Took 4 hours to fix a loose outlet cover because I had the wrong screwdriver

I was swapping out a standard outlet cover in the living room and the new plate screws just wouldn't catch. After 30 minutes of trying different screws from my junk drawer, I gave up and called an electrician friend. He drove over and in two seconds told me I needed a #1 Phillips instead of the #2 I was using. I spent over 4 hours total driving to the hardware store and back just for that tiny difference. So now I'm wondering, is it better to keep a full set of screwdrivers on hand or just call someone right away when a simple fix goes wrong? Has anyone else had a small home repair spiral into a half day project over something this basic?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_simon1mo ago

First mistake was driving to the store for one screwdriver.

tarabell1mo ago

The trick that finally worked for me was keeping a small box in my trunk with common hardware bits. Just a handful of screws, wall anchors, and picture hangers in a cheap tackle box. Saves me from making that "quick trip" that somehow eats up an hour of my afternoon (plus gas money).

victorh811mo ago

Had a very similar thing happen with my bathroom fan cover. Spent a solid 45 minutes trying to force a flathead into a tiny cross slot. Stripped the hole, then had to drill it out later. My neighbor came over and handed me a precision screwdriver set with like 15 different bits. The whole thing took him maybe two minutes. Now I keep a cheap little multitool in the kitchen junk drawer with all the common bits. Saves me those angry trips to the hardware store where I know I'm the dumbest guy in the building.