Essential Tools

Our list of 12 must have tools for renovation projects are simple tools we consider to be essential. These would just be our starter list. Therefore this collection of 12 must have tools for renovation projects does not mean that’s all the tools we use. Far from it! Since we have a few years under our belts, we have amassed quite a collection of renovation tools.

About half of these renovation tools could be considered relatively inexpensive while the other half require a bit of an investment. But not to worry, this investment will pay you back many times their cost in what you can accomplish with them.

You may have heard the old adage ‘ clothes make the man’ . Hard to say if that statement bears any weight, but when it comes to renovation tools, experience has taught us that they truly make a significant difference in what can get done as well as the quality of work when crafted with the right tool.

I remember the first time I bought new golf clubs after playing for years with hand-me-downs. The new irons made a dramatic difference! They bit into the ball and enabled me to get real back spin on the greens consistently rather than occasionally. Because of the action of those clubs, the golfing experience was greatly improved. I’ve had the same experience with renovation tools.
On our projects I have a pretty tight fist when it comes to laying out cash. My brother, on the other hand, usually leans toward spending extra for quality. Because of his influence, I must say that over the years he has won me offer to that mentality when it comes to tool purchases.

Tool Purchase Planning

You can always find cheap tools. But it is important to gauge how long you plan to use a certain tool. Use it once or twice on a project, like a demo hammer, then rent it rather than tie up lots of cash. On our first project as a business we bought a couple of $20 reciprocating saws. We didn’t know if the whole renovation / flipping house experiment would work, so we opted for throw away tools. Ultimately, years later, we are still in the game and our choices about renovation tools are for the long haul!

Therefore, the more serious you become, the more you’ll want to expand your tool holdings and invest in tools that will help your efficiency and quality of work.

But just for starters, take a look at our list of 11 must have tools for renovation projects:

12 must have renovation tools

more inexpensive tools:

• 1). hammer

  

Specifically a Stanley – antivibe. Comfy hammer and very durable. They are both our personal hammers for home as well as the go to hammer for all of our projects. Super durable and perfectly weighted for use all day long.

• 2) EZ bar / prybar

This tool pulls nails, prys off molding and trim and separates boards nailed together. The EZ-bar / pry bar gives huge results and all the better costs little!

• 3) tape measure – 25 feet

This tools needs little introduction or explanation except to say that this exact model locks as you pull it out and retracts when you press the button ( opposite a lot of cheaper tape measures ) – a very smart feature.

• 4) fluke tester – wires

This tester is a must have to tell if wires, switches, and outlets are hot. Especially when demoing, wires can be dangling from all kinds of places. This is just must-have safety gear.

B. Tool that are a bit more expensive:

• 5) drill

The drill pictured is our Dewalt cordless 20-volt. The original battery lasts well and provides ample power for drill work of every type except 3/4 inch or 1 inch holes. If you have a bunch of larger holes to drill, then there is nothing quite like a mid-range corded electric drill.

Honestly, a corded drill is plenty for any renovation project. We have just become a little spoiled not having to drag a cord around all day. It’s a judgement call but either way will work!

• 6) circular saw

Quality matters! This is one tool that makes all the difference in stepping up on quality. You feel it when you pull it off the shelf. This tools get a lot of punishment.

I’ve owned cheap circular saws in the past. Never again. I had one that didn’t last a week. Seriously!

The one pictured is a Kobalt. I love how it feels and performs. A beast for sure and worth every penny. Might be heavier than the cheap plastic ones, but well built. That’s where the extra money goes!

• 7) sawzall

Our first 3 corded reciprocating saws didn’t cost in total what this Dewalt cordless did. But like I said above, those early ‘disposable’ saws served a purpose as we got started.

The cordless Dewalt is a gem. Perfect for cutting out door jams or windows or used for overhead cuts when a circular saw is just too heavy or dangerous. Because of this, it’s definately a time saver on demo work.

• 8) multi-tool

This little tool is awesome. Makes cuts other saws can’t and quickly. We bought this Dewalt after the blade release mechanism jammed on our Dremel multi-max. The Dremel worked well … till it jammed.

The Dewalt multi-tool has a better blade release design, cuts better and its cordless!

On the face of things, this tool may seem like a bit of a luxury. But after you own one, you’ll wonder how you ever got things done without it!

• 9) chop saw

We used a donated one for a long time. Finally sprang for a new one. WHAT a phenomenal difference. This is our most expensive tool on this list and like the others, worth every penny.

This tool is well designed and a time saver for repeated accurate cuts. Great for floors and molding and anywhere else where precision matters.

• 10) box cutter

A super inexpensive tool that has too many uses to count. Can’t be beat when comparing amount of work done per pound of tool! Must have for drywall work of any kind.

• 11) level

My favorite level happens to be our 6 footer. But this simple aluminum 2 foot level does the same job. No need to break the bank here. But a must have tool.

• 12) youtube

The younger generations would see this as s no brainer, but YouTube tutorials and how-to’s make the house renovation world go around! From owners manuals to installation instructions to how-to videos, this internet behemoth remains permanently at the ready on our phones.  The answer resides only a couple of keystrokes away!