How to Use the Internet for Your Next Home Improvement Project

The information superhighway holds great promise for homeowners, but it's a road with many detours, exit ramps, traffic jams, and 8-car pile-ups that must be efficiently navigated to yield good results. Never has it been easier for homeowners to find the details of the latest asphalt roofing systems, reinforced laminate flooring, or synthetic stucco siding, but it's also never been easier to find disinformation that either misleads or misrepresents home improvement realities. As a starting point, you need to see the Internet as an invaluable tool to augment the planning and execution of your home improvement projects, but not as a substitute for experienced and nuanced construction expertise. Here's what you need to know to best utilize the Internet to your advantage:

The Internet and DIY Projects
Within the home improvement industry, fewer risks and rewards are more pronounced than the seemingly ubiquitous online DIY projects. If you feel reasonably confident that you can complete a home improvement project on your own, any number of online resources—especially installation instructions available directly from manufacturers' websites—can help facilitate an easy construction process for the homeowner who already has a good working knowledge of the project.

Yet, dozens of DIY websites frequently understate the difficulty of completing a project on your own. Anything that involves tearing out or removing old surfaces—from flooring to appliances to drywall—creates unknown variables that may not be addressed in basic step-by-step installation guides. Of particular note is how often online DIY advice fails to proportionally consider regional factors. A fence installation in, say, Sacramento, CA can be a completely different project in Amarillo, TX with its unstable soil and exposure to strong winds.

Classic Examples Leading to Tempered Enthusiasm for DIY Projects
Sprinkler system installation or repair is one of the more common projects that can quickly get homeowners in over their heads. John, from Mesa, AZ, relays this story: "I initially had thought I would buy a new irrigation box and it would solve my problem. I read the so called 'instructions' on the box and decided to save myself the time and aggravation and call a pro. The contractor found several other problems with my sprinkler system that I was not aware of, and I would have spent more time and money and aggravation." Indeed, some evidence suggests that, although the expansive DIY industry is here to stay, its peak may have already occurred. This past year, 44 percent of homeowners undertook their own home improvements, down from 56 percent in 2006, while homeowners who confirmed they would hire a professional jumped to 37 percent from 30 percent over the same time period, according to Vertis Communications.

Look for Things that are Descriptive, not Prescriptive
Whether it's kitchen counters, decking materials, flooring, or furniture, always look for sources that are descriptive, not prescriptive. What does this mean? Look for a reliable source that is offering the strengths and weaknesses of different options, rather than someone who says, "You should do it this way, or you should choose this material." Almost every area of home improvement has room for competition. Almost every home has some aspect that would benefit from going against common wisdom. In fact, rather than keeping up with the Joneses, distinguishing your home from dozens of Joneses on your street can pay sizable dividends in property value. Even choosing drywall—perhaps the most universally recommended material—isn't a slam dunk. Though more expensive to install, plaster walls are stronger, look better, and receive paint more readily. Moreover, looking for even-handed advice is important whether you're reading from a home improvement journalistic, a company representative, online contractors, or other homeowners.

How to Use Online Reviews...

...for Contractors
When dealing with contractors, online reviews are particularly useful in conjunction with face-to-face meetings. If positive online reviews match your gut feeling that you've found a knowledgeable, trustworthy contractor, it's probably time to pull the trigger and snatch up one of these valuable professionals before their schedule gets any fuller. Meanwhile, negative online reviews can help you catch misleading presentations, but some homeowners have unrealistic expectations, so "generally" negative comments that lack details of the contractor's offense shouldn't necessary disqualify them from consideration.

When dealing with contractors often the existence of online review forums are more important than their reliability. When problems arise, informing your contractor that his or her willingness to be accommodating will directly impact your online review of his or her performance can be a powerful asset.

...for Products and Manufacturers
Online reviews are, by nature, imperfect. Websites that present "unfiltered" reviews allow for manufacturers and sales representatives to post fictional accounts of their products and services or fictional accounts that misrepresent competitors' products. On the other hand, identifying which reviews are legitimate can be nearly impossible. Unscrupulous websites may actively allow false reviews for financial gain. Rarely should you trust individual reviews, and don't forget the truism that if it sounds too good to be trueý."No one trusts all positive reviews," says Google's retail industry director, John McAteer, adding that items with negative comments help with "just enough to acknowledge that the product couldnýt be perfect." That said, companies who wish to subvert online reviews generally know just as much about "gaming" these online review systems as the reputable companies who try to responsibly present them.

Quick Tips on How to Approach the Internet for Your Next Project
1. The Internet is a great place to start and see what's out there. As you research products, write down questions you come across to ask potential contractors about during the interview and hiring process.

2. Use the Internet to police itself. If you're unsure about a website or source, search for independent reviews of the company itself. Avoid the biggest blunders by, at the very least, searching for: (name of website or company) + scam.

3. Allow online reviews to provide a wide-angle lens for the quality of contractors, but rely on live customer referrals for details of the contractors' fit with your project, home, and schedule.

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