Useful Resources

AllAboutHome.com by ServiceMaster has a wealth of home tips and helpful hints about everything from appliances and cleaning to lawn care, pests, plumbing, warranties and more. www.allabouthome.com

Better Business Bureau of Coastal Carolina, 321 N. Front Street, Wilmington, (910) 341-3006. Besides checking for or submitting a complaint about a business, the BBB has consumer buying guides, business publications, the latest consumer warnings and news. www.carolina.bbb.org

Building Online is a search engine devoted to the residential building and home improvement industry. Search among more than 200,000 web pages and more than 14,000 directory listings, including architects and house plans, builders, contractors, building products, gardening and landscape products and home appliances. www.buildingonline.com

DoItYourself.com is an independent home improvement and home repair Internet website with a wealth of how-to content, moderated community forums, detailed project information and a vast amount of home improvement features; this site brings out the handyperson in everyone via a searchable database. http://doityourself.com/

Hometips.com is a free, one-stop resource for expert help with home improvement, remodeling houses, home repair, decorating, DIY and tips for buying appliances and other home repair products. www.hometips.com

The Old House Web provides ideas, advice and community for old house enthusiasts. This site has links to all sorts of suppliers in more than 500 categories. They say they can help you find nearly anything to restore or remodel your historic house, Other features are how-to advice, design suggestions, stories, bulletin boards and search options. www.oldhouseweb.com

National Association of Remodeling Industry, (800) 611-NARI (6274). Members of NARI are full-service contractors, design-build firms, manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, subcontractors, lenders and other related professionals who work in the remodeling field. Here you can get advice for how to choose a suitable professional plus articles related to remodeling. An especially good article is "Choosing a Contractor - 25 Factors," a 27-page guide we recommend to any homeowner planning to do serious remodeling. A member search feature is available. www.nari.org/

Preservation North Carolina, The Historic Preservation Society of North Carolina, 220 Fayetteville Street Mall, Suite 200, Raleigh, NC 27611-7644, (919) 832-3652. The regional office in Wilmington is located at the Bellamy Mansion Museum, 503 Market Street, (910) 251-3700. Here is an excellent resource for those who are restoring or remodeling historic homes. Get lists and names of experienced professionals who work, consult or invest in the field of historic preservation, including architectural design firms, contractors, interior designers and many others — although most are from other areas of the state. www.presnc.org

Remodeling Online is a comprehensive site that includes search features, house plans, an online monthly magazine, countless valuable links, product guides, hundreds of helpful articles, a remodeling bookstore and much more. www.remodeling.hw.net

Window & Door Manufacturers Association, (800) 223-2301. Many articles on design, technical and energy issues, helpful links, and an excellent glossary (with pictures) for both doors and windows. Especially helpful is their Frequently Asked Questions section. www.wdma.com

And don't forget your local chambers of commerce. See our Area Overview chapter for a list of contact information for local chambers.

Please note that Insiders' Guide and its writers do not endorse the businesses listed in this chapter nor do we guarantee the quality of their work. Consumers are urged to research carefully before hiring any contractor.