#15 in Crafts, hobbies & home books
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Reddit mentions of The Complete Do-it-Yourself Manual Newly Updated
Sentiment score: 16
Reddit mentions: 22
We found 22 Reddit mentions of The Complete Do-it-Yourself Manual Newly Updated. Here are the top ones.
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- Simon Schuster
Features:
Specs:
Height | 8.5 Inches |
Length | 11 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Release date | October 2014 |
Weight | 4.63 Pounds |
Width | 1.4 Inches |
Some things I would do in addition to changing locks and a deep clean...
Test out and explore the circuit breaker. Know what does what outlets/lights/etc.
Replace all of the smoke detectors if you don't know how old they are. Most are only rated for 10 years. Get a CO combo unit as well. Could save your life later. Pick up a fire extinguisher as well and check it whenever you check your fridge filter (or furnace filter if the fridge doesn't have water filter).
Clean your oven. Always good to have a fresh start.
Have stained woodwork? Invest in a wax stick and stain marker that matches the existing trim to repair any nicks and scratches that happen when you move in :)
Most importantly...remember there is no rush on many repairs. Water is something best repaired as soon as discovered...but little things you may find annoy you (like the off-white outlets and switches) are things you can tackle whenever you deem fit. Owning a home is not as difficult as many people make it out to be. You already have found a good resource. Here is another one I would suggest:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1621452018/ref=dp_ob_neva_mobile
Most of all...enjoy your home. Remember to relax and share it with others...especially those you care about. Wish you the best!
my uncle gave me an old copy of his from the 80s when i moved into my house a couple years ago. some of the things like electrical are outdated but a lot of it is still relevant. it makes all of these big projects sound doable, even for someone like me who can’t drill a screw in straight.
i believe the most current edition on sale for only $24 on amazon right now.
Here are a couple for your consideration:
https://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Guide-Repair-Improvement-Updated/dp/158011783X
https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Yourself-Manual-Newly-Updated/dp/1621452018
https://www.amazon.com/Home-Maintenance-Dummies-James-Carey/dp/047043063X
http://publications.gc.ca/site/archivee-archived.html?url=http://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2017/schl-cmhc/NH15-386-2003-eng.pdf
The Reader's Digest Complete Do-It-Yourself Manual is a pretty awesome and comprehensive book to have around. The most recent edition was edited by the editors of Family Handyman magazine.
I started subscribing to Fine Homebuilding when I bought a house. Even though it's pitched to architects and builders, it has several how-to articles that are intelligently written accessible to all. It's not like they're trying to teach an electrician about circuits, but instead, for example, it'd be carpenters learning about circuits. Reading it over the years has definitely made me more aware of many aspects of my home.
This book has really great reviews: https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Yourself-Manual-Newly-Updated/dp/1621452018/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1481734426&sr=1-1&keywords=home+improvement+book
Also I second the Youtube suggestion! My 70 year old step dad who isn't great at home improvement and is even worse with computers successfully repaired our washer with the help from Youtube.
Family Handyman magazine is a good one for the stage you’re at. Sign up for their email list of tips; I have and often find something useful in their newsletter emails.
Familiarizing yourself with the basic tools you need — various simple manual hand tools and their use, simple power hand tools and their use — that is a good first step.
Learning to use tools in the proper way will prevent you from inadvertently making some ill-advised-but-common mistakes, and will help keep you safe in the meantime. (For example— Could one use a flathead screwdriver as a rock chisel? Perhaps. Should you? No, and there are reasons for that and better tools for the job.)
Books like this one:
The Complete Do-it-Yourself Manual Newly Updated
Should be a good starting point. They’ll cover the basic ways houses are plumbed, wired, and some of the basic building techniques.
If you’re planning to do electrical work around your house, I’m going to highly recommend a non-contact voltage tester because it can tell you when a switch still has electricity live to it. I have a couple of weird wiring configurations (multiple breakers used in the same junction box, from three-way light switches) in our 2015 house, and my tester has saved me from risking getting shocked a couple of times. Being careful is also key, but that sort of tester is a good thing to have.
Not something people necessarily think of as a "tool" but for anyone looking to take their homeowner game to the next level:
The Reader's Digest Complete Do-it-Yourself Manual
Beyond that, people seem to be covering a lot of stuff, so I'm going to throw some I haven't seen yet that are lifesavers when you need them and not easily "fudged" with some other tool:
In this electronic age, there are still some classic books worth having in the toolbox. I think if you want it to be useful and thorough it can't be small.
I just purchased the following book, and it's great. Highly recommended.
The Complete Do-it-Yourself Manual Newly Updated https://www.amazon.com/dp/1621452018/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_3-sHzbRJE9KW2
Two budgets.
Collins Complete DIY Manual https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0007425953/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_ZE-RBbG8FS60W
The Complete Do-It-Yourself Manual https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1621452018/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_ZF-RBbRYDBZ5W
Hmm...most useful things for $300. I would recommend Lowe's/Home Depot, but since you're limited to Amazon....
There's lots of other stuff, but my mind has drawn a blank right now.
I would recommend that you purchase some DIY books to help you with jobs around the home:
https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Yourself-Manual-Newly-Updated/dp/1621452018
https://www.amazon.com/Renovation-5th-Completely-Revised-Updated/dp/1631869590
https://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Guide-Repair-Improvement-Updated/dp/158011783X
Invest 25 bucks in a hardcover copy of The Complete Do-It-Yourself Manual it's a TREASURE HOUSE of info. It's also a good barometer for "Should I hire a contractor?" If it's not in there, you should.
Came here to to say this as well! Use the amazon smile link and donate to charity!
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/1621452018/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Looks like there's a newer one from 2014, which is what I bookmarked to buy. The other poster linked the one from 1991 and then from 2005. There's also an edition from 2009. I searched it on Amazon to make sure I had the most recent version. Thanks for the heads up, though!
Huh cool! Is it OK that it's 25 years old? I'm new to DIY so I'm not sure how old that is.
EDIT: found a newer version from 2014!
http://www.amazon.com/Complete--Yourself-Manual-Newly-Updated/dp/1621452018/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1464908260&sr=1-1&keywords=Do-It-Yourself+Manual
Something like THIS is a good start, but really YouTube is probably your best resource.
YouTube is good. Google is good. This book is good. Friends and family are good. This sub is good.
A lot of home improvement projects are actually surprisingly simple. Swapping out a light fixture, for example, is usually pretty much just disconnecting a couple wires from the old one and reconnecting them to the new one exactly the same way. Whatever it is, just start small, take your time, triple check everything before you do something irreversible, and remember that it's your house so you want to do it right.
It's not all encompassing, but this book is about as close as it gets to in all in one reference. I like it a lot, nice color illustrations and a wide array of topics.
https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Yourself-Manual-Newly-Updated/dp/1621452018/ref=pd_sbs_14_img_0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=6MRJKRA7GB72XKHXGX00)de: https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Yourself-Manual-Newly-Updated/dp/1621452018/ref=pd_sbs_14_img_0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=6MRJKRA7GB72XKHXGX00
I would say the Do it Yourself Manual
Hey, I'm assuming he's just starting so, do not get him a combo set. That's foolish, he doesn't need an impact driver at all. Search for .home repair' and you'll find a ton. Some stuff to get you started:
 
https://www.amazon.com/Stanley-94-248-65-Piece-Homeowners-Tool/dp/B000UHMITE/ref=sr_1_4?m=A2L77EE7U53NWQ&s=warehouse-deals&ie=UTF8&qid=1480266147&sr=1-4
 
https://www.amazon.com/BLACK-DECKER-LDX120PK-20-Volt-Lithium-Ion/dp/B00C625KVE/ref=sr_1_15?m=A2L77EE7U53NWQ&s=warehouse-deals&ie=UTF8&qid=1480266147&sr=1-15
 
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1621452018/ref=olp_product_details?_encoding=UTF8&me=
 
https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/1118099400/ref=tmm_pap_new_olp_sr?ie=UTF8&condition=new&qid=&sr=
 
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000EUH4TG/ref=s9_acsd_al_bw_c_multiimp_4?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-5&pf_rd_r=SN6M6HFB4M7DNW76GTG1&pf_rd_r=SN6M6HFB4M7DNW76GTG1&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=de121dcf-3645-4f43-a816-cf12556f7ae3&pf_rd_p=de121dcf-3645-4f43-a816-cf12556f7ae3&pf_rd_i=15469024011
 
sorry i don't have time to format but, good luck!