Better Homes & Gardens:
Remodeling Your Home

Remodeling a home can be a complex and costly process. Maybe the idea is to open up a kitchen and bring in more light. Or maybe it's to modify a basement or attic into that long awaited home office or media center. Or maybe you just need some ideas to get you started.

Beginning with the Remodeling Showcase, you may select different areas of the house, by using the floor plan on the screen. After you've made your choice, you can search the photographic gallery for the style you want. Clicking on the desired image produces a large photo as well as the specific floor plan; you can print out the information as well.

Materials Guide takes you through sixteen different categories. Sections such as Cabinetry, Doors, Lights, Windows, are just a few of the many choices. Once you've found a given material, more detailed information like the advantages and disadvantages of the materials chosen, Buyer's tips, and a relative cost chart comparing your choice to all other materials. The charts are compiled by one of the leaders in construction cost data, RS Means.

Designer Guidelines is divided into twenty-five chapter headings. By selecting an area, information pertinent to that zone is displayed under topics, which can be narrowed down into even more specifics. Subjects include: Planning your Remodel, Remodeling Process and Kitchen Planning. Sub-topics break it down into more specific areas.

Virtual Gallery, is the most powerful feature of this CD. Here you have the ability to view twenty remodels in a stationary 360 degree virtual environment. Nine different areas of the house can be appraised, and a choice of two different types of projects. After choosing a room, a map along with the image appears. By placing your mouse pointer over the graphic, clicking and dragging, you start your journey. Each floor plan comes with "stepping stones," vantage points for viewing.

The Workbook is an organizational tool, broken down into six sections: Notes, Bookmarks, Contacts, Index, Glossary and Shopping list. Organize ideas in the Notes areas, save favorite remodel ideas from the CD into the Bookmark section. Contacts keeps a logbook of contractors, there is a place for phone and fax numbers, e-mail address, and even a field for URL's if they happen to have a web page. Index is another segment that sub-divides into four areas: Remodeling Projects, Design Guidelines, Materials Index and Sponsors Index. These sections allow for quick indexing into specifics information into questions such as: How to Hire Professionals, How to get a Contractor, Getting estimates. Materials Index covers areas like: Cabinetry, Doors, Flooring, Interior Trims, even how to designing a winning porch and deck combo. Glossary is just that, a glossary of terms used in the building business.

A gallery of manufacturers from such companies as Corian by DuPont, Armstrong Floors, GE appliances, Anderson Windows, and Stainmaster Carpets share their wares in the Home Show section.

Floor Plan Editor Plan your own remodel with the 3D CAD program. (PC ONLY) The PC version of this CD comes with a design it yourself 3-D Design editor, which enables users to "walk through" their own remodel.. (This is not included for the Macintosh version.) This feature allows you to design a layout for new remodeling plans from scratch, customize an existing plan, through the use of the built-in CAD tool.