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Verrado is a beautiful master planned community West of Phoenix that really captures the essence of a small community. It’s basically a little town of perfect neighborhoods all connected with leafy streets and beautifully manicured public parks. When you stroll on the sidewalks and admire the timeless beauty of the homes, it’s hard to believe this whole place is only seven years old.

It’s become a tradition for our friends and family to make the 45 minute drive across town to enjoy an afternoon in Verrado.  (To my knowledge, we are the only group people I know who makes this trip. My guess is that more people would do it if they knew about this place.) Our most recent trip a few weeks ago happened to be Founder’s Day, a annual celebration where residents flood the streets and gather at the central park for a locals-only talent show and a free concert. Last year it was the Beach Boys, this year it was the Big Bad Voo Doo Daddies–the swing band that did well in the 1990s.

So in one day we toured model homes, ate at at a wine bar, and picnicked in the park while watching a concert. It was quite a day! I snapped some photos along the way of my favorite architectural details within the neighborhoods. Click on the thumbnails below for bigger photos with captions…

I celebrated my birthday by first hiring some dudes to take down a dead pine tree in my backyard. The tree died about a year-and-a-half ago, and ever since it’s looked more and more threatening. Like it was just aching to fall on my house every time the wind whipped through my neighborhood. I thought about cutting it down myself, but after watching the pros in action for six hours, I knew I would’ve been seriously unequipped for the job.

Earlier this month I posted photos of my refinished tile floors. Here are some photos of the last room to be refinished: the dining room. Click on the thumbnails below and then look for a detailed description below.

When I bought my home three years ago, the most defining features of the great room was cheap carpet and tacky tile. One year later, my brother and father came out to Arizona to help me remodel the first floor of my home, and the first items to go was that ugly carpet and tile…

Dad removes the tacky tile that will soon be replaced by travertine.

Once the floors were stripped down to the concrete foundation, I laid most of the the tile in a 16-hour marathon that began at 6pm and ended at 10am the following day.  The tile needed to get done ASAP so my brother could install the baseboards in the great room.

The good news is that my hard work paid off–my brother began the baseboards the next morning and the remodel continued on. The bad news is that the grout between the tiles “sunk” as it dried which made the tiles look uneven. I don’t know if the grout sunk because it was too thin and seeped beneath the tile, or maybe the dry Arizona air pulled the moisture out of the grout and caused it to lose volume. Regardless, the end result was a floor that looked good, but it didn’t look great. It wasn’t a priority at the time to apply more grout and make it perfect, so I left it as it was.

Now that the remodeling finished–18 months later–I’ve made my rounds and regrouted and sealed/polished the tile. Here are photos of what I did over the last couple of weekends…click on the small image and look for a detailed description on the bottom…

Now it’s time to clean the other side of the great room. It’s going to be a busy Saturday afternoon.

(I am beginning to see that the inside of my house and my website use the same color palette. That means I’m either consistent or boring.)

I’m writing this blog because a lot of my friends have begun work on their newly purchased “bottom of the market” homes and are intimidated by the work ahead yet eager to get started. As I write this, my brother-in-law is preparing to make a once-flooded foreclosed house into a livable home for his wife and young son. He’s texted me a couple times this week asking about tools he can borrow from my arsenal and what tools he should buy on his own. This brings up a big question: What tools does a new homeowner need to buy?

I couldn't have made this paneling without the right tools.

My short answer is buy whatever tools you need.  I don’t like the idea that you need a complete and expansive arsenal of tools before you can get started. Every project demands a different set of tools, so prescribing a “must have” list of tools for an unknown project is misguided. Plus let’s not forget: tools can be expensive. Most of us can only afford one tool at a time.

Having said that, the tools listed below have come from my own needs as a homeowner. These are essentially wood working tools for finish carpentry, wainscoting, and furniture making. Although I did extensive drywall work and tiling throughout my remodel, the tools for those jobs are specialized, single-purpose tools that I won’t cover here.

So friends, here is a quick introduction to 20 versatile tools that will help you do a job that’s both professional and quick.

Power Tools

	01. Electric Drill This one is pretty obvious. Drilling out holes with a hand tool will make your muscles rock-hard, but you’ll waste your day getting the job done. Screwdrivers? You will certainly use a screwdriver with almost every project, but I’ve never met a man who has enough patience to use a screwdriver for an entire project. Save your sanity: buy an electric hand drill. I own a corded drill and a cordless battery powered drill.
	02. Compound Miter Saw This the ultimate power tool for doing finish carpentry. You can make accurate angled cuts for all moulding: baseboards, chair rails, and crown. This saw also makes light work of quickly cutting two-by-fours for framing. Unfortunately, a compound miter saw is expensive, even if you get a cheaper model. So if you aren’t planning on doing a lot of carpentry around the house, a basic miter saw will do a good job.
	03. Circular Saw A circular saw is a must-have tool for anyone working with wood. It’s small and easy to bring with you to different job sites. Although a table saw can make more consistent cuts, you don’t always have space or time to set it up. An added bonus is that a circular saw is one of the more affordable tools.
	04. Table Saw This is essentially a circular saw turned upside inside useful table. The advantage of a table saw is that you are able to make longer cuts–especially on sheets of plywood–straighter and more consistent, thanks to the table surface and the table fence.
	05. Reciprocating Saw This is not a precision cutting instrument, but a furious deconstruction tool. I’ve seen guys use a circular saw to take down a wall because that’s all they’ve had, but reciprocating saw gives better leverage and is more comfortable in your hands. This makes the job quicker and more safe (as long as you don’t cut through pipes and live electrical wires.) In short, if you need to tear it down, use a reciprocating saw. It’s fun.
	06. Shop Vacuum A shop vac is an important tool for a DIYer because it keeps your work space clean. A broom and a dust pan work fine if all you’re doing is cleaning the sawdust off the floor of your garage, but if you do work inside your home where cleanliness is a higher priority, then know that a shop vac is your best friend. An added bonus is that a shop vac can be fastened to some wood working tools to prevent dust from ever touching the ground. In my opinion, the best feature is that many shop vacs work both wet and dry. It’s works as well sucking up drywall dust as it does sucking up dirty puddles of water.
	07. Router A router is a powerful tool that allows the wood worker to make fancy edges, like a curved perimeter of a table top. This is my favorite power tool to use because when I pull it off the shelf in my garage, it means that I am putting the finishing touches on a project that will give it the “wow factor”. If you are planning on doing a lot of trim work on your home (baseboards, crown, chair rail), you can save a lot of money by purchasing ordinary boards and then giving them a fancy routed edge. I used my router to build up layers of wood to make the crown moulding that wraps the top of my kitchen pantry. Keep in mind that the router isn’t just for show. I’ve found that my router was very helpful when I was trying to make clean and consistent recesses in my wood doors for the hinges.
	08. Finish Nailer + Air compressor A hammer is a useful instrument that shouldn’t be forgotten, but it’s not the best tool for putting in every nail. A finish nailer is a low-impact tool for fastening wood pieces to one another. If you plan on doing framing or a larger construction job, be sure to get the more powerful framing nailer. I know there are some battery-powered nailers out there, but I haven’t had a chance to use them yet. I like my air compressor because it is a low-maintenance power source for many of my tools. A convenient tool for removing finishing nails is pair of end nipper pliers.
	09. Random Orbit Sander Let’s get real here–nobody wants to spend an afternoon sanding their wood project. It’s boring and monotonous and you will eventually lose patience and be tempted to skip to rolling on your finish. So if you are expecting to do a lot of remodeling on your home, it’s wise to purchase an electric sander. Bypass the small and limited hobby sanders and sheet sanders and go right for the electric random orbit sander for clean, consistent, and quick results.  It’s worth knowing that you have to purchase specialized sandpaper made specifically for your sander. Although it’s pricier than ordinary sand paper, you can save money by ordering online ahead of time. If you are doing a lot of sanding, it’s wise to pair this sander with your shop vac.
	10. Jig Saw Jig saw is the “tug boat” of my power tools. It may not be big and brutish, but it can make quick curvy cuts that no other power tool can accomplish. If you have children who want to join you on a carpentry project, the jig saw is one of the least dangerous power tools. (Of course, train your child well and keep a close eye on them as they work.)

Hand Tools

	11. Hammer + Prybar The hammer is an obvious tool for a new homeowner. However, a prybar is a handy addition to a hammer because it helps pull stubborn nails from wood. Also, a prybar is a terrific tool for helping lift heavy objects. I’ve used my prybar to lift a heavy pre-hung patio door off the ground while my brother slid in shims to make the door plumb.
	12. Level A level isn’t just for perfectionists! A good level is a convenient straight edge when you want to mark cut lines on a sheet of wood. Plus, a level can help you save time measuring. Let’s say you want to hang three framed photos on the wall 55 inches off the ground. You can measure once and mark your point. Then hold a level to the point horizontally and trace a line from left to right. That’s a lot more efficient than measuring and marking 55 inches three different times.
	13. Tape measure Because who wants to carry a rigid 10-foot ruler around the job site? Note: buy a bright colored tape measure or you will lose it again and again.
	14. Plane This is a small but powerful tool to have at your disposal for when sandpaper seems too weak to remove excess wood. It can be used to smooth out rough wood or to reduced the thickness of a piece of wood. This is an ideal tool for thinning out a wood door that gets stuck in the door frame.
	15. Clamps Want a third hand? That’s what a clamp is for! There are many different types of clamps out there, but the most effective clamp for the work that I’ve done is the pistol grip clamp (or “bar clamp”) because it only requires one hand to properly set the clamp. Buying a clamp is not as exciting as buying a cool new power tool, but I’ve never met a guy who regretted purchasing clamps. They will without a doubt make your job easier.
	16. Sanding Block It’s tempting to start rubbing a flat surface with sandpaper alone, but you will not get consistent results because your hand is a pliable surface. But an inexpensive rubber sanding block can be quickly  wrapped with sandpaper and will return admirable results. However, if your want to sand a curved surface, say excess dried wood filler from the face of crown moulding, try purchasing inexpensive abrasive sponges. They will adjust to the contours of your moulding more consistently than your hand alone. If you have a variety of surfaces to sand, try adhering sand paper to a variety of wood shapes with spray adhesive.
	17. Nail Set Don’t expect to do professional carpentry work if you do not have a nail set. It’s a pretty straight-forward tool. You fix the tip of the nail set on the head of a nail that has already been hammered into the surface. Strike the nail set with a hammer to drive the nail head beneath the surface of the wood. Next, fill the hole with wood putty, let it dry, and then sand the surface smoothly. A good woodworker makes it nearly impossible to detect where he used nails. Note: get a bright colored nail set so you don’t lose it.
	18. Chalk Line/Chalk Box with a String Level A chalk line a smart tool for marking long and straight lines. It’s most obvious use is for snapping lines on sheets of wood or drywall or for marking roofs for shingles, but it’s also good for finding the center of rooms for laying tile. While you are buying a chalk line, look out for a simple metal level that hooks onto your string. Together the tools will help you snap perfect lines.
	19. Miter Box and Saw It’s not necessary to set up the electric miter saw every time you need to cut a 45 degree angle. A classic handsaw and a miter box gets the job done just fine. What I also like about a miter box and saw is that they’re inexpensive–less than $20–and it’s easy to use. New carpenters build their confidence in making angled cuts. (Your whole family can use this set for school and craft projects.) Purists may not like the bright yellow plastic miter box, but these ubiquitous miter boxes come with handy pegs that brace the wood while you cut. Just be sure to screw the miter box into your worktable to keep it from rocking around as you saw.
	20. Chisels Chisels are capable of removing excess wood in narrow or awkward spaces. With proper care, chisels can last for a life time. For what it’s worth, there’s a timeless satisfaction that comes from sharpening your chisels in between woodworking projects. Chisels have been used by generations of woodworkers.

Summary

If you are interested purchasing any of the tools above, consult the the senior staff members in the tool department at your local home store. They can help you find the right tool for your job that works with your budget. Also, spend some time researching online to find out what companies make the most precise and reliable tools. You want to feel confident that the purchase you are going to make is a wise investment for the long haul.