Some owners/buyers can visualize potential changes to a property, while others can come up with a reasonable idea of what remodeling projects and repairs might cost.  Many people, though, are adept at
neither.  If you want to get ideas and rough estimates for changes to a home, you can contact the appropriate professionals.  Or you can go to the Web.

A slew of sites (BHG.com, HomeDepot.com, Homestore.com, among others) provide materials calculators to help figure out how much paint, wallpaper, tiles, or other materials a homeowner/buyer will require to tackle a specific project. 

Improvenet (Improvenet.com) goes even further, offering cost estimates for a range of projects, including bathroom and kitchen remodels,
roofing and flooring, and patios.  Visitors to the site submit a range of input data, and the calculator will return an estimate based on the user's ZIP code.  Buyers/owners who want some help visualizing a
remodeling project can take a look at virtual depictions of kitchens, floors, lighting, and more.