A man is only as good as his tools, so the often-used quote states. That phrase arguably means more and applies more to handymen than to most other professionals.
If you’re just starting out as a beginner handyman, it may be tempting to go for the lesser brands and cheaper products when purchasing the tools to fill your toolbox, tool belt, or tool rack. But that may be a mistake, especially if you’re planning a long-term and successful career as a competent handyman and your aim is to pride yourself on the quality of your work and your ability to delight your customers.
Recommended reading: How to Become a Qualified Tradesman
What tools does a handyman need: The must-haves
So, without further ado, let’s dive into the essential tools for handymen, from basic handyman tools through to some more complex and niche tools. We’ll group our tools into three categories: essential handyman tools, electrical tools, and a few miscellaneous items and accessories worth considering.
Essential tools for the handyman
1. The hammer
Any set of basic handyman tools must include a hammer, which is one of the most used tools for the handyman. It may even be the most used tool in a handyman’s toolbox. Any and every handyman job will likely require a quality hammer, from jobs involving bending sheets of metal and metal items, to pulling up nails, to building furniture and fixing shelving.
2. A tape measure and level
So much of a handyman’s day will involve measuring items with a tape measure and assessing whether or not they are precisely level using a spirit level. Accuracy matters in a handyman’s line of work, so be sure to invest in a quality, thick tape measure, which will make it easier to get accurate measurements due to the numbers being clearer.
A good spirit level will help you to deliver safe work accurately, which will only further support your claims of being a consummate and professional handyman.
3. Pliers
Pliers are basic handyman tools most commonly used when working with wiring. Most handymen carry two types of pliers – needle nose pliers, as well as an adjustable pair of pliers. Needle nose pliers are the perfect tool for handling cables, while adjustable pliers are great to use for clamping when needed.
4. Short tape
Possibly one of the most commonly used tools for handymen is the short tape. A staple in a handyman’s took kit, the short tape enables exact measurements, which is an essential requirement for quality handyman work.
5. Chisel
When it comes to basic handyman tools, another we can’t go past is the chisel. The chisel is a versatile tool that can be used by handymen for a wide range of jobs. With your sturdy chisel in hand, you will be able to carve or trim down pieces of wood, break up chunks of hardened glue or concrete, and shave down rough patches on your jobs.
6. A comprehensive screwdriver set
A handyman’s screwdriver set should contain as many screwdriver attachments as possible. Choose a multi-bit screwdriver set over lugging multiple individual screwdrivers around with you. And it’s a wise idea to invest in a magnetic model handyman screwdriver to stop dropping and losing screws on the job. You won’t regret it.
7. A dependable knife with replacement blades
A quality knife that you can depend upon should definitely have a home in your handyman toolbox. A well-crafted handyman knife can be used to achieve crisp lines; it can also double as a pencil sharpener. Be sure to carry a small arsenal of extra blades to swap in when your blades start getting blunt. With frequent use they may become blunt before you know it.
Electrical tools
1. A drill
A dependable drill makes handyman jobs much easier due to much less elbow grease being required. Handymen can perform a wide range of jobs with a drill – from drilling holes to screwing in bolts to mixing materials such as paint.
2. Electric saws
Both a jigsaw and circular saw will come in handy for handymen on a wide range of jobs. The jigsaw makes light work of small or intricate jobs where precision and accuracy are required.
Meanwhile, at the other end of the electric saw selection is the circular saw. Big, brawny, and muscular, a circular saw will cut through all types of materials, provided you have the correct blade installed. Even tiles and steel are no match for a circular saw. All of this adds up to making the circular saw a serious timesaver for handymen on jobs, especially when thick timber is involved.
3. Nail gun
Sure, as a handyman you’ll still be tasked with manually nailing in nails using a good old-fashioned hammer from time to time. But for the sake of efficiency – and to save your own energy – a nail gun is a handyman’s best friend when it comes to nail work.
4. Miscellaneous items and accessories
As well as tools for handymen, there are also important accessories and miscellaneous items required on most handyman job. These pieces will never be the superstars of a handyman’s toolbox, but that doesn’t make them any less important than the traditional heroes of the toolbox. Just try delivering a handyman project without essentials such as screws, nuts, bolts, washers, and D-rings. They literally help hold everything together.
Beyond these items, other accessories and miscellaneous items to carry with you to every handyman job are:
- a mini-LED headlight or flashlight.
- a stud finder.
- a collection of markers and pencils.
Now that you know what tools a handyman needs, last but not least, your truly best friend as you go from handyman job to handyman job is a well organised and adequately sized toolbox. Just make sure it has enough room to neatly hold and organise all of your basic handyman tools.
Handymen, just like all other business owners, can benefit from actively reducing the risks to their business. And a great way to do just that is to invest in business insurance*. As you consider your handyman business plan, it may be worth considering handyman insurance to protect your business so you can keep doing the work you love without interruption.
