tools – Abigail VanBuren

August 20, 2014

Carbide Bits and Vrious Other Tools

After the Labor Day holiday is all over and done with comes early on the first Monday of September this year, I am going to have to look for some handyman services in order to get some of the issues taken care of around the place that I just don’t have the time or the tools or the experience to tend to. I gave up trying to find the carbide bits that I had just purchased last year and other various tools seem to have taken a hike during the spring and summer season. I get so frustrated with trying to find things around here. One day I will get organized, but I don’t think that will happen any time soon.

If you are a home owner you well know how much time, effort and money it takes to keep the house up and running in so many ways, it just isn’t possible to get it all done on my own so a good quality handyman will come in “handy” for most of my needs that should be taken care of before the cold winter months hit us. Something tells me we are going to have a real long and cold winter this year. A winter that starts early and last forever and a day, raising havoc on the population.

There are a few friends and family members that can and do come over on occasions to lend a hand with some projects but it seems that people are getting busier and busier these days and it isn’t always possible to impose on their time and talents. And now with the holidays and then the cold winter months ahead of us it will be more of a challenge so I’m just going to go ahead and pay a professional and get things moving.

May 25, 2014

Heat

This year I don’t have to guess what to purchase to give to my dad on Father’s Day. I have already found a great website with an awesome selection of Heat Guns, Soldering Irons and Hot Knives to pick from to order for him. Now I just have to decide on which one to actually purchase. Father’s Day is only a few short weeks away so I better hurry up and pick one. I’m sure he would love any of them.

February 1, 2014March 26, 2018

Renovations DIY

When you decide to renovate your home, it is a big decision and there are a lot of ramifications. First you have to decide what part of your home you are going to renovate and measure the dimensions of the rooms, doors and windows. DIY renovations take a bit longer then your typical pro job, so it is usually best to do it in sections if you are doing the entire house. Begin with one end of the house and move through as each project is finished. In this way you are not living with a massive mess and most projects can be finished within a weekend.

Funding your renovation is very important as well. You want to make sure that you have all of the funds you need before you start ordering you supplies. At this point you know what you want, have everything picked out and priced. Allow for a little extra just in case you forgot something. Tools are really important, whether it be hand tools or a good budget calculator online, they are imperative to have. It’s always good to have your credit card to back you up just in case. The best credit cards have rewards for large purchases and you can use those to your advantage.

Everyone knows that places like Home Depot and Lowes are the the place to go for all your DIY needs. They have great programs to teach you how to do the work yourself, with professional results. Any questions you have can be easily answered by the personnel at either location. They are trained well to make sure they have the right answers.

If you are going do a kitchen, a DIY renovation may take a little longer, but don’t get discouraged. If you plan it out right, you can have it done in a short amount of time. You only have to make sure that you have all of your supplies on hand and ready to go. Cabinets, stove, sink, refrigerator etc…all need to be there when you START the job. Having a check list of everything as well as knowing exactly what order you need to do your work is paramount.

Some jobs require permits. If you have the knowledge base and can prove it, you can get the permit yourself, although sometimes a professional is needed. Major electrical, plumbing and additions are a definite permit job. Particularly additions. Because certain electrical and/or plumbing is required for additions, you will need permits. Some you can obtain yourself and some have to be done through a licensed contractor. Your research for whatever job you need done will tell you that. Talk to the local permit office to see what you need.

Enjoy the work. From the designing phase to the actual work. Working with your hands can bring a certain satisfaction unlike no other. When guests come to your home, you can have the added pleasure of telling them that you did the work yourself. Your hard work will pay off.