The Essentials Tools for a Home Improvement Newbie

I don’t know about you, but when I bought a home I was completely unaware of all the tools I would need. When I left home I had a small toolkit full of screwdrivers, hex keys, a hammer and a mini hack saw.

Little did I know that this was hardly enough to prepare me for the big bad world – there’s only so many home improvements you can make by hitting things with a hammer. What would have made my venture into home improvement easier? If I had the right tools for the job at hand, a list that looks a little like this:

A Good Tool Case

Never underestimate how vital a tool case is, there’s nothing more annoying than having to drag around a broken case or frantically searching for a tool you need that’s lost in the labyrinth that is your case.

Claw Hammer

If you haven’t already got a solid claw hammer then this is an investment that you should make straight away. This is a very versatile tool and can be used for both driving nails in and pulling them back out again.

Cordless Drill

Lots of first time DIYers don’t invest in power tools, but a decent cordless drill can make a huge difference to how many jobs you can easily master. Don’t skimp and by a cheap drill, as these won’t be powerful enough for many tasks and have a tendency to break. Why cordless over plugged in? Simply for ease of access and mobility a cordless drill makes so much more sense.

Measuring Tape

Despite what you may think, hold your arms apart and trying to figure out how long things are just isn’t accurate. Instead of doing this, buy a measuring tape. They only cost a couple of quid and will give you a millimetre perfect reading – ideal for when you need things an actual length or size.

Utility Knife

If you’re thinking, what do I need a utility knife for, buy one. Soon you’ll be wondering how you managed without it. From opening boxes to cutting carpet and marking wood, a utility knife is an essential in every home improvement tool kit.

Adjustable Wrenches

Wrenches can be expensive and annoying to find the right size, however adjustable wrenches are like every wrench in one and are brilliant for DIY. This can help you deal with a range of issues from removing radiators to tinkering with your car.

Screwdrivers

Having a good set of screwdrivers is essential, make sure you have a range of sizes and both flathead and crosshead to deal with any circumstance you come up against. Again, don’t skimp on screwdrivers or you may end up rounding off a lot of screws! A good multi-head screwdriver can be the ideal tool here.

Scraper/ Putty Knife

As a home improvement newbie, you’re going to have to learn how to deal with Polyfilla and remove wallpaper. This tool is essential for these tasks and you may find yourself using it for other bits around the home as well.

Screws, Nails, Rawl Plugs

The key to being a successful DIYer is to have plenty of screws, nails, rawl plugs, picture hooks and much more on hand. Make sure you have a wide variety so that you have something for pretty much every occasion.

Spirit Level

There’s nothing worse than putting something together then standing back and realising it is on a wonk. A spirit level should put an end to this and make sure you put everything together straight and level.

Duct Tape & WD40

We mentioned this in our previous post, but:

Hex Keys

You’d be surprised by just how often these little bolts crop up in DIY jobs. A good set of hex keys will be extremely valuable to you, make sure you have a good selection of sizes and try not to lose any! It tends to be the ones that go missing are the ones you need most.

A Hacksaw

Why specifically a hacksaw? Simply because this is an extremely versatile saw that can cut through pretty much anything you put in front of it. It is designed primarily for use on metal, but a hacksaw can easily cut through wood and plastic. If you don’t want to splash out on multiple saws, then a hacksaw is the way to go.

Are there any other tools you would recommend? Get in touch with us today and let us know!