7 Easy Projects for New Homeowners

Congratulations on your new home! Homeownership means you are free to make the place your own. Owning is truly liberating after renting - you no longer need to rely on a landlord’s approval for hanging pictures or replacing broken fixtures. On the flip side, it’s now down to you to fix or change things you’re not happy with. While we recommend that you live in your new home a bit before you renovate it, there are a handful of easy home DIY projects every first-time homeowner should consider tackling over a weekend. Take a quick look at what’s to come: 

Repair the little things

Get in the garden

Set up your recycling and compost

Get your mind in the gutter

If in doubt, paint it

Make a good first impression with your entrance

Set up your storage

Let’s get into it!

1. Repair the little things

Before you even move furniture in, it’s a good idea to walk around and identify all the small repairs that need to be done. This will be much easier to do in an empty house. Check for things like holes in walls, loose floorboards, scuffs, chipped paint, wonky curtain rail, and faulty window latches. You might end up with a pretty big list of small jobs, but if you plan it outright you can get these done in a weekend.

Now armed with your job list, hit up your hardware store for materials and bits. Think latches, screws, paint, plaster - whatever might be required for patch-ups or quick fixes. For any jobs that require tools or equipment that you don’t have, your local Hirepool branch can help you out. 

If you do this early on, you won’t run the risk of forgetting to do repairs later as you get used to your new home. Small issues now can become big repairs in the future!

2. Get in the garden 

Some of us manage to purchase a home with a pristine garden, but they’re in the minority in New Zealand. There’s a good chance that there are, at the very least, a few overgrown trees needing a trim or removal to let in light or a wild hedge needing taming. At the more extreme end of the scale, you might be encountering a totally unkempt property with waist-height grass. 

As soon as you move in, you should get the outside property tidied up as much as possible. Hiring good quality gear and a trailer to transport it will let you get the job done faster and smarter. Head on over to our landscaping guides to help you get started on these garden jobs.

Lawn Mower

If you’ve got one, great! If you are still to acquire a mower, however, we’d recommend hiring a high-quality one. We keep our lawn mowers maintained, sharpened and ready to tackle big jobs. For an overgrown lawn, many smaller mowers might actually struggle to get it done, needing multiple go-overs. You can chat to us about your lawn and we’ll set you up with one of ours to get it done fast.

Weed eater

Getting through scrub, weeds and bushes is a bloody strenuous job done manually, especially if there’s a lot of it. A weed eater will cut down the off-lawn grassy areas without issue. A blade-equipped scrub cutter can get through the thicker stuff with no problem. You might even need it to shorten jungle-like grass before attacking it with a mower.  Get a really good weed eater or scrub cutter from your local Hirepool - we only stock the best weed eaters and scrub cutters for our customers to use. 

Hedge trimmer

That wild hedge we talked about? Don’t spend ages cutting that back with clippers - hire a decent hedge trimmer and have the job done in minutes. At Hirepool we have standard hedge trimmers and telescopic hedge trimmers for trimming at height. And if you need some tips about how to safely use a hedge trimmer for a great-looking result, go check out our guide.

Pruning Saws

You can reach those taller overhanging trees with a pole saw - a mechanical saw that is mounted onto a long pole. For branches and trees within safe reach, simply hire a chainsaw. Check out our video on chainsaw tips and tricks if you need a little more guidance! 

Mulcher

Before turfing the offcuts of your outdoor maintenance frenzy, consider what nutritional needs your garden might need. A mulcher can turn your green waste into useful soil covering material. And if you have some decent branch/tree cuts, you might even have enough to make wood chips for adding a nicely landscaped look around your plants. 

Trailers

Take all these lovely branches, weeds, leaves and dirt off the property and to a refuse station that accepts green waste. These big jobs aren’t exactly a weekly occurrence so many of us can’t justify owning a trailer. Luckily you can hire one from us, knowing you’ll get something that’s up to the job. 

3. Set up your recycling and compost 

If you’re planning on being in your home for a long time, now’s the right time to establish good recycling habits and a composting system. By making your own compost bin you can minimize the amount of food wastage. On the other side, you can put in a raised garden bed and plant home produce - looks great, is friendly on the pocket - and environment!

4. Get your mind in the gutter  

No, not that way! But you should think about your gutters and drains the moment you’ve settled on the purchase. Sure, there are more exciting things to consider, but unmaintained guttering is something you’ll really care about when you’ve got overflows, blockages or worst still, leaks. Ideally, your builder's report will have identified any actual damage to the gutters, but a whip around before move-in day to check any leaf/dirt buildup is a recommended addition to your list. 

Make sure you can access the roof and gutter safely and never climb a ladder unless you’re sure its footing is stable. Hire a good ladder or mobile scaffolding from us and do it safely!

Source

5. If in doubt, paint it  

Moved into a home with ugly wallpaper or a colour that makes you feel ill? Yeah, we’ve been there. Sometimes all a space calls for is a quick coat of paint - you'd be surprised how modernised a room becomes with a clean neutral wall colour. If you have some questionable-patterned wallpaper, chances are it's been there for a while. That’s why a wallpaper steamer can be used to get it off quickly and hassle-free.

To prepare walls for decorating, sanding is often needed.  Again, doing this manually can be pretty tough work, so make life easier with a decent wall board sander from Hirepool. And finally, get one of those ladders or mobile scaffolds we talked about for your indoor decorating - no need to stretch for those tricky corners.

Source: The Spruce

 6. Make a good first impression with your entrance 

Chances are your friends and family will be excited to call in and check out your new slice of the Kiwi dream. If you’re looking for that “WOW!” reaction, gussying up your entranceway is a good start - first impressions count and all that! 

First, powerwash the pathway leading up to the door with a water blaster. This will not only make the place look nicer, but it’ll also reduce the dirt people tread into your new home’s carpet (there’s always one).  

Onto the front door. Think seriously about sanding it back and repainting it with a colour to your liking (some colour coordination with the rest of home isn’t a bad idea either). With your fresh new door, why not dress up the entranceway with some plants - either potted or in planter boxes. You might even have room to hang them - just avoid placing them at head height!

Now for the finishing touches. Update the light fitting at your front door. You may look to replace the bulb with something brighter, too. And finally - the house number. You’ll find all kinds of styles of house numbering at your local homewares store that you can DIY to fit the colour and style of your home. 

This place is really taking shape now - almost ready to move in! But first...

7. Set up your storage  

Trust us - as you move your belongings into a house, you quickly become aware of the storage available - or lacking.  Take some time to look for some shelf ideas for extra storage - as there are so many options to choose from. Spend a weekend adding shelves to your wardrobes, building shelves in your garage or look into built-in storage like bookshelves or floating shelves to store and display your favourite belongings and home decor pieces. 

Make that project even easier with the right equipment!

We have a variety of tools and equipment to help you make your new house a home you’ll be proud to show off to family and friends. Get in touch with your local branch to talk about selecting the right gear to get started or if you know what gear you are after, book it online now.