Embarking on a home renovation journey can be an exhilarating yet daunting task. Many believe that a plethora of tools is required to accomplish the job, but is it really necessary to break the bank and sacrifice your entire garage for your tools? In this blog post, we'll explore the 6 tools that will allow you to complete most any project, and we’ll discuss the importance of brand loyalty as I give a review of my own brand-of-choice, DeWalt.
The 6 tools you need in your arsenal
Renovating a house doesn't necessarily mean you need a truckload of tools. I admit, I've spent a lot more than that $1,000 dollars I put in the title of this post, but I've flipped two houses now with a fairly basic set of tools and I’ve learned first-hand that you can get by with just a few tools for the vast majority of home projects.
So, without further ado, here are the 6 tools I recommend for your baseline tool arsenal:
- Drill
- Driver
- Circular Saw
- Sawzall
- Multi-Tool
- Table Saw
But before you drop a wad on Home Depot’s Black Friday sales, lets take a moment to discuss brands and brand loyalty.
CHOOSE Your Brand Wisely
Brand loyalty in the tool world is akin to choosing Apple vs. Android – it's a commitment and it’s kind of an all or nothing proposition. Now, I'm not a DeWalt fanboy or anything, although I do really like their tools from a usability and materials perspective. (And I like the bright yellow!)
The hard part about this whole cordless tool world is that once you choose a brand, you're kind of stuck with it because it's all about the batteries. They're expensive and they're not cross-compatible.
I mostly like DeWalt tools because they're affordable, or at least more affordable than Milwaukee or Festool. Of course, you could go get some Home Depot brand Ryobi tools for even cheaper, but those are too cheap.
If you visited my garage you would notice that my tools aren't necessarily the best that DeWalt has to offer. There's a confusing lineup of consumer versus professional models, but I'm really satisfied with the mix that I have. If you're like me and just work occasionally on houses, tile your shower surround, build a shed, or hang a shelf, then I recommend getting the best you can of the drill/driver combo and then just do the best you can with everything else. The drill/driver is the holy grail. It’s the tool I use the most often and the most heavily. I've had my DeWalt drill and driver for about 13 years now and it hasn't let me down once.
There's probably only a few brands that you might be considering when thinking about power tools, and that's because it's what they stock at Home Depot: DeWalt, Makita, Milwaukee, Ryobi. There's plenty of other brands at specialty stores or on Amazon, but the brands I just listed are going to have the biggest selection and the best customer support.
Here's my attempt to map these power tools on the cost versus power curve. Start with Ryobi on the bottom left: Low power, low cost. Makita is in the middle, pretty decent. And then up towards the top right you're approaching the diminishing returns with Festool. But then I think DeWalt sits squarely in the middle, which is why I love it.
In the world of home renovation, the key is not to be overwhelmed by the abundance of tools but to make informed choices based on your needs and budget. Whether you're a seasoned DIYer or just starting, the journey involves gradual collection, strategic organization, and brand loyalty. The goal is to make home renovation not just a task but an enjoyable and cost-effective endeavor. So, before you dive into your next project, carefully curate your tool arsenal and build a workspace that inspires creativity and efficiency. Happy renovating!
