Install — things worth installing yourself.

A handpicked, carefully written library of install guides — from the satisfying small jobs you can finish before lunch, to the weekend-long projects worth the sawdust. Install is one of seven task lanes on HowTo: Home Edition. It covers the projects where you're bringing something new in: a faucet, a backsplash, a TV mount, a smart thermostat. If something's already broken, that's Repair. If you're making it from scratch, that's Build. Install is the middle path — the manufactured object exists, your job is to get it onto your wall, your floor, your ceiling, or into your plumbing run.

How to use this lane

The 428 install guides on the site are organized two ways. By room (browse below), or via the search bar at the top of every page if you know exactly what you're installing. Every guide is a leaf article that tells you the time estimate, the cost estimate, the tools you'll need, the difficulty level, and 6-12 steps written by someone who has actually done the install. We never invent a step. We never skip the prep. We never tell you a 4-hour project is a 90-minute project. The point of this lane is to be the friend who's done it before, not the marketing copy on the back of the box.

Install by room — the 10 hubs

Kitchen — 78 install guides

Faucets, fixtures, backsplashes, and the under-cabinet lighting you'll wonder how you lived without. The kitchen is where install pays off fastest in resale dollars and daily-use joy. Browse all kitchen installs →

Bathroom — 51 install guides

Showerheads, vanities, tile, and the great unsung pleasure of a properly-mounted toilet paper holder. Bathrooms are forgiving for first-timers because most fixtures have a finite number of pipes to attach to. Browse all bathroom installs →

Bedroom — 38 install guides

Closets, headboards, blackout shades, and the kind of dimmer that earns back its install in three nights. The bedroom is the room where small installs have outsized impact on sleep quality and morning mood. Browse all bedroom installs →

Living Room — 47 install guides

TV mounts, floating shelves, picture rails, and the floor lamp wiring you've been meaning to redo. The living room is the demo room — install projects here get the most "how did you do that?" questions per square foot. Browse all living room installs →

Garage — 33 install guides

Slat walls, overhead racks, outlets, and a workbench that doesn't wobble when you actually need it. Garage installs convert dead vertical space into stored gear, and most can be done with stock hardware from a single trip to the hardware store. Browse all garage installs →

Basement — 22 install guides

Sump pumps, egress windows, dehumidifiers, and the framing-from-scratch projects that finally finish a space. Basement installs lean utility-first; this is the room where moisture management and air quality earn their keep. Browse all basement installs →

Attic — 14 install guides

Insulation, pull-down stairs, ventilation, and turning the dustiest room in the house into the quietest. Attic installs pay back in heating and cooling savings — every batt of insulation is a check the utility company keeps writing. Browse all attic installs →

Exterior — 41 install guides

House numbers, mailboxes, smart locks, and the porch light that makes the whole front of the house make sense. Exterior installs are where curb appeal lives — small changes here visibly age (or de-age) a house. Browse all exterior installs →

Deck & Patio — 29 install guides

Pavers, pergolas, string lights, and the outdoor outlet that turns a backyard into a room. Deck and patio installs are the seasonal projects worth doing in March so you have May through October to use them. Browse all deck & patio installs →

Lawn & Garden — 56 install guides

Raised beds, drip irrigation, fence posts, and gates that latch like they cost more than they did. Lawn and garden installs are the lowest-stakes way to learn install fundamentals — measure, level, fasten — because the worst-case failure mode is a wobbly gate, not a flooded basement. Browse all lawn & garden installs →

The five most-searched install guides on the site

If you're not sure where to start, these are the projects readers come here for most often. All five are intermediate-level — within reach of a careful first-timer with the right tools and a free weekend.

• How to tile a kitchen backsplash. One weekend, $180–$420 in materials, intermediate. The single highest-ROI kitchen install — visible from every angle, immediately upgrades a tired kitchen.
• How to install a kitchen faucet. 60–90 minutes, $80–$300 in materials, beginner-to-intermediate. A like-for-like swap is the right first plumbing install.
• How to mount a TV on the wall. 90 minutes, $30–$200 in materials, beginner. Stud-finder, level, lag bolts. Hide the cables in the wall if you're feeling brave.
• How to install a toilet. 2 hours, $150–$500 in materials, intermediate. Wax ring, closet bolts, supply line — get the wax ring right and the rest is easy.
• How to install blackout shades. 30 minutes, $50–$200 in materials, beginner. Inside-mount or outside-mount; the brackets are the whole job.

What "install" means here vs. what it doesn't

Install on HowTo: Home Edition specifically means: taking a finished, manufactured object and getting it functional in your home. That includes physical mounting (TV brackets, shelf brackets, faucet mounting nuts), connection to existing systems (water supply, electrical, ventilation), and configuration where applicable (programming a smart thermostat, dialing in dimmer compatibility).

It does NOT include: building things from raw materials (that's Build), repairing things that already exist (that's Repair), or major renovations involving multiple trades and permits (that's General Contracting). It also doesn't include appliance repair under warranty — call the manufacturer for that, you'll void the warranty if you DIY.

When install becomes a pro call

Most installs are within DIY range, but a few categories aren't worth the risk.

• Anything that requires a permit you don't have. Unpermitted work fails inspection at resale and voids most homeowner insurance. If the install requires a permit (panel work, gas line, anything structural), the permit usually requires a licensed trade.
• Refrigerant-handling HVAC work. EPA-licensed only. A new mini-split installation involves brazing and refrigerant charging that an unlicensed install can't legally do.
• In-wall plumbing. Fixture-to-shutoff is fair game; behind-the-wall pipe is not. Soldered or PEX-crimped pipe inside a wall cavity should be a pro install — a slow leak behind drywall is a $20,000 mistake.
• Electrical panel work. Adding a new circuit, replacing a breaker, anything inside the panel — code violation, fire risk, and almost always requires a permit. Hire an electrician.
• Anything two stories up. Rooftop satellite dishes, second-story window treatments, exterior lighting at height. Heights don't multiply risk linearly; falls from above 8 feet are the most common DIY injury.

Tools that pay back across multiple installs

You don't need a workshop to install. You do need eight or nine tools that show up in nearly every install guide. If you're new to installing, this is the kit to build first.

• Stud finder ($25). The single most-used tool across all installs. Magnetic for finding fasteners, electronic for finding the studs themselves. Get the electronic one.
• 4-foot level ($30). Shorter levels lie. A 4-foot reads true across most installs. The bubble matters more than the price.
• Cordless drill plus impact driver ($150 for a kit). Drill bores holes; impact driver sinks fasteners. Owning both saves an hour on any install with more than 4 fasteners.
• Combination square ($20). Marking, transferring, checking square on every wall fixture. The carpenter's secret weapon.
• Stud-and-cavity scanner ($60). Upgrades the basic stud finder by also detecting wires and pipes inside walls. Worth it before any drilling near plumbing or electrical.
• Safety glasses and N95 dust masks ($15). Drilling into drywall, ceramic, or wood throws particulates. Lung-and-eye protection is the cheapest insurance on the list.
• Painter's tape ($8). Mark drill positions, mask edges before caulk, label hardware bags. A roll of blue tape disappears across a year of installs.
• Adjustable crescent wrench ($18). The only wrench you'll need for plumbing fixtures. A second one (smaller) is useful for back-of-faucet work.
• Voltage tester ($15). Confirms power is actually off at the outlet or fixture before you touch wires. Non-negotiable for any electrical install, even like-for-like fixture swaps.

Permits, code, and inspections — what every installer should know

Most home installs don't require a permit. Some do. The cost of skipping a required permit is not the $50–$500 permit fee — it's the failed-inspection unwind at resale, the voided insurance claim after a fire, and the angry letter from the city when a neighbor reports the unpermitted work. Here's the rough cut on what triggers a permit in most U.S. jurisdictions (always confirm with your local building department before starting):

• Always permitted: New circuits, panel work, gas line work, water heater replacement, anything structural, anything that changes the building footprint.
• Sometimes permitted (varies by city): Like-for-like water heater swap, finished basement (the framing), new exterior doors, replacement windows, deck builds over a certain size.
• Rarely permitted: Fixture swaps (faucet, toilet, light fixture), cabinet hardware, paint, flooring, drywall patches, anything cosmetic.

The two-minute permit check: call your local building department during business hours, describe the project, ask "do I need a permit for this?" They'll tell you yes or no in under a minute and the call costs nothing. Skip it only on cosmetic work that you're certain falls into the "rarely permitted" bucket.

Returns, warranties, and the install paperwork that matters

Three documents to keep for every install — staple them inside the appliance manual, drop them in a "house file" folder, or scan them to cloud storage. They turn a 3am emergency into a 30-minute fix.

• The receipt. Proof of purchase for warranty claims and (for big-ticket installs) for cost-basis documentation when you sell the house. Snap a photo immediately — paper receipts fade.
• The manufacturer warranty card. Most product warranties require registration to be valid. Spend 60 seconds on the manufacturer site and register everything within a week of installation.
• The model and serial numbers. Photograph the data plate (usually on the side or back of the appliance). When something fails, the serial number is the first thing customer support asks for, and it's usually on the part of the unit that's now bolted to a wall behind another appliance.

Install difficulty — what each tier really means

Every install guide on the site is rated Beginner, Intermediate, or Advanced. The labels are calibrated against a homeowner with no professional background and one weekend free.

Beginner — "anyone can do this with the right tools"

Examples: cabinet hardware, towel bars, picture rails, plug-in under-cabinet LED strips, blackout shades, smart bulbs, doorbell cameras. Risk of property damage is near-zero. Failure mode is wobbly mount or misalignment, both fixable with another 10 minutes. Tools required are mostly hand tools and a drill. Most projects under $100 in materials. Right place to start if you've never installed anything.

Intermediate — "doable with a free Saturday and patience"

Examples: kitchen faucet replacement, garbage disposal, backsplash tile, dishwasher install, range hood, TV mount with in-wall cable, ceiling-fan replacement. Real failure modes — water leaks, wiring mistakes, mismatched parts. Cost of getting it wrong: a service call to fix what you broke, or a damaged finish that needs repair. Tools include power drill, sometimes a wet saw or stud-and-cavity scanner.

Advanced — "I've done this before and have the right gear"

Examples: pendant lights with new wiring runs, sub-panel work, in-wall speaker installation, custom cabinetry, finished basement framing, bathroom fan with new ducting. Multiple skills compound — electrical AND drywall AND finishing AND code knowledge. Often requires a permit. Failure modes include code violations and the kinds of damage that aren't obvious until a year later. If you're not sure you're advanced, you're not.

Five mistakes that kill more installs than any others

We've watched these patterns repeat across every kind of install — kitchen, bathroom, exterior, lighting. The five recurring failure modes:

• Skipping the dry-fit. Whether it's a TV bracket, a tile layout, a faucet under the sink, or a smart thermostat — every install where two parts come together gets a dry-fit before the permanent attachment. Skipping it is the most common rookie mistake and the most expensive one to recover from.
• Buying short on materials. Tile waste runs 15%, paint coverage assumes one perfect coat, hardware fasteners include the one you'll drop in the heat vent. Always buy 10–15% more than the math says you need; return what you don't use.
• Working without confirming power-off or water-off. Voltage testers cost $15. Shutoff tests cost five minutes. Skipping both is how DIYers find out — once — what a real electrical fault feels like and what a one-PSI water spray does to drywall.
• Reading the manual after a step has gone wrong. The manual covers the failure mode you're now in. Read all the manual once before starting, then keep it open on the floor next to you. Manufacturers know what goes wrong; the manual usually says how to recover.
• Calling the install "done" without testing under load. A new faucet should run at full pressure for two minutes with the cabinet empty so you can watch for drips. A new TV mount should hold the TV plus a 10-pound test weight for an hour. A new outlet should run a real load (vacuum, not a phone charger) for ten minutes. Discovering a problem at 6pm Sunday is fixable; discovering it Monday morning is a service call.

Reading an install guide on this site

Every install guide on HowTo: Home Edition follows the same structure — quick answer at the top, then time / cost / tools / difficulty in a spec strip, then 6-12 numbered steps with the prep, the work, and the cure time broken out separately. Below the steps you'll find a troubleshooting section (the things that go wrong, with how to recover), reader notes (the small adjustments people send in after running the guide themselves), and sideways links (related installs you might pair with this one). Skim everything before you start. Buy materials with 10-15% overage. Set up the tools before you open the box of the thing you're installing.

The site search bar at the top of every page accepts natural-language questions — type "how do I install a kitchen faucet" or just "kitchen faucet" and the search will route you to the right guide. If a guide doesn't exist for what you're searching, our content engine Iris will write a fresh guide on the fly, in your language, in about 12 seconds. The first person to ever search a topic gets the holding page that says "Iris is writing it right now." That's the moment a brand new guide gets created on this site — happens dozens of times a day across our seven languages.

One last thing — what to install before guests arrive

Two installs deliver the most disproportionate "wow this is a different house" reaction from anyone who hasn't seen the place in a year. If you have one weekend before company comes, this is the order: install dimmer switches in the rooms guests will spend time in (90 minutes for three rooms, $45 per dimmer, completely changes the evening light), then install a smart lock on the front door (45 minutes, $200) so you can let people in from your phone instead of waiting up. Both are intermediate-level electrical and door-hardware work; both deliver compound payback long after the guests leave.

The honest secret of installing things in your own home: nothing trains your eye like doing the work. After ten installs you start seeing every fixture in a hardware store as a project plan — the parts, the tools, the steps, the morning you'd actually start. That mental shift is worth more than any single install you'll ever do. Welcome to the lane.