Tools You Should Own

 

It's funny, but have you noticed that when people give household related presents (e.g. as wedding gifts or at a bridal shower), they hardly ever give what are traditionally called tools. Of course, any manufactured item used to do a certain job is technically a tool. In this article, the word "tool" will be used to refer to the sort of thing that was traditionally used by men in the "bad old days" before men got into the kitchen and women got underneath the bonnet of the car. You will find people giving appliances such as coffee makers, toasters and knives, but you hardly ever see people giving saws, jacks and wrenches. Industrial General Contractor

But even if you're not a do-it-yourself person, you should always have certain tools in your house. There are some things it is just plain silly to call out a handyman (handyperson!) to do, as they are easy to do yourself, as long as you have the right tools. Home Contractors

Here is a basic list of tools that no household should be without. I certainly wouldn't!

A screwdriver. This will be used to replace and/or tighten a huge amount of things around your home, from door handles to saucepan lids. Straight screwdrivers also make good levers for opening stubborn tins. Have both types handy - Philips and flat. Magnetised screwdrivers are good, as they hold the screw in place so it doesn't drop down somewhere awkward. Some very handy screwdrivers have a shaft that has a Phillips head at one end and a flat head at the other. If you have to deal with small screws (e.g. fixing printers into ports in computers), have a miniature set of screwdrivers on hand as well as larger ones. Industrial General Contractor

A spanner or adjustable wrench. Once again, you will use this to tighten and loosen all sorts of things - I have used mine mostly for putting legs on beds and tables when moving house. The adjustable sort is better in some ways than a full socket or wrench set, as you don't have to poke around finding exactly the right one for the nut you're tightening. Residential Contractor

A hammer. Use this for putting in nails to hang pictures on the wall. You can also crush rose stems before putting them in water to make them last longer, and the side of the hammer can be used as a meat tenderiser (it's very easy to wash up and is probably dishwasher safe).

A plunger or plumber's mate. Baths, sinks and toilets all get blocked at some time or another. Sinks and baths seem to be the worst offenders, as hair and soap go down quite regularly. A plunger will get things going again in most cases. traditional residence

Pliers, especially the sort with a wire-cutter included. All sorts of things can be held together with a bit of wire as a stop-gap measure. Depending on the type you get, you can also take the outer casing off an electrical wire (if you're rewiring a plug - don't do other electrical stuff yourself, apart from changing fuses) or cut off the head of a fishhook that some idiot has got through their finger. General Contractor

A craft knife/Stanley knife. Often, you need more precision than a kitchen knife can give, but need something tougher than a pair of scissors.

A vice or clamp. If you have to repair anything that needs pressure put on it, you will need a vice or clamp to hold it steady for a long time while the glue sets.

This list, of course, is just a basic one and is not designed for a handyman London. Other things like saws, soldering irons, Allan keys, drills, sharpeners, grinders and sanders can also be added. A handyman should have even more than that.