This is a practical illustrated guide to the basic skills needed to tackle repairs in the home. It offers practical tips for everyday maintenance and repair jobs around the home. It shows you how to repair walls, skirtings or baseboards, architraves, ceilings, windows, doors, floors and stairs. It outlines the essentials for a basic do-it-yourself tool kit, and useful information about common materials, such as nails, screws, drill bits, adhesives and sealants and fixtures and fittings. It includes a wide range of everyday repair jobs - how to fill cracks and holes, hang a door, repair wooden and solid floors, replace broken tiles and patch carpet. It offers authoritative information on appropriate clothing, safety footwear and protection against injury. When repairs are needed in the home it is an advantage to have the necessary tools, equipment and know-how to carry them out yourself yet achieve a professional result. This book will guide you every step of the way through many common repair jobs, showing you all the basic skills you need. As well as having the satisfaction of having completed the task, you will also save money.