We recently bought our own home, which needs lots of TLC work done, I am on a very tight budget and need to know where the lowest but quality tools and supplies can be purchased. Please help!
I hope to make this into a Master Bathroom. It needs the walls redone as they did not remove siding nor did they use proper drywall for a bathroom, and it is damaged anyway. I need a way to cut drywall and studs. And I need fixtures ..
photo taken before we bought the home. This room was for storage, I want to use for guests and my grandkids. At one time this was part of a porch.
This is with the shelves removed. I need to redo the walls as they are very crooked and have holes & they did not remove the siding, hence the curtains covering the walls. Plus it needs insulation and carpet.
If you have a Habitat ReStore near you try that for materials. HoDe and I think L's rent tools. Check the cost of time needed against buying first though. Good luck! I'm sure others will have more ideas for you.
thank you becky...the nearest Habitat store is 2 to 2 1/2 hours away and we do not have a truck...I wish it was closer! I will check into renting. I have bought a B&D drill, but need a saw. Any ideas on which would be best for cutting drywall and studs 2x4's or whatever else I might need to cut?
When you take on home ownership for the first time, it is daunting to learn that you need so much just to fix up. The secret is to start simple and build on what you have. You have to be patient and it will pay off. Do not buy cheap tools as they will not stay the course and you will continue to pour more and more money into them. You do not have to have everything at once so shop around and buy good brand name tools!
If I remember correctly one scores drywall and then it pretty much breaks from there. I'll ask my hubby tonight and see what he'd recommend. We've a woodwork shop in our basement so I'm used to big power cutting tools. He'd know what else could work. They'd take some muscle though. If you have allot of cutting to do I'd recommend checking into purchasing a small table saw or chop/miter saw though. They'll pay for themselves before long in how much time they save you. HoDe and L's will cut wood for you. Not sure how much at a time, but just make sure they allow for the width of the blade when measuring.
I've added a video I found on You Tube of how to cut drywall. It's very easy. The Drywall T square that is mentioned in the video is about twelve dollars at either of the big box home improvement stores. http://www.homedepot.com/Tools-Hardware-Hand-Tools-Marking-Layout-Tools/h_d1/N-5yc1vZ1xk4Zaqkg/R-202035306/h_d2/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&storeId=10051
Great video, Becky. That's exactly how I learned to cut drywall. If you are starting with a lot of drywall work, a T-square and utility knife will go a long way, as this video suggests. Also, a drywall saw will be your best bet for cutting around outlets and such. Something like this costs about $10 and should be very helpful:
http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-100197067/h_d2/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10053
As far as the bigger, more expensive tools, try Craigslist or Freecycle. I just bought a like-new reel mower for about a third of the list price from a Craigslist listing. Also check pawn shops. In all those cases, test the tools before you close the transaction, and be really careful at pawn shops. On the other hand, the upshot of the pawn shop is you might be able to at least partly pay for things by trading in old stuff you don't need anymore.
Have you tried looking on Craig's List in your area under Materials? Sometimes you can find really discounted material that are extra from a job where they had to much. Also, think about alternative materials to use on the walls like 4 x 8 sheets of wainscoting.
( looks like a sheet of paneling only prettier) Go to a local lumber yard and tell them how much you need and could you barter your labor around the lumber yard in exchange for the materials. My brother was a builder in another life but still has the skills. He needed a new septic system put in and the owner of the septic Co. needed a new roof. My brother got a new system and the Co owner got a new roof with no cash exchanged . Also, you can rent trucks from Home Depot & Lowe's for the day or a couple of hours-whatever your needs are. Good luck,
If there is a Freecycle group in your area, you can post what you want, and if anyone has some to give away, they will email and you can go pick it up.
Do you have Dial 211 in your area? We have it here and it is a resource center. I don't know your circumstances but it would be worth checking. Here we have programs where building supplies and can be free or deeply discounted based on income, etc.
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Your comment...
If you have a Habitat ReStore near you try that for materials. HoDe and I think L's rent tools. Check the cost of time needed against buying first though. Good luck! I'm sure others will have more ideas for you.
thank you becky...the nearest Habitat store is 2 to 2 1/2 hours away and we do not have a truck...I wish it was closer! I will check into renting. I have bought a B&D drill, but need a saw. Any ideas on which would be best for cutting drywall and studs 2x4's or whatever else I might need to cut?
When you take on home ownership for the first time, it is daunting to learn that you need so much just to fix up. The secret is to start simple and build on what you have. You have to be patient and it will pay off. Do not buy cheap tools as they will not stay the course and you will continue to pour more and more money into them. You do not have to have everything at once so shop around and buy good brand name tools!
If I remember correctly one scores drywall and then it pretty much breaks from there. I'll ask my hubby tonight and see what he'd recommend. We've a woodwork shop in our basement so I'm used to big power cutting tools. He'd know what else could work. They'd take some muscle though. If you have allot of cutting to do I'd recommend checking into purchasing a small table saw or chop/miter saw though. They'll pay for themselves before long in how much time they save you. HoDe and L's will cut wood for you. Not sure how much at a time, but just make sure they allow for the width of the blade when measuring. I've added a video I found on You Tube of how to cut drywall. It's very easy. The Drywall T square that is mentioned in the video is about twelve dollars at either of the big box home improvement stores. http://www.homedepot.com/Tools-Hardware-Hand-Tools-Marking-Layout-Tools/h_d1/N-5yc1vZ1xk4Zaqkg/R-202035306/h_d2/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&storeId=10051
Great video, Becky. That's exactly how I learned to cut drywall. If you are starting with a lot of drywall work, a T-square and utility knife will go a long way, as this video suggests. Also, a drywall saw will be your best bet for cutting around outlets and such. Something like this costs about $10 and should be very helpful: http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-100197067/h_d2/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10053 As far as the bigger, more expensive tools, try Craigslist or Freecycle. I just bought a like-new reel mower for about a third of the list price from a Craigslist listing. Also check pawn shops. In all those cases, test the tools before you close the transaction, and be really careful at pawn shops. On the other hand, the upshot of the pawn shop is you might be able to at least partly pay for things by trading in old stuff you don't need anymore.
Thanks Steve. I'm glad you mentioned the drywall saw. I thought of that and forgot to add it. Good point about CL too. I've never tried pawn shops.
Have you tried looking on Craig's List in your area under Materials? Sometimes you can find really discounted material that are extra from a job where they had to much. Also, think about alternative materials to use on the walls like 4 x 8 sheets of wainscoting. ( looks like a sheet of paneling only prettier) Go to a local lumber yard and tell them how much you need and could you barter your labor around the lumber yard in exchange for the materials. My brother was a builder in another life but still has the skills. He needed a new septic system put in and the owner of the septic Co. needed a new roof. My brother got a new system and the Co owner got a new roof with no cash exchanged . Also, you can rent trucks from Home Depot & Lowe's for the day or a couple of hours-whatever your needs are. Good luck,
If there is a Freecycle group in your area, you can post what you want, and if anyone has some to give away, they will email and you can go pick it up.
Try Northern Tools .com for tools on line if there isn't one near you.
Do you have Dial 211 in your area? We have it here and it is a resource center. I don't know your circumstances but it would be worth checking. Here we have programs where building supplies and can be free or deeply discounted based on income, etc.
Estate sales. I see tons of tools hand but also power tools. This is where I buy all my tools, paint and projects. Check out Estatesales.com
Sorry it is EstateSales.net