The Internet Has Solutions for Do-It-Yourself Project Designs

Got some time this weekend? How about building a gazebo in the backyard? You could start by designing your own with a great little tool on DIY Online (https://www.diyonline.com).

This 4-month-old site developed by two home-improvement software executives is a do-it-yourselfer’s confidence builder. It includes design tools for 20 home projects, including the gazebo, a coffee table, a deck, a workbench and a sprinkler system.

Once you create a design (and sign in to the site--it’s free), you submit the design and get back specifications, a three-dimensional view, a materials shopping list, estimated cost and a how-to checklist.

The site also includes some key calculators that can help you estimate such supplies as how much tile you need for a suspended ceiling, how much concrete you will need for a patio and how much wallpaper to buy for papering a room.

While you may end up calling a contractor anyway to actually build your gazebo, this site does make doing it yourself sound more appealing.