With the credit crunch invasion, spending money having things fixed, improved and expanded in the house seems near impossible. Hiring someone to do the work for you costs a fortune, and even when it doesn’t, having to wait around for them to turn up and being available to supervise them while they work so you know you’re getting your money’s worth is a massive inconvenience to those of us who have our own jobs to be doing.

There is a simple solution to this problem. Do it yourself. You might think DIY is just the cause of bodge jobs and nasty accidents, but it’s an excellent way to save money should you plan ahead and ensure you know how to handle the tools you have to hand. We’re talking simple jobs like repairing holes in the walls, putting up shelves, hanging pictures, fixing the cars and reshaping doors and not extending the back bedroom or building a conservatory. Some things should be left to the professionals.

There is, of course, a selection of tools the DIY beginner is always going to need. You can probably buy them in sets and kits, but here is a simple breakdown of the day-to-day tools you might need for the day-to-day jobs. These are known as ‘hand tools’ and can be used by anyone with the appropriate level of dexterity and finesse, otherwise you’re going to be losing thumbs and fingers, bruising limbs or dropping spanners on unsuspecting heads. These are the kinds of tools that get the job done; putting up shelves, putting furniture together, hanging pictures – the screwdriver, hammer, spirit level, chisel, spanner, tape measure, Stanley knife and a hardy pair of pliers. It’s also not as expensive as you might think to pick up a decent kit!

Don’t be fooled. Just buying the tools isn’t enough to make you into a DIY expert. If you haven’t even considered your safety yet, then you have a long way to go. Googles, masks and gloves are imperative additions to your DIY gear, helping to prevent unnecessary injuries and inhalation of dust or chemical fumes. Safety should be priority at all times.

A step up from the hand tools leads you to the power tools. Don’t pretend you know how to use them if you don’t, because the chances are you will end up losing eyes and fingers and maybe even an organ are too if you’re especially uncoordinated and clumsy. Always consider your safety before trying to use these tools.

What makes power tools especially dangerous is the added threat of electricity. A jigsaw isn’t going to stop sawing unless you switch it off – all the yelling in the world isn’t going to achieve that, so it’s best you don’t get anything you value too near to the blade. Power tools don’t suddenly turn you into John McClane. In fact, if you end up losing a limb, you’re going to end up a lot more like peg-leg Captain Barbossa than rugged womaniser Captain Han Solo. On the plus side, so long as you know how to handle them, electric drills, screwdrivers, planes and jigsaws will come in very handy for bigger DIY jobs.

The advanced tools are only for those amongst you who already know how to handle heavy pieces of kit. A hammer to the thumb or pinch from the pliers is nothing compared to the physical harm these pieces of equipment (routers, chopsaws, sanders) can cause if you don’t have the right safety gear and don’t know exactly what you’re doing. Don’t say that you can just figure it out, otherwise you’re going to be figuring out what you’re big toe is doing on the other side of the room. Find someone who knows what they’re doing.

Check-lists are excellent tools on their own for helping you get starting DIYing. If you have a nice, friendly list of everything you need to perform a job, then you know there is nothing you’re going to forget. Saves you the headache from forgetting something vital, doesn’t it?

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