How to learn basic electrical, plumbing, carpentry for DIY use in my home?

Please, serious answers only. I’d love to hear from professionals in these fields – and not sarcastic year olds giving advice. 🙂

I DO NOT want a career in any of these fields – I have a successful career as a marketing executive. However, as a single fearless woman who just bought her second house, I want to enhance my limited DIY skills so that I can tackle more projects myself (saving money and gaining satisfaction of doing it myself!)

Again, I work full time and am NOT looking for a career or to be licensed, so I dont have the flexibility or time to do apprenticeships, journeymen positions, or working in the trade (unless this is the only wait to gain the experience I am looking for).

So, is trail and error the only way? Is book learning and trying things hands on in my home enough?

Thanks for any good advice. And any advice for the must have tools in each area would be great, as well.

Thanks!

Update:

Wow…great answers…thanks guys! I’ll look for some geneal books, use the wealth of the internet, and use good old trial and error. The idea of night classes is a great idea as well… Thanks again!

Jules

✅ Answers

? Favorite Answer

Ah, well, I’m not a licensed trade but did spend quite a few years using tools at work. I’m a single (fairly) fearless woman too and I do most of my own home maintenance/repair/building. I learned by trial and error, by asking questions from anyone who knew more than I did, by reading. These days you can learn a lot on the net and occasionally by watching home improvement shows but most of them are all sizzle and no steak when it comes to know-how. People even post how-to videos on youtube, along with some how-not-to stuff. Home improvement stores often run Saturday and evening seminars, and schools and rec centres have classes(full of men, too, if you’re looking, though sadly you’ll find many of them are married but maybe they have single brothers, or maybe you can make some work buddies out of them)

What you do is start simple. Do things it’s hard to screw up and work up to more complicated stuff. Always consider the worst case scenario before trying something. You don’t want to do something that you’ll have to call in a pro to fix later. Tackle things as they come up. Learn what you can about how things around your house are set up or how they work. I often found that just sitting and looking at things and trying to imagine how they were done or how they work was a big help. Simple observation can tell you a lot if you use your head. Learn basic safety precautions and get the right tools to check for live wires so you don’t electrocute yourself or flood the house. Never start something like replacing a faucet late in the day. Start in the morning so you have time to go back to the store twice for tools and parts. If you can find a way to visit a house construction site, do so, to learn what’s behind your walls and how pipes and wires are installed. Offer to help friends and neighbours, especially ones with more experience than you. Know what your limitations are and when calling in a pro is the better choice. Read every single page of instructions that come with power tools or get a demo from someone who has used them. There are a few that could send you to the hospital very easily. Map out a job before you start, make lists and go through the steps mentally.

As for tools, you can purchase tools almost endlessly and always find there’s one more you could use. It’s really best to buy things as you need them for the job you’re about to do, and before you know it you’ll have more than you ever dreamed. As for basic tools, the ones I wouldn’t want to be without? Here’s a basic list off the top of my head.

Cordless screw gun, at least v, larger if it’s comfortable in your hand, medium quality

Corded drill, cheap is fine.

Hand screwdriver, PicQuic is a very good choice, comes with six screwdriver bits in the handle

Box of wood drill bits, buy other wood drilling accessories and metal bits as needed

Sidecutters

Wire strippers

Linesman pliers

Socket set, metric and imperial, buy one of those “has everything” kits.

Needlenose pliers, straight and bent nose

Utility knife with extra blades. Olfa is a good make but cheap ones are okay too. LLB blades really last and are very sharp

Vice grips, curved and straight jaws.

Scissors

Hammer. Choice is endless, basic framing hammer is fine for general purpose

Cat’s paw for removing nails

Level. foot ones are indispensable at times, smaller ones have their place

Crescent wrenches, inch, you very often need at the same time so buy

Pipe wrench, the self-adjusting kind with a floppy head.

Hand saws. Swede saw for rough cuts, crosscut saw for finer cuts. A reciprocating saw(power) is very useful sometimes too. A right angle thing to set up straight cuts with a handsaw, there are a number of types available

Stepladder Buy a good one, fiberglass, they’re worth it. Six step is best unless you have very tall ceilings.

Jigsaw

A really good headlamp, so you can see while working under a sink

Toolboxes, so you can find stuff when you need it.

Like I said, that’s very basic. My tools now would fill my van.

It can be very rewarding to do your own stuff. I still remember the good feeling I had the first time, years or so ago, that a project went off the way I planned with no snags, though there will be times when you’ll be tempted to use the hammer on your own head. Patience goes a long way here.

Source(s): woodworking Projects Here : http://woodworkingplans.siopu.com/?fhy

I just came across a site with over , downloadable woodworking plans at:

http://tinyurl.com/WoodWorkingTedPlans

Here is an honest review

If you want to start a woodworking project, you need all the necessary information, including schematics, blueprints, materials lists, dimensions etc. That is where TedsWoodworking comes in. The plans are clearly drawn and there’re step-by-step explainations of how the plan should be done and put together.

There are several other sites whose collection of plans have the dimensions totally wrong without any indication of parts lists, material lists or the tools needed. If you’re one of those people who have bought plans like this in the past, TedsWoodworking will change your perception.

In Ted’s Woodworking you will get everything you need:

-Diagrams which are detailed with a full set of dimensions

-Step -by-step instructions how to start your project

-The necessary materials for that particular project

-All the woodworking tools you will need

If you are a beginner or have done some woodworking you will find these plans easy-to-follow as the instructions are very clearly written. The woodworking plans are straightforward so they are not complicated at all. Even if you are a total newcomer to woodworking you will simply be able to master all the techniques that are needed and the woodworking skills very quickly by following the concise and clear instructions.

Another thing which is so great about these woodworking plans is that there have been some videos included and there are some to guide you in how to build benches home furniture dog houses bird feeders sheds and much much more.

There is also a lifetime member acess included in the package and you get these extras for no cost to you as they are free with no additional charges at all! This alone is worth the entire price for TedsWoodworking.

Ted Mcgrath is a very dedicated and experienced woodworker who knows what he is talking about when it comes to woodworking and DIY projects s he has been a woodworker for many many years.

Cons

There is only one drawback that we could find and that being with , woodworking plans you are bound to get some which look a little disorganized but that is understandable as it is very difficult to place all these plans into their proper categories. Secondly, it might take you a little longer to do the downloads on because of the size of them. But the members area include an option to upgrade to the DVD so you can save time on downloading.

Bottom line:

Truth is, I’ve been a carpenter for almost years, and I haven’t found anything like this for less than ‘s of thousands of dollars.Here’s the bottom line: If you are planning to start on your woodworking project, this isn’t something you SHOULD use, it’s something that you would be insane not to.

Check the site: http://tinyurl.com/WoodWorkingTedPlans

Source(s): Woodworking projects http://givitry.info/WoodworkingProjects

i don’t no where u live but in oz a lot of the big hard where shops run a lot of diy that cover most of what your looking also there r books that cover it all about years ago i did a owner builder house my self n was able track down a book that showed step by step how do most plumbing carpentry n a small amount of electrical work do keep in mind depending where u live there r laws on what electrical work u can do your self n v will bite hard n u just might not get a nd go at it i don’t remember the name of the book i used but it was not hard find n today the house still stands n not had problem with it and have been through a few large storms that just about flattened houses in the st hope it helps a lil

Buy some of the (Do it yourself) books. They are full of information on many home problems. I know they are available for plumbing and electrical problems. Carpentry might be a little difficult to find. These books will give you an idea of what to do and what to expect when doing a repair.

It is good to see that someone wants to learn how on there own. I learned a lot from my father and a lot more just by trying.

My suggestion is as follows:

Go to your nearest Home Depot and see what the next class is on. Then, buy a booklet or book on the subject. Skim through the book, you don’t have to read it, just become familiar with the subject. The idea is be able to ask meaningful questions during the class. When the day of the class arrives; attend and don’t be afraid to ask the questions. If you do this or times you will start getting a feel for what is happening from a DIY perspective.

I suggested Home Depot for a number of reasons but primarily because I know they do the classes and they are free. They actually do the task in front of the audience so it is as close to hands on as you are apt to get without shelling out money for schooling. There may be other home improvement stores that offer the same training; I’m just not familiar with any others that do it.

If you can’t get to a Home Depot or their schedule is impossible for you there are DVDs that teach all sorts of things. Check out the Internet and just buy one at a time until you have a nice library.

I would strongly suggest you save anything electrical or gas for the pros until you really feel confident to do so without injuring yourself during the repair or burning the house down later as a result.

The only advice I have on tools is to say, you may not get what you pay for but you will pay for what you get. Cheap tools will let you down at the most inopportune time.

I have been doing handyman work for decades. I accept email at my profile. If you have any specific questions I would be glad to answer or get you an answer.