There's a new service that acts as your handyman/gardener/interior designer

By Leah Hochbaum Rosner | July 29, 2015 - 1:59PM

Love to DIY, but don’t always know exactly what to do? You may want to consider Fountain. The new app helps you solve home- and garden-related problems by connecting you to a live expert via smart phone. For $7, you get a 15-minute consultation with an architect, a general contractor, a plumber, an appliance specialist, a master gardener or an interior designer. So what are some of the issues they can help you resolve? Our reviewer, Jen, tried three scenarios.

Crack in doorjamb

Jennifer's sons' bedroom had a crack in the doorjamb, "a problem I have deemed both unsightly and possibly dangerous were the jamb ever to collapse."

Sge typed the words: “crack in doorjamb” into the app’s search bar and waited (according to the site, the average wait time to speak with an expert is about two minutes), and then…nothing happened. It seems no expert was willing or able to take on my problem at that moment.

A window-box garden

Our tester told the expert (Jeff C.) what she wanted—something pretty that would grow quickly—and Jeff immediately came up with some ideas. He suggested that she grow peas, kale, verbena, basil, petunias, impatiens and coralbells. By the end of the call, she had a planting plan.

A narrow closet

Closet expert Beth W. offered up a few solutions to this too-narrow closet problem, including moving some bars to make them more accessible, freeing up some extra space, and making suggestions for storing shoes.

Bottom line, according the the reviewer

"Video chatting with a loved one, let alone a stranger can be awkward (more than once I found myself gawking at my own disheveled image rather than focusing on the expert helping me) and much of the advice I received was available with some basic Googling, but the personal aspect of the service is definitely a plus—and encouraging to a DIYer. Now the trick is following through."

For more, read “Test-Driving Fountain, the Apartment-Advice App.”

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