The cost savings and gratification of do-it-yourself (DIY) home repair motivate homeowners to tackle projects ranging from laying hardwood floors to fixing a squeaky garage door. Here are some resources that may help you:

Your library or bookseller: Most libraries offer various DIY titles. Besides multivolume series on home improvement, you can find single titles on specific jobs, such as plumbing, windows or kitchens. If you prefer to purchase your books, a vast selection of titles is available online. www.BarnesAndNoble.com offers more than 8,000 home repair-related items, while www.Amazon.com (my personal favorite!)  has more than 9,000.

The Internet: The web is full of how-to reference sites, blogs, podcasts and discussion groups. By simply accessing your favorite search engine and typing in a few keywords, you can pinpoint DIY information and either print it out or add it as an easy-reference bookmark. Four great sites are www.OnTheHouse.com, www.DoItYourself.com, www.EHow.com and www.HomeTips.com.

Home improvement and hardware stores: Aside from having a great selection of DIY books, most retail centers employ home-repair experts -- and some even offer training courses on household projects, from easy to complex. Check out their websites for more how-to information.

Some final advice: People without much DIY experience, such as many first-time homeowners, should consider starting with novice-level projects, and work your way up to more complicated jobs as you acquire new skills and knowledge.

Kirk.Alexander@americanhm.com