Handyman Services – Basics

You may have a leaky water tap at home or need help in fixing curtains, hanging some photos. There is a new table which you have brought through an on-line shopping website. You may need to change few faulty bulbs or switches. The list can be extensive. But you either do not have the expertise or the required tools with you.

The very first option is to call your regular electrician, plumber or carpenter for help. But not at all times, you may receive a quick positive response from them or it may be very expensive compared to the nature of the job.

Handyman services are most essential and highly paid service in many countries. There are lot of agencies offering such services in addition to freelancers and individuals. Some offer professional timely services but some turn out to be hopeless.

It is not a difficult thing if you have a little inclination towards it and have the essential tools to carryout a Handyman service.

The very first thing you should do is to observe an expert doing such jobs whenever you get a chance. Next, have an idea about how things work and what is what. Remember, savings is big if you can do it on your own, compared to getting things done by an external agency or an individual.

Time that you save by doing it yourselves is a lot, instead of waiting for the person to arrive, wasting your precious time. I am telling this from my personal experience.

You must have the right tools and awareness about how to use them correctly and efficiently. There are certain things which may not be feasible to setup at home but for most of the simple jobs, you can have the following tools so that you can do on your own. Not all are must in the beginning. Buy only things you feel you will need according to your type of work. You can add tools to your collection at a later stage.

List of tools

1. A Tool Box – Tool Boxes are available for affordable price with different sets of screw drivers, spanners, pliers, knives, hammers etc.
2. Cordless, light duty drill and a heavy duty power drill
3. Electrical Tester (screw driver type) and/or a digital multi-meter
4. Spirit Level (the latest mobile phones do have apps)
5. Light duty handy vacuum cleaner
6. Measuring Tape (5 meters)
7. Wire Stripper and cutter
8. Different types and sizes of Drill Bits (for wood, metal and concrete)
9. Straight Pipe Wrench and Adjustable Wrench
10. Good torch with powerful beam rather than using your mobile torch
11. High grade insulation tapes for electrical jobs
12. Clear/White Teflon tape for plumbing works
13. Brown Masking tape (plastic), White Masking tape and Clear Cello tape
14. Double Sided Adhesive tape
15. Paint Brushes and Rollers of different sizes for painting work
16. Metal Scrapper and Wire Brush for cleaning purpose
17. Cotton waste
18. A bottle of thinner
19. Putty Knife for painting work
20. Sand paper of different grades
21. Metal File (Round and Flat)
22. Hacksaw (with blades for Wood and Metal) or Handsaw
23. Safety Glasses and Safety Gloves
24. Allen Key drivers/Hex Key Wrench Set
25. A sturdy scissor
26. WD40 Spray
27. Fiber Plugs of different sizes
28. Screws and Nails of different types and sizes
29. Rubber, Plastic and Metal Washers of different sizes
30. All purpose Adhesive (like UHU or Superglue)

There are many more to list and varies depending upon your requirement. Jig Saw, Bench Vise, Grinder, Staple Gun, Glue Gun, Crowbar, Chisel set and many others can be added depending upon your requirement and availability of space.

Important

If a Tool Box with tools is not available for purchase at your location, then you can buy tools separately and carry them in a backpack or tool bag. Remember without the right tools, you may be damaging things and instead of saving money and time, you may land up in more difficult situation. You will need both Plus and Minus screw drivers, spanners or different sizes, pliers, hammer (both metal and wooden) for sure.

When selecting tools, take into consideration the type of job that you may do and buy quality, branded tools even if they are slightly expensive. When selecting screw drivers, try to select hard plastic handled screw drivers rather than selecting those with rubber handles/grip as the rubber may decay and become greasy over a period of time, if not used. The pliers must have thick insulating. Otherwise it will be dangerous to work with electrical wiring/jobs.

The drill bits must be good ones and should be protected well so that they do not lose their sharpness. Handle them with care as the smaller ones can be damaged easily. The battery of the cordless drill must be charged fully before starting the work.