house, and regularly research projects on the net. All the sites mentioned above are good, but usually rather than visiting them I start by specifically researching the project I want to do, i.e., "mosaic fireplace surround". You may want to try that approach as well.
posted by orange swan at 1:02 PM on January 12

I do what orange swan does -- researching the project, rather than following specific websites. Surprisingly often, there isn't great information online, and I end up using books (the Taunton Press ones are quite good, and a lot of the how-to books published back in the 1960s and 1970s, aimed at young hippies learning to do it themselves, have very clear drawings and explanations of processes) from the library instead.

And if you have local building supply and hardware stores other than the chain big-box ones, get to know the people who work there and learn who is particularly helpful. The prices may be 5% higher than the big-box stores, but the money you save by buying the right thing the first time because someone took the time to explain the process to you can more than compensate for that price difference.
posted by Forktine at 7:51 PM on January 12