Most of the time a homeowner or Contractor will be able to rent specific power tools for an unusual job. Let's say you have to remove a crumbling section of sidewalk. Do you go out and purchase a jackhammer, tamper, hammer drill and all the concrete finishing tools to properly take on the job?

No you don't. Most 1/2 inch drills will have the hammer drill function built in. Make sure you check to see it has that capability.

This other power tool will be needed to tie in the new concrete to the existing foundation if that is what you've planned to do.

Renting the jackhammer and tamper makes more sense unless you're thinking of doing some jobs for the folks in the neighborhood.  Purchasing these items could cost you 600 dollars or more. That is just one example of the things that could need attention.

Adding a Hot tub, swimming pool, or maybe a picturesque waterfall could bring about the addition of more tools, but at this point most of us would hire a capable and reliable Contractor for jobs this size.

As a seasoned homeowner you probably have most of the power tools needed to take on most jobs. Many will have access to other specialty tools through neighbors or close friends. Don't brush off the occasional garage sale or auction. This is where you could potentially get amazing deals on unique power tools for that specialty job you've wanted to do for years.

Make sure you have the time to tackle a big job. There is nothing worse than asking the family to live in an unsafe, cluttered and dirty home.

A few years ago, if you had big projects to do that required a lot of power, corded tools were the way to go. Cordless tools were weaker and would require frequent recharging to get through larger jobs. These days though, cordless tools have more power, battery life is improving, and batteries are getting lighter.

The greatest improvement in batteries has been the introduction of a lithium battery for cordless tools. They are much lighter than older batteries and can last twice as long per charge as the others. Also, tools using traditional batteries lose power as the battery loses its charge. The new lithium batteries will run a tool at full power until the charge is depleted. Finally, lithium batteries allow tools to have a higher voltage and more power while still weighing the same as their corded counterparts.

Now that the power gap is narrowing between corded and cordless tools, the deciding factor may become price. While the lighter and more powerful cordless tools are available, they are also more expensive. If you are comparing tool quality across the board, you will be able to purchase a higher quality corded tool than you will for a cordless tool at the same price.

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The next question you need to ask yourself then, is how much tool do you need and where are you going to use it? If you are using your power tool for small projects around the house that may include places that are tough to reach if you are attached to an electrical outlet, a less powerful cordless tool might be the best investment for you. If power is important, you are doing larger projects, and will be more stationary with your tools, the corded tool is probably the best way to go.

Given these considerations, your best route may be a combination of corded and cordless tools. For example, you may need a powerful saw, but not a very powerful drill. When you are looking at cordless tools, you can also find kits that come with many tools, one or two shared batteries, and a charger. You’ll want to pick your brand carefully in this case, because batteries will be different for each tool brand and for the most part will not be interchangeable.