BUFFALO, N.Y. — Repairing a home can be expensive, but it doesn't have to be. With the help of University Heights Tool Library, handymen and women can check everything off the springtime repair list without breaking the bank.

The non-profit offers memberships for as low as $20 a month, which lets members take out up to five tools each week. 

The tool library on West Northrup Place also helps with the bigger picture. Community events are held to focus on beautifying neighborhoods as a whole.

"So not only fixing up your home but you know let's plant 20 trees on your street or how to we turn the side of this vacant building into a canvas for public art. So really trying to think outside of just you know hanging a bookshelf or putting in a new floor but how do we begin using these tools to address quality of life issues in a lot of our neighborhoods," said founder Darren Cotton.

Working with block clubs and other groups, simple improvements are going a long way to spruce up parts of the city. 

"We think of community development and economic development as Canalside and the medical campus but it really is these very small changes but cumulatively over the course of you know a couple of years they have a huge impact," said Cotton.

If you're not even sure how to use the tools for a repair, they can help with that too. Workshops are held at the Community Laboratory next door. Even if there isn't a workshop with the topic you want to teach or learn from, that can be discussed as well.

The library is open Tuesday through Sunday and open to the public.