What Materials will I need to complete these house projects?

January 23, 2016 2:17 PM

I have a number of things that need to be done around the house, that I am hiring a handyman for next week. Since I am not that handy myself, I need some help on the items to buy before he gets here so that he has what he needs in order to complete the project.

What materials will I need for the following tasks?

Fridge has very little water coming through pipe
Hinge that holds toilet seat to toilet is broken
A hole in the wall to route my attic attena to my digital tv box
Indoor shelves for electronics (projector, etc)
Hang various pictures
Stain the deck
Shelves for the garage

Not sure if all are doable within that timeframe but I have listed them from highest to lowest priority. I am looking for any and all materials I would need to complete these projects.

He will be here for 8 hours total for these projects.

posted by locussst to Home & Garden (6 answers total)

It has a normal experience for me to have a handy man take a run to the hardware store after he/she has checked out the problem and knows exactly what they needs.
Clearly, things that are the main point of the project and/or have elements of taste and preference you would want to buy yourself - shelves, paint, stain. It saves time (and lets you get better value) if he doesn't have to do this but in my life, I'm sure I would forget something or get the wrong part so they would have to go to the store anyway.
posted by metahawk at 6:45 PM on January 23, 2016 [2 favorites]

Typically when I hire a handyman to do these things, I tell him in advance what needs to be done and then he gives me an estimate of costs, then goes and buys everything himself. This is MUCH easier, and I don't have to guess. I think he builds the time it takes him to go to the store into his billing. Overall it's not that much.
posted by Toddles at 6:46 PM on January 23, 2016 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Let's take these chores one at a time...
1. Fridge has very little water coming through pipe - He'll have the tools to figure this out, but this is the chore that is hardest to estimate vis-a-vis the time required.
2. Hinge that holds toilet seat to toilet is broken - When those hinges go, it's broken. Buy a toilet seat set/kit before he comes, making sure you notice whether your bowl is round or oval. Take a picture with you if you're uncertain.
3. A hole in the wall to route my attic antenna to my digital tv box He'll have the tools to cut the hole. You might want to get a switchplate (with an appropriate opening) to cover it. Incidentally, this could be a lengthy repair if he has to feed the antenna wire through the wall one or more stories.
4. Indoor shelves for electronics (projector, etc) - Buy the shelves and brackets. He'll have the tools to install the shelves.
5. Hang various pictures - Buy picture hooks ahead of time, paying attention to the weight limits. He'll have the tools necessary.
6. Stain the deck - Buy the stain ahead of time. He'll have his own brushes, etc. Hopefully you'll have good weather so the first coat can dry while he's doing other things.
7. Shelves for the garage Buy the shelves and brackets. He'll have the tools to install the shelves.

You can accomplish all of these errands in a single trip at any home improvement big box store or larger hardware store. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Enjoy the improvements!
posted by carmicha at 10:15 PM on January 23, 2016 [4 favorites]

As for staining the deck, that's a process, and it might not be doable, depending on the weather where you are.

Here's what you need to do to stain a deck:

1. Clean deck. I used a Water Jet (AS SEEN ON TV!) with a special deck washing/anti-mildew cleaner.
2. Wait for deck to dry (a couple of days.)
3. THEN stain it

So measure the deck and buy the stuff you'll need to stain it. Also, do you plan on sealing it? If so, buy the sealer too. Be aware that temperatures need to be at a certain place for staining. If you're not in a warm place, save this for spring.

Toilet. Toilet seats are cheap. Just buy one and install it. Don't pay a pro to do this for you. Measure, there's round and elongated.

You may have more than 8 hours of work here, be prepared for that.

Also, no matter what you do, your handyperson is going to need something you didn't anticipate, it will take him/her an hour to fetch it, even if Lowe's is only 3 blocks away.

Have bottled water and be prepared to buy your handyperson lunch.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 7:00 AM on January 24, 2016

So the purpose is to keep him working the entire time he's on your clock. I would "stage" the fist task, which would probably be washing the deck. Have everything there needed for him to get started. Before the work starts, go over the other stuff with him, making a list of what he needs. While he is working on the first job, make the hardware store trip with your list. Continue this process every day before he starts the next task, so you are the one making the trips while he is working.
posted by raisingsand at 7:40 AM on January 24, 2016

Replacing a toilet seat is SUPER easy, as long as the nuts aren't corroded. You just undo the screws/nuts and remove the seat, then put the new seat on and put in the new screws/nuts. 15 minutes, tops. You can get new seats for as little as $12 or much more, depending on your preferences. (Home repair stores have lots of them, but you can also usually find them at Target and Walmart.) I suggest that you go right now & see if you can remove the bolts easily. If so, there's no need to waste your precious handyman time on this job. If they seem to be corroded and won't come off, then you can ask the handyman to help get the seat off.

Hanging pictures is also generally easy, unless the picture is extremely large or heavy. You can buy kits that have the nails & hooks in one package. Then you just need a hammer. If you aren't sure about where to put the picture or how to get the hook in the right place, trace the picture frame on a piece of paper & then measure down to see where the wire or hook would go. You can tape the template to the wall until you're happy with the position & then just hammer the nail right through it at the appropriate location.
posted by belladonna at 10:57 AM on January 24, 2016