Official Rent-a-Husband Guide to a Safe, Problem-Free Home : Quick, Easy, and Effective Solutions for Do-It-Yourself Improvement and Repairs

Since 1996, Kaile Warren's phenomenally successful handyman business, Rent-A-Husband, has dispatched a fleet of reliable, efficient, and sensitive "surrogate spouses" to take care of all those pressing but largely neglected problems in the homefrom leaky plumbing to leaky roofs, buckled floors to peeling walls, faulty sockets to sparking plugs. And now, for every woman who thinks she has a screw loose or her wires crossed (and even some men),The Official Rent-A-Husband Guide to a Safe, Problem-Free Homeprovides a painless and entertaining approach to quick and easy "fixes" for everything in need of repair or improvement inyourhome. In chapters laced with amusing anecdotes from real-life Rent-A-Husband experiences, Kaile Warren and coauthor Jane Craig give readers the know-how and confidence to: * Choose the right tool for every project and start a toolbox of their own. * Make everyday repairs to plumbing, electricity, walls and floors. * Create and build storage space. * Defuse potential household dangers. * Simplify domestic chores. * Distinguish between jobs they can handle and those best left to the pros. * Hire a reputable contractor and check up on the job he is doing. Kaile Warren's pragmatic solutions will not only fix problems with the greatest of ease, but will save readers thousands of dollars as well. His book is divided into three parts: problem-solving, space maximizing, and home safety. With this book you can learn to maintain your most important assetyour home.

Kaile R. Warren, Jr., is a native of Portland, Maine, and a former contractor who founded Rent-A-Husband in 1996. An instant success, Warren and his business have attracted the attention of the national media and have been profiled in <i>People, Good Housekeeping, The Washington Post,</i> and on <i>The Today Show</i> and <i>The Oprah Winfrey Show. </i>Rent-A-Husband is now franchised across the United States and abroad, and Warren is the resident home improvement expert on the CBS <i>Saturday Early Show.</i> He lives in Portland.

Tool Time Gals

Getting Down to Brass Tacks

Indisputably, Shakespeare was right about a name . . . as far as the rose goes, anyway. For time and space have not altered the fact that such a flower by any other name would indeed smell as sweet. But the "name game" tends to take on much higher stakes—often to the point of being a downright occupational hazard—when it comes to naming tools of the Rent-A-Husband trade. Take a recent case in point.

Arriving at the home of a family of four early one morning, Rent-A-Husband was greeted at the door by the lady of the house and her two young sons, aged five and six. His assignment for the day called for repairs to the upstairs bathroom, so he began to unload the necessary tools. It was then that he felt the piercing stares of two little sets of eyes.

Both boys were completely amazed to discover that their toy tools not only came in such big sizes but really worked (without batteries, even!). Why, there were hammers that actually pounded in nails and wrenches that could turn any size screw. Most fascinating, in their minds, however, was an item known as a caulking gun, which became the tool to have.

Extensive questioning resulted in the knowledge that the true purpose for this handy little device is to shoot a filler known as caulk (rhymes with "chalk") into bathroom cracks and crevices. But at this point, the boys' only concern was the acquisition of said item, for which they had far greater plans. The young lads threw caution to the wind and seized the first opportunity to make it their own. (Fortunately, their mother managed—after just two short rounds—to wrestle the tool from their tiny but firm clutches.)

While she was busy pointing out areas of particular concern around the sink and tub, her real husband called. In response to the question "Where's your mother?" Dad was informed, with all of the honesty and innocence a five-year-old could muster, that "Mom's upstairs with the Rent-A-Husband, showing him where to shoot his caulk."

ALL YOUR DUCKS IN A ROW

While most forays into the land of home repair do not pose imminent danger, ironically, the real stumbling block seems to lie neither in the tools, per se, nor in the average person's ability to work with them effectively. Rather, the problem appears to stem from the language barrier that separates those conversant with "all things handy" from the rest of the population. But now that you've decided to plunge into this "brave new world," here's a little inside information to cheer you on: Half of any repair problem is already solved when you know the right tool to use. (Naturally, knowing how to use it is the other half of the equation!)

Therefore, the importance of equipping yourself with a working knowledge of the local dialect prior to storming the fortress (i.e., the local hardware store) cannot be overstated.

BUT FIRST . . .

To make sure you get off to a smooth start, here are Rent-A-Husband's tips on how to prepare for the new "additions":

Designate a special area in which to store your tools. Although this doesn't have to be a very large space—whether in the basement, garage, or another part of your home—make sure to keep everything neat and orderly, with easy access. You'll really appreciate it if a pipe bursts some night at 3 a.m. (which has been known to happen!).

Buy the best you can afford. As with most other long-term material investments, it doesn't pay to cut corners when shopping for tools. So, if you think the "good wrench fairy" is smiling down on you because you've come across six for the price of one, you're probably just blinded by the glare of half a dozen shiny yet inferior wrenches that are destined to lose both their glitter and their usefulness practically before you get them home.

Shop wisely. Although you can conceivably get all you need at a variety of electrical supply, plumbing supply, and building supply megastores, the advantage to shopping at your local hardware store (especially for the beginner) is that the employees are usually well versed in just about everything related to your needs and can be extremely helpful.

Be sure to save all service manuals and receipts. In addition to making returns, such records are very handy when it comes to establishing the length of a warranty and the date of a purchase, as well as for ordering specific replacement parts.

Keep sharp and well adjusted. The tools, that is.

And always remember to inquire at the time and place of purchase where maintenance services can be had.

DOWN TO THE NUTS AND BOLTS

Even the most minor repair is going to require a starter kit of basic tools. While chances are you won't be bringing them home all at once, bear in mind that any investment you do make in this regard will undoubtedly be one of the very few to pay tangible dividends so quickly! But buyer beware: Success in home repairs has been likened to eating peanuts—it's hard to stop with just one! So, to assist in prioritizing your purchases, here are Rent-A-Husband's choices for the tools that are the most consistently reliable, valuable, and useful for long-term service. In other words, those that are worthy of a spot in anyone's Toolbox Hall of Fame.

CLAW HAMMER A 16-ounce hammer with a fiberglass handle (that will assist in cushioning the blow to your hand) is the best bet here. The curved claw gives extra leverage, whether it's used to remove nails or as a prying tool, and the weight won't wear your arm out before the task is completed.
ELECTRIC DRILL A 3/8-inch reversible model with an assortment of drill bits will give you all the power you need. Although the cordless model does offer flexibility where no electricity is available, unless you're planning a big project in a remote location, opt for the plug-in variety. Because you don't run the risk of dead batteries, it's generally better for the long haul.
WRENCHES The main purpose of a wrench is to improve your ability to grip something firmly and to apply leverage. A 10-inch, adjustable model should enable you to keep a grip on things right now. Also, look for wrenches made of drop forged steel, as they're the strongest competitors in this league.
SCREWDRIVERS Screwdrivers come in two basic types: the flat head (or single slot) and the Phillips head. Which one you should use is determined by the design of the screw you're working with (the single slot is self-explanatory, while the Phillips head looks like a cross). By starting out with a large and small version of each style, you should be able to screw anything that comes your way.

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Excerpted from The Official Rent-a-Husband Guide to a Safe, Problem-Free Home: Quick, Easy, and Effective Solutions for Do-It-Yourself Improvement and Repairs by Kaile R. Warren, Jane MacLean Craig
All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.