Buying a new home can be a scary experience. (Duh.) Until yesterday, however, I have been able to keep from freaking out even while thinking about moving, mortgage payments, and property taxes.
So what happened yesterday? My Dad called and said this:
“You know, Mike, being a homeowner means that when something goes wrong YOU have to fix it.”
Me? Fix things? Oh crap. This is a problem.
When I was a kid and my Dad pulled out his tool box, I wasn’t the type to follow him around, hero-worshiping. I was more the type to hide in my room playing video games while praying he didn’t ask me to help.
Later in life, when the superintendent would come to our apartment to fix a problem, I would nod along as he explained ad nauseum what he was doing. Unfortunately, despite my feigned interest, all I heard him say was, “Wa Wa wa Wa Wa wa.” It was like he was an adult in a “Peanuts” cartoon.
I, of course, was a Charlie Brown-style blockhead for not listening because now I am going to need to fix stuff around the house and am about as handy as Paris Hilton. Fixing a leaky toilet? That’s hot.
Today I was stressing about this so much that, while perusing the “children’s section” of streaming Netflix for something Annie could watch, I ended up putting on episodes of “Bob the Builder” and “Handy Manny” in hope they might teach me something. They didn’t. Of course in Bob and Manny’s defense I stopped paying attention the second they started to fix something.
Sigh. Unless something at the new home can be fixed with scotch tape or good kick, I’m out of luck. Anyone have any good tips on how I can become Mr. Fix-It and fast? I can’t give Heather yet ANOTHER reason to make fun of me!
Kara says:
Thank goodness they have a huge selection of DIY books out there.
Also good free resources online.
Shanna says:
Yep, this is how my husband and I get things done!
Elle says:
I don’t have any good tips but since my husband is in the military and was deployed often, if something needed to be fixed I would either learn by trial and error that could sometimes make things even worse, I would use a lot of duct tape, or I would call a repairman since I usually had no idea what I was doing.
I say have an on call repairman on speed dial or let Annie give it a whirl.
Rach Langer says:
Mike, I can give you three pieces of valuable advice regarding this:
1. Have CONFIDENCE in yourself. We all have the ability within us to do more than we think we can. Remember when Heather made that cake full of diapers for a gift? Totally out of her comfort zone, but she went for it! Kinda like the guys who try to get the basketball in from the middle of the court…(I really have never watched a basketball game in my life, so I hope this sounds credible).
2. A beer in your hand makes anyone look handy. That being said, inviting a friend or family member over to “help” with the promise of beer goes even further to getting handy work done.
3. NEVER…and I really mean NEVER, underestimate the power of eHow. When D and I needed to install ram into our Mac laptops so we could pretend to work but really just play MMORPGs all day – eHow gave us a VIDEO on how to do it. And don’t think I didn’t freak out when my MacBooks innards were spilled all over the coffee table, but not 1o minutes later I was logged in and fighting troll— *ahem* working so quickly and efficiently.
Don’t stress – you’ll be a great fix it. And if anything goes wrong? Annie did it.
sarah says:
YouTube has the answer to everything! =)
Kathryn says:
I agree. Definitely You Tube. I use it for cooking, for sure there are all kinds of home repair videos online.
My bro-in-law did all kinds of repairs on his condo. He got help from the people at Home Depot, as well as online and from the “Dummies” books.
You should get this:
http://www.amazon.com/Home-Maintenance-Dummies-James-Carey/dp/047043063X
or there is this:
http://www.amazon.com/Homeowner-Basics-Black-Decker-Complete/dp/158923376X/ref=pd_sim_b_4
Good luck!! You can dooooo it!
Becca says:
Mike – it’s totally true. I didn’t know ANYTHING about fixing things when I moved into my house. Now, my friends call ME to help them when something goes wrong. My secret? YouTube. It’s amazing.
Becca says:
Also – Don’t be afraid to just start a project. Half the battle is just making that first dent in a project. After that, you have no choice but to figure out what you have to do next to complete said project.
Kathryn says:
I agree. Definitely You Tube. I use it for cooking, for sure there are all kinds of home repair videos online.
My bro-in-law did all kinds of repairs on his condo. He got help from the people at Home Depot, as well as online and from the “Dummies” books.
You should get this:
http://www.amazon.com/Home-Maintenance-Dummies-James-Carey/dp/047043063X
or there is this:
http://www.amazon.com/Homeowner-Basics-Black-Decker-Complete/dp/158923376X/ref=pd_sim_b_4
Good luck!! You can dooooo it!
Kathryn says:
Oops, didn’t mean to leave 2 of the same comment!!
Jenn says:
Hey Mike!!!
Buying a house is scary and overwhelming for EVERYONE!!!! We bought our 1st home 3 weeks after we got home from our honeymoon and as soon as it was ours, I freaked out and told Brian to “take it back”. I just turned 23 and our house DID close in 7 days!! And then 6 months later, we BOTH got laid off but that’s a whole ‘nother story!
But, like all unfamilar things life you educate yourself, hire someone, ask your dad or a friend for help and/or up here any ways, Home Depo does Saturday how to courses for FREE to teach you how to do things!
Look how overwhelming and scary it was to bring Maddie home from the hospital with all of her needs. You were scared right? But you learned and you did Mike and I must say, you are one of the BEST daddy’s I know.
When we bought our house, we put in a basement apartment to help us with the payments. Did we make mistakes? Of course we did…plenty but we learn from them but when the apt was done and it was ALWAYS rented, we both had a real sense of pride b/c we did about 75% of the work by ourselves.
You can do it too Mike! I believe in both you and Heather!! Take a breathe, pull up some “how do’s” on the net and PLEASE give yourself a break…YOU WILL MESS UP AT TIMES…IT’S A REAL LEARNING CURVE!!! But, as you learn, you will get better and even MORE Self Confidence.
No worries my friend….I’ll give you one of the best tip we were given!The VERY first step is really the easiest! Ready for it?… BREATHE!!!
See!!! Look how well you can do that?!?! Way to go!!! You’re going to do well Mike!! I just know it!! You and Heather are a GREAT team for EVERYTHING ELSE!!! Why would this be ANY different?!?!?!
Corey says:
Yes! YouTube! This winter I learned how to “prime the furnace” with my own bare hands and saved my 5 children and 3 dogs from an almost certain death from hypothermia (or at least from a service bill from the furnace man, which might have been worse) JUST by watching a YouTube video! I also learned how to operate a coal stove (which was a total futhermucker). If I can do it, you can too!
DefendUSA says:
Duct Tape!!! Mike, you probably know more than you think you do. You can always “you tube” it, too. I learned how to fix my Volvo door cable that way…and I’m a girl. Suck at hanging pictures, but I can change oil and stuff.
You’ll be fine!
heather says:
I don’t know if they have then in the states, but here there are Home Depot stores that do weekly workshops.
Deirdre says:
We bought our first house last summer and neither my husband or I are particularly handy. There are two types of home maintanence in my opinion: the STAT emergency kind and the I’d-like-to-fix-this-someday kind. Get some recs for some good handymen–plumbers and electricians in particular, since when things in those areas go wrong, sometimes you need to call in the big guns (or at least someone with professional training).
For other stuff, Home Depot has free training sessions on different topics, but those topics can vary widely and might not be on a project that’s of any interest to you. But youtube does seem like a good resource to at least be able to band-aid some of the STAT emergency issues (flooding toliet, etc).
Good luck.
Rah says:
Two words: Angie’s List.
AmazingGreis says:
I’m pretty sure Google can help…or there might be an APP for that.
Good luck!
Sarah says:
WD-40 and duct tape. If it moves, and shouldn’t, use duct tape. If it should move.and doesn’t, use WD-40.
I forget who said that, but it works for me
Susan says:
When I bought my first house, I was single and had NO clue. I bought a brand new house so that any repairs would be on the builder. But this house? No, we bought a house full of surprises. The DIY Network and web site are full of great information. People at your local hardware store are also a wonderful source of information.
But most importantly, know your limits. Yes, you can change a light fixture out. No, you can’t rewire the house. If you don’t know your limits, it will cost you more to fix your fix than to hire a repairman in the first place.
You are going to love home ownership!
Cherie says:
Whatever needs fixed, just google it. I don’t know how to fix anything and my husband was at work a few months ago when our toilet wouldn’t flush. I just googled the problem, watched a video and fixed it myself. The internet knows how to do EVERYTHING!
MS says:
I’m with everyone else who says, google it. 99% of the issues in your home have a solution from other folks (often pros in the forums) online.
If you’d feel better with a book, then I’d highly reccommend this book, “How To Fix (Just About) Everything.” Its all sorted into tabs and ranges from how to paint a room to how to change a toilet. Its a lifesaver at our house…especially when you and Heather disagree on the best course of action. Good way to have that neutral 3rd party who IS actually an expert.
http://www.amazon.com/Just-About-Everything-Step-Step/dp/0743234685
Marie says:
I am totally sure that your “new” house will be one that does not need any repair :). But over the years you will learn how to do what needs to be done because plumbers cost a fortune. Just remember how you took it apart and in what order. You’ll be just fine! We were young and broke when we got married and my husband just learned how to fix everything on his own. Because you just can’t call a repairman if you have no money. Everyone called him for everything!
Plus there is always your DAD who is the one who scared you in the first place. lol Also you will need a monkey wrench. I’m just saying!
Hugs from Minnesota
Marie
Brandy says:
Just get a good recommendation for a handy man and give him a call when you need him! LOL.
Ninabi says:
Find a good local hardware store that prides itself on service. When we were stuck on a problem (and we learned the hard way that “historic” is a euphemism for “high maintenance”)- I’d first check the internet for solutions and then it was off to the hardware store.
I’d take my camera, too- to show pictures of the problem. So many times they’d direct me to a tool or product that would do the job properly and on my next visit (and those were frequent), they’d always ask how the repair turned out.
We have friends who have owned rental properties for decades. I asked, How did you gain all the amazing skills you have? You guys can fix anything! One replied, Well, when we were first starting out, we didn’t have much money. If something broke, we figured it was cheaper if we tried to fix it ourselves, first.
Best repair advice- toilets are pretty straightforward, although they look messy and complicated. First time you replace the wax seal under one of those you will feel like a repair god.
Karen says:
I guess you didn’t know that “Dr. Google” is not only an M.D. – He also has a PHD in home maintenance. Between Dr. Google and Dr. Youtube you will be FINE.
Rebecca says:
We are all here to Google the answers to your home fix-it problems. I bet you even have some local followers who are pretty handy that could come out and fix stuff for you.
Samantha says:
ha!!! you remind me so much of my brother-in-law. my sister and i are country girls. we grew up stacking wood, doing yard work, etc etc. we both married city boys. my brother-in-law is very smart, but when they first got together, soooo naive. and now, just a few short years later, and he’s jack-hammering up his front steps and re-wiring light switches. same with my husband. he BUILT a shed…literally, framed it up and everything. here’s my best advice as both a home owner and a “country girl”….
1. find yourself someone who is really knowledgeable about this kind of stuff. it may take several people in your arsenal….someone who knows about construction, another who knows about plumbing, etc. my dad has been the best resource ever because he’s done all these things his whole life. i think he also is very flattered when we ask for advice. it’s kind of like making up for all our teen years when we didn’t listen to a thing. my husband is a big book person when it comes to this stuff. he can learn really well from a book and so he has a book on just about everything….framing, tiling, yada yada yada. they also have just general “fix-it” books that he really likes.
2. go to your local hardware store. home depot and lowes serve their purposes for some things, but never underestimate the power in your local hardware store. i have had trouble with the big box places and the employees not being knowledgeable enough about construction, etc., to be able to give me good advice. a lot of the people at the local stores are sooooo experienced and can give you some great advice. also, i don’t know what it’s like in your area, but in my area the local places are actually CHEAPER a lot of times than lowes and home depot.
3. know your limits, and tackle projects that you think you can handle. for instance, my husband will tackle just about any kind of construction project, but he won’t touch electrical work with a 10 foot pole. he just doesn’t feel comfortable with the whole possible electricution thing and the potential for burning down the house. he also doesn’t touch anything relating to the gas lines. there are definitely a ton of projects and repairs that you can do yourself and it would be silly to hire someone to do these. but there are also definitely things that it are well worth the money to hire a professional. i think that you’ll find there are a TON of things you’re going to want to do in your new home, and you just need to prioritize and balance out between things you can do yourself and things that you should hire done.
4. i think you’ll be surprised at how much “STUFF” you need in order to maintain a house and yard. i was in shock when we first bought our home. you need a lawn mower, a weed eater…want to plant a garden? well then you need a shovel and some basic garden tools. my sister went through the same thing when she first bought her house. you never realize just how many things are taken care of for you living in an apartment that all of a sudden YOU have to do!!! be prepared for your credit card bill to just go through the roof. again, my best advice is to prioritize and take projects one at a time so you don’t get overwhelmed both emotionally and financially.
that’s about all….home ownership is very exciting, but it’s a lot of work. good luck!!!!!
E3 says:
Get this book: http://www.amazon.ca/Home-Improvement-1-2-3-Expert-Advice/dp/0696213273
And remember, youtube is your best friend We renovated our entire condo (took the bathroom down to studs, redid all floors, gutted the kitchen, etc.) and any time we weren’t sure, just look for a youtube instructional video!
mp says:
There are so many handyman services out there, you shouldn’t have a problem getting some help. Just be sure to join Angie’s List and get recommendations for the good ones! It’s been such a lifesaver for us.
I’m a little surprised by the DIY movement. We don’t after all expect everyone to learn how to fit their own cars. So I think you shouldn’t stress and spend time with your family and doing the things you love instead.
Hazel says:
Ask your agent to hook you up with a good home warranty that will cover broken items in your home. I am an agent and I purchase a home warranty as a closing gift for all of my buyers! It should be good for one year and at the end you can chose to renew it. I love ours! We already got our dishwasher fixed and our AC fixed this year!
Sarah says:
Get a home warranty! They normally only cost about $400-500 per year and will cover everything from leaky toilets to major issues! That way you can impress Heather by picking up the phone and calling for help.
If you can change a light bulb the warranty will cover just about everything else and most people can get the seller to pay the cost at closing, so your first year is covered!
Trisha Vargas says:
The handyman status won’t happen overnight so definitely purchase the Home Warranty and renew if as mentioned above.
Then start watching HGTV and DIY network in small doses and pick up some DIY books to have around just in case. It won’t be as overwhelming as you think.
There are also some handyman companies out there that aren’t as overpriced as some might think.
Tracy says:
I would be happy to see where my husband and his brother got their self-titled, “Jewish Tool Box”. It contains a cell phone, a check book and the number to our handy man. At least we can laugh at ourselves!!! Ha Ha.
Nicole says:
My best advice is to ask your dad to come and work with you, teaching you how to do all the things he knows how to do. Have him help you clean out the furnace and dryer ducts, fix the leaky toilet, change out a light fixture, whatever you can. I depended on my dad my whole life to do that stuff for me because he was just so damn good at it–and I was not interested. He died very unexpectedly last summer, and I found myself thinking that I would never be able to own a home again without him to help me. We sold our house this month and moved into a rental, and I think a lot of that is me worrying about not being able to call him when something goes wrong. I wish I would have followed him around more.
Laurie SL says:
The best DIY website in the world (even has step-by-step how to photos!!!) and is also a magazine you can find at Home Depot:
http://www.familyhandyman.com
Good luck!
Kelly says:
The internet is your friend! I’ve become Ms. Fix-it at our house, mostly by solving my problems via Google. Good luck!
Rachel says:
You’d be amazed what you can learn on You Tube. If you can’t do it yourself, call a repairman.
Kristin says:
The DIY Home Depot Book. I don’t know if thats the official title, but its orange. And its at Home Depot. You and my husband could be the same person and when we bought our house that was my father’s housewarming gift.
Dudge OH says:
First: Duct tape, not Scotch tape!
Second: if there’s a job to do, really think about a solution off the top of your head and if all it involves is a quick trip to the DIY store for a couple of tools and hardly any materials, you’re probably good to go!
Third: plenty of DIY books, websites and YT channels out there to help.
Fourth: If you’re just talking about home improvement or gardening stuff, as opposed to repairs, start w/ small, easy jobs.
Fifth: if still in doubt, get out the Yellow Pages…
Deborah Dufris says:
I agree with the duct tape thing. You can basically survive with only duct tape.
I had to laugh because my ex-husband is the man who was the voice of Bob the Builder (along with many other characters on that show) and he couldn’t do a damn thing around the house. If you notice on the show he doesn’t really do anything but make problems that Wendy then fixes and makes everything better.
Emese says:
My answer to everything… google it…
Sarah says:
I’ve been seeing all these commercials lately for Lowes that advertises help for new home owners. http://www.Lowes.com/home101 is the website they give. Supposed to have videos and all kinds of tutorials.
Also, a favorite blog of mine: http://www.younghouselove.com/. It’s a DIY blog, but their Projects tab has all kinds of ideas/tutorials, and the search bar is really helpful too for something specific.
Also, duct tape and zip ties are often very handy.
Jennifer says:
GOOGLE!
That’s how I fix everything!!!
There are DIY tutorials on just about everything. So far I have installed a shower, toilet, sink, new faucet, replaced the keyboard in my laptop, and fixed my car thanks to Google!
abby says:
Subscribe to ‘This Old House’ magazine… def. worth the $10 subscription!
Kristi says:
GOOGLE! Seriously, I’ve hung ceiling fans, changed electrical plugs, replaced toilets, you name it. Somebody out there has made a how to video for about everything. Also, in my experience, finding an older orange aproned guy at the Home Depot is usually very helpful. They will often hire former electricians and plumbers, etc. who are retired and want to get out of the house. These guys are great! I’ve even brought in photos of my first attempt at a repair. They are good natured and laugh. Then they are really patient and will tell me how to repair my repair and then solve the problem. It’s all trial and error, you’ll be fine! Good luck and congrats!
Jackie F. says:
Google will be your new best friend! Has to be google though…all those other search engines suck! Take it from an IT person. When I’m researching a problem, I swear by Google!
Becky Mochaface says:
I found a great book called 1001 Do-It-Yourself Hints & Tips from Readers Digest that is full of little tips on how to fix just about everything around the house. I mean everything. Electrical. Plumbing. Yard work. I haven’t found a problem that’s not in this book yet.
statia says:
In the beginning, you’ll be compelled to call someone to fix it for you, but that stuff gets expensive, fast. When we first moved in, I hired a painter to paint the ENTIRE 3,000 of our house (to be fair, I had an 8 week old), it cost a fortune. If something broke, we called someone. One time, we called someone because our heat stopped working. We paid 80 bucks to have someone come out and tell us that we stupidly turned the burner switch off.
Four years later, we know how to replace drywall, fix a garbage disposal, remove mold, etc.
Basically, it’s trial and error. Practice, and frugality. Learn what you’re capable of, but more importantly, learn what your limits are. Youtube is great for things, like everyone says, but sometimes, it’ll end up costing you more money in the long run if you attempt something beyond your ability and then make the problem worse.
Karla says:
Hey Mike – Check out this new blog co-authored by my husband. http://www.fixin4success.blogspot.com He and his friend have just begun documenting their successful, although somewhat unprofessional, fixes and are proud to be sharing them with others like themselves and you. Enjoy, and good luck. You can do it!
Meg says:
At least you already have tools! When we moved into our place, my husband’s tool box had computer parts in it. So he got a bunch of tools for Christmas, and then my dad would comment on how he couldn’t believe the drill and wrenches were still in the wrapping, as if he expected my nerd husband to suddenly learn how to DO things. Thankfully, my parents live 10 minutes away and my dad will come over and fix things when I call him all frantic.
Kristen McD says:
For sure YouTube and Ace Hardware. My husband is gone all the time, and King of Half Finished Projects. YouTube and Ace help me pick up most of his slack. lol
Penbleth says:
Mike, there’s an acronym for this GALMI – Get A Little Man In, or in these days of equality – GALWI.
There is no need to DIY. Really.
J. P Martin says:
I don’t know if you are familiar with “The Red Green Show” (it was a big thing in Canada for many years). I am sure you can find in online or through the CBC website. He did amazing things with duct tape.
Jennifer says:
online videos!! my husband and I are complete and utter ignoramuses about fixing things, but a quick google search that includes the word “video”, and we are golden!! Things that seem so impossible usually turn out to be so easy when you watch someone doing it!!
Colleen says:
You can try my husband’s method:
1. Try
2. Fail
3. CURSE LOUDLY, scaring everyone and alerting the neighbors to possible meltdown at P30 Wallabee Lane (Nemo anyone?)
4. Break something, preferably something patchable
5. Have an epiphany on how it should be done
6. Try again… and again… and again…
7. Eventually succeed
8. Fix all the shit you broke in the process
9. Have a beer. Flip a burger on the grill. Do a SWOT analysis on the project.
10. Leave all the power tools out for a week because you are too tired to put them away… pissing your wife off in the process.
p.s. If you are going to use duct tape to fix garden hoses make sure to use a lot and wrap up and down the hose a lot. Otherwise the leak will eventually make a sticky, messy flap that Annie will inevitably find and put somewhere she’s not supposed to.
Kristin says:
Just tell Heather that you are hiring someone to fix things because that’s your way of helping to improve the economy.
Jess says:
Immediately after we bought our house, I got a job at Lowe’s… I get discounts and awesome advice from people I trust.
Shawna says:
don’t freak, the internet and library are your friend.
But sometimes you just have to call in a repairman.
Our A/C just flooded my daughter’s room today, and we can’t fix the drain ourselves. And it’s Texas, it’s been 99 degrees regular, so this is something that just has to be fixed. It does no good for me to cry, to get angry with myself or DH for not knowing what we are doing, we just gotta cope.
lauren says:
there are highly skilled and trained people who can fix things for you….
Ray says:
This entry was just too funny. Love that photo. There has to be some fun “Mr. Fix It” book you can find online or something. Or a website. Good luck with the new house. May you not have to fix anything for a LONG time!