If you own or are in charge of a house, there will inevitably be maintenance and improvement jobs that crop up every now and again. There are endless solutions and ideas online to both maintain and improve your living space, but very few mention home improvement tools you actually need to do the job at hand, or they reel off a list of niche tools that most people don’t have – especially new homeowners. 

When it comes to moving out, appliances and furnishings tend to come above toolkits, and for good reason. That being said, you do need to have some tools in your repertoire in order to ensure you can keep on top of basic maintenance tasks that will surely arise. You don’t need to go ham and buy every tool in the hardware store, though. Standard Electric is the right place to find these essential tools. Here are the basic home improvement tools you need in your collection. 

Wood Saw

Wood Saw

First and foremost is a wood saw. If you’re going to be making or sawing anything in your home, there’s a good chance it’ll be made out of wood. Whether it’s resizing a new blind, chopping up DIY paneling, replacing a rotten skirting board, or installing a new stairs banister, you will need a wooden saw to cut through the material. 

You’ll need to make sure you buy the right type of blade for your wood saw, and it doesn’t hurt to have one or two behind you in case your blade snaps or gets dull without you realizing it. With a wood saw in your tool arsenal, there’s almost no household improvement or maintenance job you can’t do. 

Electric Drill

In a similar manner, an electric drill is a necessary tool for most maintenance and improvement jobs. From hanging pictures and putting shelves up to repairing gutters and fixing broken door hinges, drills are an essential fact of any homeowner’s toolkit. 

Electric Screwdriver

Electric Screwdriver

There’s nothing wrong with normal screwdrivers, but why make your life harder? Keeping on top of a home is already hard enough, without the added effort of manually screwing things together.

It can be hard on the hands, especially if you’ve got a big job to do. We’d recommend buying a basic electric screwdriver kit that has multiple attachments. This means you’ll never again huff in frustration at needing a cross screwdriver and only having a flat one to hand! 

Claw Hammer 

Claw Hammer 

Everyone needs a hammer, and a claw hammer is an elite choice. On one end you have a capable head to knock nails and stick-out items into place, and on the other side, you have a handy claw that can use to pull existing nails out. 

Spirit Level 

If you’re going to be hanging a picture, putting up paneling, or installing a new shelf, you need a spirit level (unless the wonky look is what you’re going for). This will ensure everything you hang is perfectly straight and in line. 

Nail Gun

Nail Gun

Finally, we recommend investing in a nail gun. A hammer is still an essential piece of your tool kit, but it’s not always necessary. If you’re putting things together or nailing basic items (not including frames or shelves), a nail gun is perfect for the job. It takes all the effort out of nailing and produces high-quality results. Remember, nail guns aren’t just for school classroom displays! 

Summary 

Alongside your essential basic tools, we’d recommend you get a collection of spanners, nuts and bolts, nails, screws, a tape measure, and some super glue. This way, you’ll be equipped to deal with whatever life throws at you in the way of home maintenance and improvement, so now you can scroll mood boards and note down potential projects knowing you have everything you need to get going.

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