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Basement Waterproofing Specialist

Construction Tools

This is an excerpt from the Book called “Tiny House Design & Construction Guide” by Dan Louche. Continue reading to learn more about Construction Tools, thanks to the author.

TOOLS 

Having the right tools for a job is extremely important, as they can save a considerable amount of time and frustration. 

Tools serve two main purposes. First, they make you much more efficient at performing a specific task. For instance, a pneumatic nail gun allows someone to assemble a wall much faster than someone using a hammer, while a hammer allows someone to build a wall faster than someone without one. Second, there are tools designed specifically to hide the fasteners used to assemble cabinets so they look much more professional. 

There are countless tools available that can help you build a house. The problem for builders of tiny houses is that they are usually trying to minimize their belongings, so the prospect of acquiring a bunch of tools is unappealing. Not to mention the expense of obtaining all those tools. The good thing is, you can still build a very high quality house with only a small amount of all the available tools.

Some tools should be owned by every homeowner. But some tools are expensive, large, or would rarely be used, making their purchase harder to justify. While those tools can be rented, other options should be considered because of the length of time it can take to build a tiny house. 

Tools

RENTING 

Tools are often rented at a daily rate between five and ten percent of the cost to purchase new. If you rent a tool for over twenty days, it will cost as much money or more than purchasing.  This pricing makes sense for items that are rarely used or used for a very short time. An example would be a pressure washer used by a homeowner. A pressure washer is expensive. It requires maintenance, and may only be used for one day a year. In this case, paying 10% of its cost to rent it is reasonable. For most tools used for the duration of a construction project, this pricing does not make sense. 

BUYING NEW 

If you purchase tools new for your project, they can often be sold for at least fifty percent of the original cost. In this scenario, the tools can be used longer and would cast only half as much as renting for a short length of time. 

BUYING USED 

If the required tools can be found in relatively good condition, an even better option of to buy them used. A tool that is purchased used and only used for a few months adds littlie additional wear and tear. These tools can be sold for nearly the same price that was originally paid, effectively allowing the use for the tool for free. 

I was able to do this a few years ago with a refrigerator, when in rented an apartment that did not come with one. At that time I had the option to either rent one from the apartment complex for $10 per month ($120/year) or supply my own. After research, I found that a new comparable model cost$200, while a used one between 1 and 2 years old cost about $100. The deprecation airing the first year was significant, but the depreciation during the second year was negligible. I bought a one year old use refrigerator in near perfect condition for $100, then one year later sold it for $100. So paid nothing for the use of the refrigerator and saved $ 120 in rental fees. This same method can be used for tools. 

A good place to look into buying and selling used tolls is Craigslist.Org. Online marketplaces such as eBay are also good for purchasing smaller used tools, where shipping cost would not be prohibitive.

Buying Refurbished

BUYING REFURBISHED 

There are online retailers that are dedicated to selling refurbished tools. I have purchased several refurbished tools and have always had great success with them they have arrived looking and working like they were brand new. When a manufacture refurbishes a tools, they will usually modify the serial number to begin with an ‘R’ or are ‘R’ will be stamped into the casing to easily identify it as refurbished. If you buy any used tools, look for them  markings and use them to negotiate a better price. 

TOOL LIST 

Below is a list of many of the tools that we used and description of how we use them when building tiny housed. 

THE ESSENTIALS 

TAPE MEASURE-A good quality, sturdy 25 foot tape measure is a must. Like many of my hand tools, I try to buy a version that is brightly colored to make it easier to find. I have spent more time care to admit wandering around searching for my tape measure.  

PENCIL– Carpenters have their own pencils for a reason, a thicker lead means less time sharpening and more strength while marking rough lumber. 

CHALK LINE– This is used to mark a straight line over an extended length. It is essentially a string that is covered in chalk. The string is pulled tight before being pulled back and released to strike a surface where a mark is left hebind. This tool is used most frequently while installing the exterior siding and flooring, to make sure everything stays straight. While using this tool, be careful that the chalk does not come in contact with any wood that will be visible when the house is complete. It can be very difficult to remove or cover up. Red chalk is the most difficult to remove, so blue chalk is recommended.

LEVEL– A level is used to verify that various surfaces are level, relative to the ground. 

SQUARES-Squares come in various shapes and sizes. The most commonly used square is called a speed square because of its small size. Squares are used to assist in marking lines and making cuts that are 90 degrees. 

HAMMER-This is one the most commonly used tools. Hammering nails to knocking boards in place, a builder will not get far without one of these. 

SCREWDRIVERS– Screwdrivers are used for miscellaneous tasks throughout the project, particularly while installing the electrical outlets, switches, and plates. 

The Essential Tools

PLIERS-Pliers are not used that often except when installing electrical components. They are, however, an essential tool for any homeowner. 

WIRE CUTTERS&STRIPPERS-Wire cutters are used while installing the electric lines. This is thick wire, so the larger the cutters the better. Strippers remove the sheathing from the electrical wires efficiently. 

UTILITY KNIFE & LADES– A utility knife is used to cut the housewrap, tar paper, and even to score the metal roof panels. Keep lots of blades handy. As they dull quickly. 

STEEL SNIPS– Steel or tin snips are used to cut various metal components, primarily while installing the metal roof. They come in straight cutting, left cutting, and right cutting versions that designate in which direction they can easily cut angles. 

PVC PIPE CUTTER-A pipe cutter is an inexpensive tool that creates quick and clean cuts of PVC and CPVC. A hand or miter saw can also be used as a substitute for this tool but it is not nearly as convenient and will leave behind burs that will leave behind burs that will need to be removed be fire the pipes are attached to any fittings. 

HOLE SAW-A hole saw is a blade that attaches to a conventional drill. This tool is used to make holes in the subfloor for the drainage plumbing, as well as holes in the exterior walls for the bathroom vent and the plumbing exhaust. 

DRILL-A drill is used to drill holes and to drive shorter screws, if the framing of the house is fastened with screws, this tool will get a lot of use when pre-drilling many of the framing boards. 

INPACT DRIVER– Impact drivers are used to drive screws, while this tool may be confused for a drill, it works in a different way to produce a lot more torque than a drill. A standard drill might have a difficult time driving a 3 ½ inch screw without striping it; this tool will do it with ease. 

CIRCULAR SAW– A circular saw is used to cut all of the sheathing and same 2×4’s. Take extra care when using this tool, as with all saws. 

MITER SAW-A miter saw is essential to house framing. Behind the impact driver, it the most commonly used power tool. Almost every single board used in your house, except for the sheathing, will have an edge cut with this saw. While a 10 inch saw will do 95% of the cuts, a 12 inch version with a blade that pivots in both directions is the best option. 

Grinder-A grinder is occasionally used on the metal roofing panels to cut sections where the snips or shears have a hard time reaching. 

Construction Tools
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