We talk a lot about BEYREP – and why shouldn't we? But now we want to introduce you to some other amazing apps out there for home improvement pros.
We’re proud to offer an intuitive, easy-to-use app that can be accessed from any phone, computer or tablet (check out BEYREP via the App Store and Google Play if you haven’t already).
BEYREP is a comprehensive solution that handles most needs for homeowners and pros, but there are also some other unique apps out there that can serve as great supplements to your overall approach when remodeling a home.
Here are our pics for 9 useful and unique apps that help make life more convenient and productive for home improvement pros:
App Store (4.5 stars) / Google Play (2.4 stars)
What it does: Home Depot’s Project Color app allows you to find the perfect paint color for your interior or exterior paint project. You can match colors around you, see what any color would look like in any given space thanks to augmented reality technology, explore color trends for inspiration, and purchase paint once you’ve decided on your final look.
Why we love it: Homeowners often have a hard time making decisions about color palettes. Pros can get the paint job done, but not everyone is an expert in color theory. That’s where Project Color comes in. Homeowners and Pros can use it to nail down the perfect color for any space and keep the project moving along swiftly.
App Store (4.5 stars) / Not currently available on Google Play
What it does: iScape helps you experiment with designing outdoor living areas. Using augmented reality, you can visualize, design and share outdoor living ideas to help you settle on the design that fits best for you. iScape also inventories products, so you can easily purchase what you need for your final design.
Why we love it: This app works whether you’re a DIY homeowner or an industry Pro. Even if you already have a general sense of what you want in your outdoor living environment, iScape can help you expand your possibilities and think in ways you may not have initially considered.
App Store (3.9 stars) / Google Play (3.3 stars)
What it does: This is a go-to app if you’re trying to create the perfect outdoor swimming pool and spa. NPT Backyard lets you select tiles, finish, coping and pavers, then you can watch your design some to life in 3D. It also offers a “Dream Pools” feature that helps Pros take a homeowner’s current pool to the next level with reimagined spa shapes, stair placements, deep end placements, decorative veneers and more.
Why we love it: Pros in the pool and spa sector are already familiar with the ins and outs of installing a pool. In most cases, pool Pros will be fully equipped to conceptualize a backyard pool design. However, NPT Backyard can show new options can save Pros time and brainpower, especially when it comes to renovating an existing pool.
App Store (4.8 stars) / Google Play (4.5 stars)
What it does: PictureThis is a plant identification app with 98% accuracy in identifying more than 1 million types of plants. Users take a picture of any plant, and the app will explain what the plant is, as well as how to care for the plant, while also diagnosing any problems the plant might have including low sunlight, soil rot, watering schedules and more.
Why we love it: If a homeowner cares about their lawn or the placement of indoor plants, PictureThis is a perfect way for Pros to get up-to-speed on what plants are in the area and how to best handle them. Landscapers and gardeners may already have a lot of this knowledge, but it’s impossible for most people to retain this much information on more than 1 million plants. This is a niche app, but something that can help Pros who are trying to create a better outdoor garden or indoor greenery setup.
App Store (4.6 stars) / Google Play (4.5 stars)
What it does: Storage can be expensive or hard to come by. Neighbor lets users rent out their space for storage or parking, and users can also find storage in their own neighborhood at affordable rates. The app easily schedules storage move in and move out, facilitates communication with the host and client, and offers automatic billing. It’s a nontraditional app for home improvement Pros, but one that can be extremely helpful.
Why we love it: Renovations often require a serious shuffling around of household items, big and small. If an entire room needs to be cleared out for a renovation, the homeowner may not have extra space to put all the displaced furniture and other items. Rather than splurging on an expensive storage unit, Pros can recommend Neighbor for finding safe and convenient temporary storage.
App Store (4.7 stars) / Google Play (4.2 stars)
What it does: Concepts is an infinite canvas, meaning you can create whatever you want in whatever scale you desire. Pros use it to think, plan and create by writing notes and mindmaps, drawing design inspiration and product sketches, working on floor plans, and more. Creations made in Concepts can be easily shared with homeowners to help them visualize what you’re working on.
Why we love it: Concepts is an app that’s great for anyone to use for a wide array of purposes, but it’s a must for home construction Pros who are ready to ditch their paper waste for a more modern and organized method. Concepts is ideal fo anyone, whether you’re artistically inclined and want to use it as a digital sketchbook, or you just need a better way to organize your chicken scratch.
App Store (4.4 stars) / Google Play (3.9 stars)
What it does: This app offers five tools in one: a plumb bob to verify the verticality of lines or walls; a surface level to level any flat surface; a bubble level bar exactly as you’d see in carpenter tool kit shots; a steel protractor measuring angles from 0 to 180 degrees; and a steel ruler supporting both inches and centimeters. Once the app calibrates, it’s an excellent inclinometer and clinometer.
Why we love it: Any way to lighten the toolbox load is something we’re interested in. This app is like a swiss army knife for home improvement Pros and works well on both iOS and Android, even with older phone models. Pros need to be sure to calibrate the app before any serious usage, but once that’s handled this is a powerful app that saves time and space.
App Store (4.6 stars) / Google Play (4.1 stars)
What it does: Noting dimensions can be a pain, but Photo Measures makes it easy. You can take a photo of any space and make note of dimensions right on your photos. It’s especially helpful for remembering how a room is laid out, and Pros can also edit their measurements, add comments to images, zoom in to see more details and get better accuracy with measurements, and export images.
Why we love it: This may not completely replace the need for a tape measure, but it sure makes the job easy on the fly. When meeting with a new client, Photo Measures is a great way to quickly grab shots of any room that needs to be renovated and develop fast measurements so you can put together the most accurate quote possible for the homeowner.
App Store (4.8 stars) / Google Play (3.5 stars)
What it does: Sun Seeker is a comprehensive sun and compass app that lets you track sunrise and sunset times. You can find the sun, check sun position and solar path. It has a flat compass and a 3D augmented reality view to show sun exposure, equino, solstice paths, twilight times and more.
Why we love it: This app can help Pros understand the optimal locations for landscaping and solar paneling. It’s important to make the best use of solar light possible when working with either of these areas in the home improvement trade. It’s also helpful for understanding the best window placements to ensure homeowners are getting natural light in all the right ways.
Do you currently use any of these apps, or are there any that you’re interested in downloading? Try them all and create a folder on your phone where these apps can sit alongside your BEYREP app, arming you with the best and most innovative digital solutions a home improvement Pro could ever want!