Essential Tools Every First Time Homeowner Should Have
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A small kit that gets used beats a big one that does not
The temptation when you first get the keys is to buy a 200 piece kit in a plastic case, and what usually happens is that eleven things in it get used and the rest rattle around for the next decade. So this is the short list, which is the one I would actually buy, and it will get you through nearly everything a house throws at you in the first couple of years.
A claw hammer
One decent hammer around 560g does almost everything a house needs, and the claw matters as much as the head because pulling a nail back out of something is at least half of what you will use it for. Hickory and fibreglass handles both work, so pick the one that feels balanced in your hand rather than the one that is cheapest.
Screwdrivers, or a driver and a bit set
You want Phillips and slotted in at least two sizes each, because a screwdriver that is slightly too small will chew the head out of a screw and then you have a much bigger problem than you started with. If you already own a cordless drill, a bit set covers the same ground and takes up less room.
An adjustable wrench
A 200mm or 250mm adjustable does the work of a drawer full of spanners for the jobs a homeowner actually meets, which is mostly tap fittings, hose fittings and the occasional bolt on flat-pack furniture. Do the jaws up snug before you pull, because a loose adjustable rounds off a nut faster than anything else in the kit.
A tape measure
An 8m tape with a locking blade is the sweet spot for a house. The hook on the end is meant to be slightly loose, which throws people, and the case has its own length printed on it for measuring into a corner.
A spirit level
A small torpedo level lives in a drawer and comes out constantly, and a longer 600mm one is what you want the day you hang a row of shelves. Buying both at once is not extravagant, it is the difference between a straight shelf and one you look at sideways forever.
Pliers, a couple of kinds
Combination pliers for general gripping and a long nose pair for anything fiddly will cover most of it. A pair of multigrips is the one worth adding when you get sick of the adjustable slipping.
A cordless drill and bits
An 18V drill driver with a decent battery is the single biggest jump in what you can do yourself. Get masonry bits as well as the standard ones, because a lot of Australian houses have at least one brick wall you will eventually want to put something on.
A utility knife
For boxes at first and then for everything else, and the thing that matters is keeping spare blades handy, because a blunt blade needs force and force is how people cut themselves.
A torch or a head lamp
Under the sink, in the roof space, out at the meter box in the dark. A head lamp beats a torch for anything where you want both hands, which turns out to be most of it.
A step ladder
Something rated for your weight with a proper top platform, so you can change a light globe without standing on a dining chair. This is the one on the list that is genuinely about not getting hurt.
How to find a stud without buying anything
Knock along the wall with a knuckle and listen. Plasterboard rings hollow and goes dull and solid where a stud sits behind it, and that difference is easy to hear once you have heard it twice. Studs in most Australian houses are at 450mm or 600mm centres, so once you have found one you can measure across to the next. If you want to confirm it, drill a 2mm pilot hole where the fixing is going to end up hidden, and either it hits timber or it does not.
What can wait
A circular saw, a sander, a socket set and a full chisel set are all lovely to own and none of them earn their place in the first year unless you already know you need them. Buy those when a specific job demands one, and you will end up with better versions than you would have picked blind.
Shop related products
- Claw Hammer, Hickory Handle, 560g. The one hammer a house needs.
- Supercraft Hi-Vis Tape Measure, 8m. Locking blade, and hard to lose on a building site.
- Supercraft Level Set of 2. A long one and a short one, which is the pairing you want.
- Utility Knife with 4 Spare Blades. Blades included, so it stays sharp.
- Hard Unit Head Lamp, USB Rechargeable. Both hands free under the sink.
- Toolking Power Bit Set, 208 Piece. Covers the driver bits and the drill bits in one case.
Have a look through the hand tools range for the rest of it.
Did you know we also stock adjustable wrenches in every size from 100mm right up to 375mm, along with combination and long nose pliers, and none of those are listed online. We carry Gorilla step ladders as well. Ring us on (08) 8536 4333 or come in and we will sort you out a kit that suits the house you have actually bought.
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I am still a firm believer in buying one good thing at a time rather than a case full of things you have to sort through, and I will happily argue about it over the counter.
Cheers,
Candeece
