home help

[mayu]

I'm not sure if this is the place to put this, but its about needing help and advice, so well if its not i'm sure it will be moved

My partner or ex partner should i say is moving out in a couple of weeks and although the thought of being on my own does not scare me, i need some practical advice on what to prepare for, you know all the things you rely on them for little things you dont notice, like when the fuse goes i wouldnt have a clue what to do in that situation, so i'm really asking for some help in thinking of these things, just in case i have missed anything and i dont want to be stuck in the dark with no light bulb8O

[forestrangergrrl]

get a cheapy little 'tool kit'. one that has needle nose pliers and some screw drivers, those come in handy quite a bit. duct tape is great too for quick fixes until you can get someone to come over to do an actual fixit job. maybe get a basic do-it-yourself handbook for minor problems around the house (like a toilet that won't stop running, how to change a fuse, etc.). that way, unless it's major, you don't have to call someone in to help. most of this stuff you can find for fairly inexpensive at a home depot/lowes type of a place.
good luck hon!

[mayu]

get a cheapy little 'tool kit'. one that has needle nose pliers and some screw drivers, those come in handy quite a bit. duct tape is great too for quick fixes until you can get someone to come over to do an actual fixit job. maybe get a basic do-it-yourself handbook for minor problems around the house (like a toilet that won't stop running, how to change a fuse, etc.). that way, unless it's major, you don't have to call someone in to help. most of this stuff you can find for fairly inexpensive at a home depot/lowes type of a place.
good luck hon!


Thanks for that, will do the things you sugested.:hahugh:

[Zoritsa_Nepenthe]

The library is great for do-it-yourself books if you can't figure something out on your own.Also,a small local hardware store(think ma and pop place) may be able to help if something unexpected comes up and you need a repair quickly(I was allowed to borrow tools once from an Ace Hardware because I was working on a project and came upon something unexpected...and very little money.They were awesome people).

Depending on where you are,make sure you know where all the shut off valves are for water and gas...and where the fuse box is.If a pipe should break or something happen,you then at least know where to shut it off at to prevent further damage.

[materra]

Go online for quick and accurate repair information and advice. There are sites for every problem. You can buy a handyman's kit or see what one contains and price the individual pieces to see what would be more affordable. Duct Tape rules for emergency fixes. If you have any friend that is handy have them show you the fuse/electrical box and explain what to do. Oh, and keep a flashlight in your bedroom and in a place you know you can get to in the dark ( Kitchen cupboard or such) if there is an outage for any reason.

Ace Hardware, Lowes and Home Depot all will give information but I find Ace folks more helpful in the long run.

Best wishes to you...and no house repair disaster Juju. :)

[Shanti]

Fuse boxes are not easy to explain on a forum. There are fuse boxes and circuit breaker boxes.
Homes are sectioned off in those boxes so different areas have a different shut off and then you have a main, one in the box inside the house and another outside cutting off juice to everything including the box inside.

If you can have a friend look at what you have and tell you how it works. (A friend that knows enough to show what shuts off what and how to turn a breaker back on or to change a fuse) :)

[Shanti]

A little info.

If you get some good DIY books that are easy to understand and thorough, you really can make many repairs yourself.

I have re-wired my entire house and re-did all the plumbing totally by myself yrs ago.
All you need besides the internet for DIY forums and books, a permit from the building inspector and have your work inspected. (thats not for all re-doings, you have to check with your local housing authorities)

Repairs can be done too without any fuss. Good books and basic tool knowledge, like how to use a drill and hammer, is all you really need to begin to self teach/learn.

So if the drain under your sink drips when you use your sink, dont panic, dont call a high paid plumber. Grab a DIY book, or go online to a DIY forum and for a few bucks you can have that leak fixed, all by yourself.

Heck, hair often the culprit in backed up sinks. If you have a book you can look up how to remove the trap under your sink to clean it out. If you have old plumbing under there the books can tell you how to remove and replace it with up to date, easy to maintain plumbing.

A sink runs slow because its not vented well? DIY books and the net can tell you how to put in a better venting system.

Have a bad outlet in your wall, thats an easy and cheap replacement.
So is a bad light switch.

(for fixing more than switches and outlets in your house, I do suggest you study a little on electrical systems and how they work. You really need to know about current and line gauges, etc, before doing bigger electrical. You dont want to mess up 220 and 110 or not properly ground or use the wrong wire for the job.)

Just make sure any books have lots of detailed pictures!!! :)

Oh and even walls and flooring and ceilings and roofing can be DIY.
Heck my girlfriend is a professional roofer, self taught. :)

People can self teach to maintain their own cars too. Car books are sold at car parts stores for every make and model.
There isnt any reason, if you can read, to take your car in for such simple things as a tune up or oil change.

Save a lot of money and be more efficient too, self teach. :)

[demonique]

Heck my girlfriend is a professional roofer, self taught. :)


That is totally awesome.

That said, everyone else has great advice. Definitely learn how to work your breaker box. Definitely have a toolkit on hand for the little stuff. A power screwdriver is my own personal best friend. The internet is also my best friend. A large assortment of screws and nails of various sizes is good to have on hand - never know what you might need to hang up/fix/put together. If you've got a washing machine, find out where the water shut offs are. Take it from someone who unfortunately had to wait for help to arrive during a pipe leak that flooded my entire utility room in the middle of the night... while my usual handman, my father, was out of the state for a week. Hahahaha.

[willa]

Add a plunger to you kit.
Water & gas usually require a special tool to shut off at the meter in the case of an emergency. So make sure you have the tools on hand & know how to use them. It will make a big difference if you have a pipe burst.
As other have said, there are so many things that you can do yourself & will be amazed at how easy they are. After my divorce, I had to learn diy projects because I could bearly afford the parts much less pay someone a ridiculous price for labor. I can now install & repair most appliances, install vinyl flooring & ceramic tile, do most basic electrical stuff, & plumbing is ridiculously easy. In my last house, I completely remodeled both baths & the kitchen, tearing the rooms down to the studs & did most of the work myself. Replaced all the light fixtures & ceiling fans, re-wired the phones. It's a great feeling of accomplishment if you ever take on such ambitous projects. Just add about 20% to costs & double the estimated time. By doing so, it'll ease the frustrations since something always happens that adds to the cost & time. If it doesn't, then you're really happy because it took less time then you planned. And, remember the old rule, measure twice, cut once.