NFT: Your advice to people after they've bought their first home.

Great timing for this thread for me!

And remember, when something goes wrong, just chill. The house won't fall down and you will get the thing fixed. Make it better than it was before.

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With those things you can pick up nails, broken glass and thorns and stay protected.

with bitch mittens and you don't have to spend money on gloves to pick up nails.

In comment 11636432 Cam in MO said:

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Quote: With those things you can pick up nails, broken glass and thorns and stay protected. with bitch mittens and you don't have to spend money on gloves to pick up nails.

Humor? No
Helpful? No.

A Cam contribution!

and my first order of business is life insurance

when it comes to household repairs.

Always check the interwebz first before calling someone. Many repairs are very easy and even some of the more complicated stuff is doable if you put your mind to it.

Don't be afraid to make mistakes with repairs. The worst that will happen is you will have to call someone else to fix it and you will have at least learned what not to do should you attempt it again.

Your wife is immediately going to have 78 different things she wants to do to the house, all of which involve stroking checks. It's your job to slow down the madness. If you're like most people, buying the house left you basically cash-poor, because of the stuff you HAVE to pay. It's 100% that something on your house is going to fall apart in the first year, and you'll HAVE to fix that. But if you can keep your wife from blackmailing you into removating the guest bathroom ("Oh, honey, how about this imported Italian tile?") for a year or two, you MIGHT have the cash to handle it when the fucking heat pump dies. Never say no; just say, "I'll consider that in a year. Not until then."

What kind of fool can't pick up nails without getting a boo boo?

I spent most of my life as the unhandiest guy ever, but you can find exhaustively in-depth tutorials online to virtually any household repair, and as such I've been able to fix many things I would have paid someone else to do before.

you've never gutted a house. And I really don't care?

In comment 11636454 Randy in CT said:

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you've never gutted a house. And I really don't care?

So you're thinking folks will be gutting their house right after they buy it?

In comment 11636436 Randy in CT said:

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In comment 11636432 Cam in MO said: Quote: Quote: With those things you can pick up nails, broken glass and thorns and stay protected. with bitch mittens and you don't have to spend money on gloves to pick up nails. Humor? No Helpful? No. A Cam contribution!

Yup, nailed it.

The shop vac is also a great suggestion. And absolutely get the biggest one. Unexpected water leaks are...unexpected.


A decent socket set is worth having. As well as a good cordless drill.

Is to get a home warranty asap. It costs 500-600 bucks a year, depending on what you want to cover. You'll be glad you did, trust me. Especially on older homes.

since I bought my house 7 years ago:

Never buy the cheapest option in home depot or lowes on something you're going to rely on.

demand excellence in the guys you hire. their are plenty of guys to do work. dont settle. be polite but demanding.
i have several regrets already on things i have done.
Also, know ahead of time how long you plan on staying there. I am in for the long haul in my house (2yrs so far but plan on 30yrs)- because of that i dont panic about "how much i will get back" for every project i do. If i were in a starter that i want to get out of as kids get older and grow, then i would be more selective.
Lastly- dont argue with your wife. you are always wrong

When you have to shut something important off (or on) quickly) its good to know where to go.

Make an emergency plan in case of fire and create a supply kit in case you are without power for some length of time.

Schedule reminders to test and change batteries on your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

Forget the computer for a few minutes and go out and meet your new neighbors! You never know when you might need one of them to do you a favor, like pick up nails and stuff.

In comment 11636503 SwirlingEddie said:

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Forget the computer for a few minutes and go out and meet your new neighbors! You never know when you might need one of them to do you a favor, like pick up nails and stuff.

Make a special point to befriend the neighbor who appears to have every power tools imaginable.

from you should budget or at least expect significant expenses at Lowe's, Home Depot, or Ace Hardware.

you might not have tools, power tools, yard tools (rakes - multiple kinds, shovels - multiple kinds, edgers, gardening stuff, etc.) , etc.

and other home supplies, trash cans, mail box, etc.

these add up to hundreds or thousands of possibly unexpected expenses.

and I hate borrowing stuff (if you don't do as suggested and buddy up with a neighbor who has it all)

learn how to fix things yourself and take your time. You'll save money and get a feeling of accomplishment. Plus you'll have a skill you can use for the rest of your life.

If you do need to hire a contractor, get 10 estimates.

you forgot something.

buy a shit ton of tools and accessories.

Nothing worse than needing a tool in the middle of a job and realizing you don't have it...
well, there is something worse...realizing it's 9 PM and all the stores around you are closed for the evening.

and just buy the Weber

In comment 11636485 OC said:

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Is to get a home warranty asap. It costs 500-600 bucks a year, depending on what you want to cover. You'll be glad you did, trust me. Especially on older homes.

YES. When buying things like mowers or chainsaws, buy a good brand. If not you will be using it for a year or two and then buying another anyway.

In comment 11636522 Knineteen said:

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If you do need to hire a contractor, get 10 estimates.

Local contractors must love you.

In comment 11636528 Peter in Atlanta said:

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you forgot something.

And with that $300+ dollars usually means if you use their card, they will break down the charges into 6, 12 or 18 month same as cash options. PAY IT OFF IN TIME.

Don't fuck it up?

In comment 11636535 dorgan said:

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In comment 11636522 Knineteen said: Quote: If you do need to hire a contractor, get 10 estimates. Local contractors must love you.

Uh, yeah, what dorgan's getting at is:
a) what a monumental waste of time it is to you and the contractors whom you aren't going to use and
b) A typical due diligence is 3 estimates. Don't always go for the low-ball. Get a feel for the people you are talking to and then research them.

I remember doing the back-of-the-envelope math on a home warranty and concluding that it wasn't even close to being cost-justified. My conclusion was that, as the type of person who always keeps a few grand in liquid savings to deal with potential emergencies, it's far better to just self-insure.

In comment 11636463 Cam in MO said:

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In comment 11636454 Randy in CT said: Quote: you've never gutted a house. And I really don't care? So you're thinking folks will be gutting their house right after they buy it?

We're really doing this over gloves which happen to be really good work gloves at a great price?

have a savings account that you use for home repairs only. Sock a certain amount of money into it monthly as if it were a bill.

You'd be surprised how often your house surprises you with sudden expenses that are quite costly.

When it comes to tools do your research and buy the best(even if they cost more)tools are an investment.

Take it easy...you don't have to do everything at once. Make lists and prioritize.

Never, ever, ever, get your waddle in a knot. Getting frustrated or angry won't make anything better. If it gets out of control, secure for the day and have a beer.

but also have a credit card handy, if it can be used, you stay liquid. Then pay off said bill.

And make sure the wife knows.

Get to know your local tool rental place. Yes you need the basics, but don't spend a bunch of money on certain things that you'll rarely need again.

Don't fuck with electrical shit until someone you know can show you how its done. Same with plumbing..

Schedule your projects and don't start another until you finish one.


Most importantly, get a garage fridge and keep it well stocked with beer.

and dread this in the next few months.

buying? Sweet!

shop vac is a good idea for an early purchase.
Cordless drill as well. A decent saw, a couple sets of channel locks, some adjustable clamps, assortment of screwdrivers, combination wrench set (probably two sets), socket set, basin wrench, wonder bar by Stanley and a couple of hammers will get you started.

It's amazing how much you accumulate over the years.

forgot the duct tape. Gotta have duct tape.

house?

Searching now.

Table saw can be rented.

In comment 11636594 kickerpa16 said:

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Searching now.

Excellent. Whatever advice you need, just ask. Be glad to help.

interested in this

set after buying my first house and used it monthly for various things.

I just ditched it after 12 years because the batteries wouldn't keep a charge and I upgraded to another brand.

tons of brands and options, but this set will be valuable.

drill driver, sawzall, circular saw and flash light. some like ryobi, some like milwaukee, some like Bosch, Dewalt, Black and Decker, whatever, just invest in a cordless set like this.

battery invented.

...by far the most durable, reliable tools we rented were Bosch.

In comment 11636578 dorgan said:

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shop vac is a good idea for an early purchase. Cordless drill as well. A decent saw, a couple sets of channel locks, some adjustable clamps, assortment of screwdrivers, combination wrench set (probably two sets), socket set, basin wrench, wonder bar by Stanley and a couple of hammers will get you started. It's amazing how much you accumulate over the years.

You can get over half of that stuff in any decent rape kit.

from Amazon (based on customer reviews) as I need them for a project. The biggest things when I first moved in were the lawn care things, bc i didn't have any of that coming from an apartment. Mower, edger, garbage cans, rakes, shovels, clippers, etc, it all adds up , and if you are buying in the summer you have to get unless you want a shitty looking house right away.

get the edger attachment as well. You won't regret it. A good shovel is also a smart investment.

In comment 11636625 Greg from LI said:

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...by far the most durable, reliable tools we rented were Bosch.

I upgraded to a Bosch set (without the circular saw) when I replaced the Ryobi because I had some contractors here doing work and that's what they used and recommended them, but I'm far from expert so I didn't want to make a recommendation.

And I feel like I got my money's worth from the Ryobi so I didn't want to bad mouth them.

but I agree with you Greg, from what I've read.