Been a DIY guy most of my life, but there is a down side; I had to build a two-car detached garage to store all the specialty tools I've bought over the last 45 years, some of which I only used once.
Been a DIY guy most of my life, but there is a down side; I had to build a two-car detached garage to store all the specialty tools I've bought over the last 45 years, some of which I only used once.
Finished this project. Now it has a drain pan (did not have one before) and dielectric unions. Next plumbing project is replacing both outside hose bibs.
I bought the house my grandpa built and lived in since 1942 in the mid '90s. My dad and I re-wired it before I moved in. Somehow passed inspection on the first try. I gutted the bathroom and re did the kitchen right after moving in. Finished half of the basement after we had kids. Blew in tons of insulation. Built a 16x24 deck and a 10x30 porch.
Only things I've farmed out were replacement windows, roof, and siding.
In addition to my building, plumbing, wiring, and fixing skills, I have also discovered that my feng shui is wery stwong.
I picked out all the colors for the roof, siding, and porch/deck all by myself. Typically, I'd have left that to the wife. But after a month of her going back and forth on the color of the shingles and the ordering deadline looming, I had to take over. She doubted everything I picked. Her only contribution to the design was the porch ceiling. She wanted old barn wood. Multiple colors of old barn wood.
My son and I started hanging it but our OCD flared up trying to keep a randomized pattern. It was taking forever, so we stopped, drank several beers, and resumed with far less s**ts to give. We were making great progress, but my son had to leave so the wife started helping me. She immediately started second guessing ever board I asked for. I went inside and grabbed a bottle of wine from the fridge and made her drink it pirate style, straight outta the bottle. After that, we finish up in no time.
My family calls me for everything outside of my career scope(IT). I have been doing construction stuff since I was 11. I am getting ready to replace my first furnace. I have done walls, roof, siding, doors, window, electric, plumbing, flooring(laminate, vinyl, tile). I keep telling my 19 yr old son he needs to learn, but he says I get mad at him too much. I have done lot's of my own car repairs, but sometimes I have to find someone because I don't have a garage. I could build a house from the ground up!
I dont pay anyone to fix my stuff ever. Or build my building. Im too damn tight/cheap with my money. While I know it is done right. And I love good tools(I dont buy from harbor freight). After doing it for my entire life, Im tired of it. It takes alot of time, that I dont have now with 2 little kids. I have spent alot of money in the past 2 years buy things instead of building/making them like I did for 20 years. Just to have more time. Still us my 3d printer alot though.
I just order my furnace control board from my hospital bed. I wont be able to install it. So I will have to have my dad come up and my wife be his assistant.
When my dad told me a 3 or 4 years ago he was having some one else work on one of his tractors. I was shocked. Never thought he would do that. With being the son of poor farmer who couldn't afford to pay others to fix something. He doesn't have other do work for him either. But he doesn't have the time either. But he has too many projects and keeps buying more. He would sell a few he wouldn't have to pay others. But thats another story.
I can't afford to pay someone to work on my stuff when I make half of what they do. I "make" more repairing my own car that I do going to work. Main issue - while learning to actually repair the problem I break several other things along the way.
My wife went to Home Depot yesterday and ordered a new piece of laminate countertop and a new faucet for our laundry room. Cost of materials was about $900 with tax but the installed total was going to be $1800+. There was a line item in the invoice of $450 for disconnecting the old faucet and installing the new one. Simply outrageous for a simple job that will take 10-15 minutes. Needless to say, I convinced her to cancel her order. I'll do it myself.