I started a major remodel of our home last year and was being driven crazy by all of the interior and exterior measurements that had to be made. Most of them required more than one person and my wife wasn't exactly happy to go along. That doesn't include the measurements that were simply hard to make (too high, too far, etc.)

That's when I ran across the Stanley laser "measuring tape." Inexpensive ultrasonic versions of this have been around for a while,
unfortunately they're generally inaccurate and in a tight space it's never completely clear what's being measured. Professional laser tapes have been around for a while also, but at $400+ a pop weren't exactly in my budget. The Stanley comes in about $100 and is every bit as accurate as the pro models.

Put the rear of the device against the wall (or starting point), point the laser dot at the point you're measuring to, punch a button, and presto distances up to 100' measured instantly and accurate within 1/4". Awesome!!!

I finished all of my measurements in 30 minutes. My time alone was worth the cost of the tool.

-- Mike Green

TLM 100 FatMax Tru-Laser Distance Measurer
$100
Available from Amazon

Manufactured by Stanley