What Tools for a Fixer-upper
Answered by Beth Hodge

Q. My son just bought a new home - a fixer-upper. He's on a pretty tight budget, so I want to buy him some tools for Christmas, but haven't got a clue which things are important. What basic tools should be included in a tool set?

A. Well lets see. The tools I use the most are the regular old goodies: both regular/flathead and Phillips head screwdrivers, hammer, tape measure, hack saw, caulk gun, paint brushes and rollers/roller arm, utility knife.

A step up for the fixer-upper, a cordless drill with lots of different bits (these cover all your needs for screwdriver and sockets), a circular saw (slight skill needed), safety glasses, carpenter pocket apron to hold nails, screws, bolts.

Maybe even a small and sturdy stepladder for the out of reach spots - it seems to give the dining room chairs a break.