Home improvement projects can be made so much easier just by having the right tools for the project. If you are a new homeowner and need to start collecting a set of basic tools for home repairs, the following list should give you a good start.

* Hammer. Of course, you’ll actually a few different hammers of varying sizes and weights. Make sure you have a light weight hammer for hanging pictures, and perhaps a heavier weighted hammer for building projects like extending that deck in the backyard.

* Screwdrivers, both flat head and philips head of varying sizes.

* Pliers, wrenches and a standard hacksaw. A plunger for the bathroom, a utility knife and a tape measure will round out your hand tools.

For larger projects, you’ll eventually want to invest in a good set of wood saws for building projects around the home. A few good starter pieces would be a radial arm saw for building shelves and installing wood trim, and a masonry saw for cutting brick pavers or installing a tile backsplash in the kitchen.