Friday, December 31, 2010

List: '10 tools every homeowner should have'

Today’s ‘List Friday’. Sticker shock [1]. For years I’ve known about this term. But only recently I heard about its sibling: bill shock [2]. Recently Sweetheart Vivienne and I had two ceiling fans replaced. We haven’t received the electrician’s bill yet. I’m bracing myself for a case of acute bill shock. I hope it doesn’t eventuate. But as you know, I’m a cup-half-empty man [3]. Or at best a realist [4]. Be all this as it may, the fact is that tradesmen are expensive. At least compared with home visits by general practitioners they are. So it pays (pun intended) to do as much home repair and maintenance work as you can (accepting that by law electrical and plumbing work must be done by licensed tradesmen). Over the years, one thing I’ve learned is that it’s important, and efficient, to have the right tools. And so to today’s list. From gizmodo.com, it’s ‘10 tools every homeowner should have’ [5]. There’s nothing exotic or esoteric on this list. How many of the ten do you have? I have all ten. But that’s nothing to skite about, for it’s a pretty basic list. Two final things I’ve learnt from experience: first, when buying tools, buy the best quality ones. (And if you’re pressed for money, good quality used tools are preferable to lesser quality new ones.) And second, only tackle tasks that are within your expertise, i.e. that you feel comfortable doing. Because being outside your comfort zone increases the accident risk.

4 comments:

Kate said...

Recently we attended a fourtieth birthday party party for a recently divorced girl friend of ours. The present was a tool kit containing most of the above. She called the day after the party to thank us, to tell us it was the best prezzy of all and to tell us that she'd used bits of it already.
I do like that picture a lot.
Have a wonderful last day of the year. XXXXX

Chris Burrows said...

We have all those tools too and some....
The laws must be different in Aus or we ignore ours, but we do our own plumbing and electrical and get it checked if necessary by tradesman.
Saves a fortune....but I do still go to the doctor but not before having done research on Dr. Google to get an idea first; I am lucky as most of my docs like that I find out about stuff.

Chris Burrows said...

Just looked at your date , it's already New Years Eve with you, A very happy new year to You Farmdoc to Vivienne and Kate and Meghan (our Teresa was made in Wales too, I wished for her in a Fairy well!)and all the lovely grandchildren you have.

Gav said...

Roscoe - I can proudly say that I have 10/10 in my garage. I have lots of other useful tools so swing past my place next time you are in Melbourne to check it out.

Gav

P.S I have added 3 new items since 1st January 2011 - Power Drill (a second), Tire Pump, Hedge Trimmers (an upgrade). Gotta love Bunnings.