When you need some improvements done on your building, the first people you contact are remodeling contractors. They have years of experience and extensive knowledge when it comes to remodeling specific areas of your structure. However, you might wonder about the different types of tools they use to do the remodeling.
You can find many tools that remodeling contractors use, and each of them has a purpose. Some tools are small, while others need several people to operate them. Knowing the tools that a contractor is likely to use allows a commercial building owner to be more involved in the process.
Basic Renovation Tools
Every remodeling contractor needs to have essential renovation tools that they can use for both residential and commercial buildings. Some examples of crucial renovation tools they use include:
- Hammers: You can’t put nails in without a hammer. Modern hammers now have a sturdier handle that can withstand years of stress than hammers with wooden handles. They also have rubber grips to prevent slipping from the contractor’s hands.
- Ladders: Whenever your contractor needs to access high areas, they will need to use a ladder. Some remodeling contractors prefer retractable ladders to foldable ones because they can prop them against a rigid vertical surface with ease. Others would also use aluminum wall mounted ladders because it’s more secure.
- Speed Square: Also named as a ‘rafter square’ or an ‘angle rafter square,’ a speed square is a triangular multi-purpose measuring tool that carpenters and most contractors need to create precise measurements, especially when remodeling.
- Pliers: Another handy tool that remodeling contractors use to cut, bend, and compress different materials. However, they commonly use pliers to cut electrical and small metal wires.
- Scrapers: Contractors use scrapers whenever they need to remove paint from a surface, such as on a door or window.
- Screwdrivers: When your contractor needs to put things together with screws, they use a screwdriver. In some cases, contractors outfit a drill with a flat or crosshead screwdriver tip to tighten or loosen screws fast.
- Leveler: No contractor can determine if the surface is level or not without using a leveling tool. Having an uneven floor level can become inconvenient for people, especially when working on a stable desk.
Advanced Remodeling Tools
The tools mentioned above were some of the many essential renovation tools that contractors use. The following tools are advanced and rely more on computers than human skills. Some advanced tools include:
- Pipe and Cable Detectors: Contractors need to inspect the walls for pipes and cables before they cut into walls, ceilings, or floors. The lines and cables may still be in perfect condition, and destroying them will cause issues during the remodeling process. It also means building owners may need to pay for the damages, especially if the contractors aren’t insured. So they use pipe and cable detectors to locate pipes and cables for this reason.
- Stud Sensors: One other advanced remodeling tool contractors use stud sensors. A stud sensor is a small device that lets remodeling contractors find studs on the walls. They must find the studs whenever they’re installing wall appliances or fixtures because they can’t hold their weight without the help of studs.
- Voltmeters: Usually, electricians use voltmeters to tell whether there’s electricity flowing through a socket. However, remodeling contractors use them as well to determine whether the sockets they touch are safe. Contractors have encountered many instances when they would get electrocuted because they thought the entire commercial building had its circuit breaker shut off.
Power Tools
Nowadays, remodeling contractors need to finish their jobs as quickly as possible, and that is why they need power tools. Some specific power tools you need to know about are:
- Power Drill: The most common power tool you can find with any contractor is a power drill. They use it to drill through surfaces, such as wood and plastic. Besides using it for drilling, they can also replace the tip with a screwdriver to screw and unscrew quickly.
- Jigsaw: Contractors use the jigsaw to cut irregular curves in metals, wood, and other materials. It replaces the basic saw and can cut the material faster.
- Compound Miter Saw: If they need to cut wood planks precisely, the compound miter saw can cut through it with ease.
Keep in mind the different tools that remodeling contractors use whenever you’re watching how they work. It lets you know if the remodeling contractors you hired are doing the job correctly.