Thinking about a home remodeling project? For my home repair job, I tapped the Web for remodeling and design sites and came away with fresh decorating ideas, new products and services, and step-by-step, how-to instructions. And all without leaving the comforts of my soon-to-be-renovated home!

You may be saying, "Why not use a tried and true method of getting this information?" A TV show might not cover the job you have in mind. That gorgeous photo spread in a magazine probably had a budget much higher than you plan to spend.

And using the phone book is time consuming and will not be as current as the Internet. You could spend weeks just trying to get organized. Or, you can use these resources available only on the Web.

The first stop for any serious fixer-upper is Remodeling Online.The writing is top-notch, with real-life stories of design successes. Click on the "Find-A-Pro" search engine that locates a contractor by zip code or state. Go to the "Tool Box" for How-To instructions, product and resource guides, and a searchable library for almost any remodeling topic imaginable. In "Before And After"," peek inside a newly refurbished house and see how they did it.

Visit "The Store" to purchase CD-ROMs, books, or register for a subscription to the print versions of Remodeling Magazine, Builder, and U.S. Housing Markets. Quite the comprehensive site and not to be missed!

Need some ideas before diving in? Then visit Living Home for daily updates on gardening, remodeling, decorating and design. A very interactive site, the "Tool Chest" estimators give instant answers on how much paint, tile, wallpaper, even the amount of grass seeds you'll need for a project.

And you can be sure "Everybody's Talking" in Living Home's forums--join in the conversation and pick up a few tips from fellow remodelers.

If there's a stack of dog-eared, coffee-stained home design magazines piling up on your kitchen table, then look to HomeArts for the latest issues of popular magazines.

This grand daddy of a site collects Bob Vila's American Home, House Beautiful, Popular Mechanics, Country Living, Country Living Gardener, Redbook, Good Housekeeping, Cosmopolitan, Town & Country, and Marie Claire all in one place!

Plus, you'll get lots of original content and free E-mail updates on your favorite categories. One warning: chockful of graphics, the site may be slow to download.

For more How-To, HomeCentral features animated instructions. (You'll need the Shockwave plug-in to run the animated guides, available right from this site). The built in directory is very thorough--offering reviews and related links.

For help in formulating your budget, visit The United Homeowners Association a nonprofit, member organization. UHA links to HouseNet where the "Cost of the Job" feature assists you in evaluating whether you should do the job yourself or hire a contractor.

Other sources you can explore:

• Home Building and Remodeling Resources
• Build.com
• Fix-It!
• The Home Remodeling Guide
• Newsgroups: alt.home.repair and misc.consumers.house