The 9 Tools Every Homeowner Should Own

October 17, 2018 by Jorge Lopez

The 9 Tools Every Homeowner Should Own

With homeownership comes great responsibility. When something breaks, stops working, or needs to be upgraded, there isn’t a landlord or property manager you can call to take care of it for you. It’s up to you to find a solution and, if necessary, handle the repair on your own. But in order to do so, you’ll need to make sure you have a quality selection of tools available at all times.

9 Tools You Should Own as a Homeowner

 Some people love tools like kids love ice cream and toys. Other people would rather spend their money on things they find more exciting. But no matter which side of the spectrum you fall on, there are some tools that every homeowner absolutely must have on hand.

Here are a few of them: 

1. Quality Hammer

Every homeowner needs a hammer on hand. From hammering nails into drywall to removing rotted deck boards, a quality hammer is extremely versatile. The key is to buy a good one. A good all-purpose hammer should be 16-ounces with a straight-claw on the back. A one-piece solid steel design with a cushioned grip is ideal.

2. Measurement and Layout Tools

You can never have too many measurement and layout tools available. From hanging pictures to measuring the amount of clearance you have in doorways, having tape measures, rulers, framing squares, and levels will ensure you make accurate measurements whenever they’re called for. It’s also helpful to have a stud finder on hand so you can easily identify what’s behind your walls. 

3. Cordless Drill and Drill Bits

Screwdrivers are a must, but don’t forget about a cordless drill. A drill makes the challenge of removing screws, driving bolts, and drilling pilot holes exponentially easier than doing them by hand. Speaking of pilot holes, go ahead and buy a collection of drill bits so that you don’t have to make a last-minute trip to the store every time you need a new bit.

4. Set of Chisels

Most people think of chisels as something fine woodworkers use – and they do – but there’s an argument to be made that every homeowner should have a set on hand. While there’s no need to go out and buy a set of expensive chisels, a basic set will do you well. They come in handy for all kinds of applications, including cutting out small pieces of wood, scraping glue and caulk, rounding off sharp edges, prying apart baseboards from the wall, and much more.

5. An Array of Pliers

 Like chisels, pliers are something that come in handy quite frequently. And in order to accomplish the task at hand, you often need to try multiple pliers until you find the right one. This is why it’s important to have an array of them in your toolbox. This includes needle-nose, wire-cutting, combination, crimping, and locking pliers.

6. Socket Wrench Set

While you can technically use pliers and/or Allen wrenches to drive or remove most bolts, it’s a whole lot easier when you have a socket wrench on hand. It’s not something you’ll use all the time, but you can find quality sets at friendly prices, so you may as well pull the trigger when you find a deal.

7. Adjustable Ladder

A ladder is one of those tools you need every so often, but can’t quite justify buying (because of space limitations). The solution is to find an adjustable/telescoping ladder that can be extended for use and compacted for storage.

8. Utility Knife

Nothing beats having a sharp utility knife on hand. It can be used in a variety of capacities and only costs a few dollars. You may even want to buy a few and store them in different rooms.

9. Flush Cut Saw

Here’s a tool that most people don’t own, but should. In fact, you won’t know how much you need it until you actually own one. It’s simply a thin, flexible saw with fine teeth. It can be pushed into tight spaces and, when properly maintained, cuts like butter. It also leaves an extremely small kerf behind, which is ideal when doing cosmetic projects.

When to Rent vs. Buy

While a strong collection of tools will ensure you’re always prepared to handle the jobs you face, it’s not always necessary to go out and buy a tool. This is especially true if you’re handling what will essentially be a one-off job. In these cases, it may make more sense to rent the tool from a local hardware store for a day, weekend, or week.

Examples of tools the average person may rent include:

    • Table saw. A table saw is an incredibly useful tool to have around, but it’s not something the average homeowner is going to need on a regular basis. Plus, it takes up a lot of space.
    • Tile saw. The same could be said of a tile saw. It’s very useful when you have tile jobs, but how many times are you really going to need one? It can be rented multiple times and still cost less than purchasing one.
    • Hardwood flooring tools. If you’re doing hardwood floors in your home, there are lots of tools that make the job easier. This includes floor staplers and floor sanders. But because you’ll probably never need to redo your floors again, it doesn’t make much sense to purchase these tools.
    • Concrete tools. The lifespan of concrete is virtually limitless. Thus, you’ll probably never need to use concrete tools more than once. This makes them ideal for renting.

At the end of the day, you should run cost calculations to determine whether it makes more sense to rent or buy. Generally speaking, you should rent when the rental cost is less than one-quarter of the tool’s full price, and you only foresee yourself ever needing it one or two times at the most.

 Buy and Sell Houston Real Estate With Green Residential

At Green Residential, it’s our mission to serve Houston homeowners by preparing them to buy and sell real estate in a safe, cost-effective, and efficient manner. For more information on how we can help, please give us a call!

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