I think I’m old now …

[Albert]

The older I get I don’t want to fix shit myself . I’ve always been pretty handy but lately it’s like nah . Unless is fun cool shit like the boat or when I feel everyone is a rip off. I did lay down laminate in my master bedroom one day including the walk in closet. Everyone wanted like 1800-2200 for one day of labor ? Jesus

 

[TimeBandit]

The "want to" is fading away, but sticker shock means I'll end up doing it myself anyway.

Some of it even rubbed off on our middle daughter, she put new flooring in her condo while her hubby was at work.

D.I.Y. means we have things we would not otherwise have, "want to" or not.

 

[Ziggy]

Yup...Truth.

 

[ChrisV]

I just got a quote for 6k for my 1400sq ft house in Parker. Really don’t want to do it cause I’m so busy at work. But when I asked how long it would take. He said 2-3weeks.

Yeah that’s a no for me dawg. Guess I’m taking a week off of work.

 

[Long Way Home]

I don’t want to work off a ladder anymore, so I just got a quote on a surroundsound system install where I provide all of the material , tall ladder, 6 Yamaha speakers ,all of the wire, stereo , etc and I asked him to install six speakers in my ceiling, run the wire to the stereo, And I would do the rest of the connections. We have vaulted ceilings about 12 foot tall in the room. He he went home and emailed me a Estimate, he came back with a bill of $2500 for one day of labor, it’s expensive out there.

 

[C_J_J_C]

This thread is spot on where my wife and I are in life......

We had a rental go vacant last month and I told my wife I absolutely was not doing the refresh this time....... it wasn't horrible but it needed a ton of little things.

First issue.... the general handyman has disappeared. Everyone is a specialist and wants stupid money for their trade and only their trade.

Second issue.... they are not to busy to do a quote but they are too busy to fix the issue, which would take less time than the quote, for weeks.

So again... twelve straight 15 hour days of every general construction trade and my wife and I did it all ourselves. We should not be scrubbing toilets, installing tile and vinyl flooring, or painting anymore but we likely saved two months of downtime and $25K but every second of it I was bitching and not being nice to my assistant, aka wife.

 

[NicPaus]

I can't keep up with jobs giving fair prices. My problem is when I get to much work and try and pass it off to friends that are slow. $12-1500 a day. But they "Don't charge per day, by the job"

I worked until 930 ever night this week and a few until 10. From 6-930 I got done what would of cost me $6-800 if I subbed it out.

Went and snaked a drain 1 day. 31 minutes from time I arrived and left. 3 minutes from my house. Friends want $300. I charge my Realtor $250 it's for property management side. That house been there 3 times in a month. I think it's easy money. Everyone else cries and wants more.

 

[jetboatperformance]

The older I get I don’t want to fix shit myself . I’ve always been pretty handy but lately it’s like nah . Unless is fun cool shit like the boat or when I feel everyone is a rip off. I did lay down laminate in my master bedroom one day including the walk in closet. Everyone wanted like 1800-2200 for one day of labor ? Jesus

Totally identify < My Gardner was sick a few weeks back Had to mow my own lawn

 

[Jonas Grumby]

Some things I can’t do now that I’m an old fart. Like changing out all the springs on the Motorhome, I’m just not strong enough to wrestle the rear leaf pack in. Even with a floor jack.

 

[Albert]

Totally identify < My Gardner was sick a few weeks back Had to mow my own lawn

That’s ludicrous ! Nobody mows their lawn

 

[PlanB]

I just trenched 130' and put in 4" drain line at my Mom's house yesterday. Definitely not as easy at 57 as it was when I was younger.

 

[Mr. C]

The older I get I don’t want to fix shit myself . I’ve always been pretty handy but lately it’s like nah . Unless is fun cool shit like the boat or when I feel everyone is a rip off. I did lay down laminate in my master bedroom one day including the walk in closet. Everyone wanted like 1800-2200 for one day of labor ? Jesus

Getting old sucks for sure in some ways . And I’m there with you. But. We are looking at redoing a bathroom/ bedroom . Some want 3k for demo of carpet and move a few pieces of furniture. F that. I’ll take a little pain. And do it myself while renting a trash bin for about 500. I can cut carpet 5 ft wide and roll it up to a movable piece .

 

[lbhsbz]

I paid someone to come over and wash/detail all the cars....twice now. lol. Yep, old.

 

[NicPaus]

I paid someone to come over and wash/detail all the cars....twice now. lol. Yep, old.

Your just making to much Lol.
I asked the detailer guy how much for my truck. $350 I am not making that much. Washed it myself. He spent maybe 2 hours on my customers truck and I thought it would be around $200.

 

[lbhsbz]

Your just making to much Lol.
I asked the detailer guy how much for my truck. $350 I am not making that much. Washed it myself. He spent maybe 2 hours on my customers truck and I thought it would be around $200.

4 cars for $200, exterior wash and quick spray wax/sealer job. He was here for about 3 hours.

 

[callbob]

Installed new AEV lift with shocks and springs and a ton of other shit on my Jeep Gladiator. Just got through doing new bumper which was a pain because I didn’t want to take off my Roadmaster tow plate. Lift instructions say 4-6 hours. It took me 4 days. Bumper should have been a couple of hours, all fricken day. Getting to old at 72 to keep doing this shit, but too cheap to pay someone. Oh also dis sumo springs, heavy duty sway bar and steer safe steering stabilizer a few weeks back. I wish I had Monkeys energy. As well as his know how.

 

[Mr. C]

4 cars for $200, exterior wash and quick spray wax/sealer job. He was here for about 3 hours.

So the inside still looks like shit and smells like fast food. with carls and McDonalds bags everywhere. LMAO. jK.

Seriously. Hope you’re hanging in there with all that’s going on

 

[LazyLavey]

yep. mind says yes, body says NO

 

[81Sprint]

Just did coilovers and 1" rear blocks on my Silverado. Shop wanted 400 bucks, I did it in 6 hours, but holy shit was I sore all the next day. Yep, old.

 

[stephenkatsea]

Recently replaced our leaking 11 yr old Insinkerator. Bought the same hp and model hoping I wouldn’t have to change out the topside hardware. No joy. Plus, the friggin’ instructions say nothing about giving it a slight clockwise twist prior to doing the counterclockwise connecting twist. Fortunately YouTube helped me with that. Most difficult part of the job is contorting to fit under and in that small space under the sink. Wife kept me provided with small pillows and towels to cover those sharp cabinetry edges. Savings? Probably about $150 on parts and at least $350 on labor?

 

[sonicss31]

I did everything to maintain/repair house and cars when I lived in MD with roofing being the only exception. I’m now retired in the Keys and follow the same protocol. Mainly because I’m too OCD and quality workers are very rare in the lower Keys. That’s if they even show up.

 

[BabyRay]

A couple of weeks ago, I did some drywall patching after having our home office rewired for a built-in desk and cabinets. Got a bid for $4k, and I figured nobody was going to go low enough to make sense. Took me about a week of fiddling with it an hour or two at a time. The savings was well worth the bother.

Yesterday I did some scraping and caulking on outside trim and posts (limited area around a deck), and will be painting that after it dries out fully from last night’s thunderstorm.

I can’t see paying high prices for jobs I can handle. I will say though that I’m done with crawling under sinks to do plumbing repairs, and at 70 years of age I don’t climb tall ladders or get on the roof anymore… I still feel good enough to do it, but just don’t feel quite as confident as I used to.

 

[SoCalDave]

Just had a client in Seal Beach condo that had an upstairs toilet that was leaking through the downstairs drywall. She had cut a 10 x 16 hole where the water stains were. Called a local plumber and he quoted her $450 to pull the toilet, new wax ring and reset.
A friend referred her to me and for $600 I replaced the wax ring, patched/painted the drywall below, rescreend her patio door and fixed another small issue. Took me all of about 5 hours and she was happy in the end.

 

[Ziggy]

yep. mind says yes, body says NO

That's my issue. I plan on doing it but end up procrastinating indefinitely

 

[lbhsbz]

So the inside still looks like shit and smells like fast food. with carls and McDonalds bags everywhere. LMAO. jK.

Seriously. Hope you’re hanging in there with all that’s going on

lol…no, he did that last month.

 

[CoolCruzin]

I’m at the point where I don’t needs my tools .i just open my wallet more often.
It’s getting bad cause I was do everything.

 

[TrollerDave]

That's my issue. I plan on doing it but end up procrastinating indefinitely

I’ll look at what needs to be done, stare at it for a couple of minutes, then turn around and go watch tv.

Once I start and get going, it’s all ok, but that “getting started” part is a big hill to climb sometimes.

I won’t get into the week after for recovery.

 

[shock22]

Just did some electrical work on our house in Montgomery Texas, installed 3 GFI plugs and worked on circuit board were all the neutral and ground legs were double lugged. The electrical contractor my wife had called wanted $230.00 per GFI and $6,000.00 to install new panel. I spent 2 hours on the GFI plugs at 68 I am slow getting up and down, spent 2 hours fixing circuit box.

 

[Ziggy]

I’ll look at what needs to be done, stare at it for a couple of minutes, then turn around and go watch tv.

Once I start and get going, it’s all ok, but that “getting started” part is a big hill to climb sometimes.

I won’t get into the week after for recovery.

Aside from re-engineering the project in my mind a dozen or two times.

 

[satellitemike]

I might be falling into this old shit as well.
We are closing on a house in a few weeks and thought I would like the garage epoxy coated, looked into the materials and it would be $1000 to $1200 to do it myself and now I am thinking it might be worth the $5k to have it done?
Anyone want to help, I'll supply the beer, LOL.

 

[Tremor Therapy]

I can completely relate to this thread. Last year wifes BMW engine seized. Took it down to BMW, and they wanted over $12,000 for a reman long block installed. WTF!! Found a wrecked car, motor had 50k on the odometer, stellar vehicle service. Bought it for $4500 and did the R&R over 3 days of my time plus about $1200.

 

[Mikes56]

I paid my Laborer $25 to take to cover off my 5th wheel. I probably could have done it, but didn’t want to risk falling off the ladder or falling off the edge of the RV

 

[rivermobster]

Paid my nephew to reseal the roof on my toy hauler.

I figured that was a win for both of us.

But truth is, I'm old and just didn't want to do it!

 

[stephenkatsea]

Our youngest daughter and SIL recently visited. Daughter suggested we keep our SIL busy with projects, so . . . . He changed batts in all the smoke alarms, replaced all the AC filters, filled the water softener with rock salt, replaced the pool auto fill valve, fine tuned my previous Insinkerator installation and also did a bunch of other stuff. He’s a great guy, with the patience of a saint. He needs that, to put up with our daughter! lol.

 

[Albert]

Paid my nephew to reseal the roof on my toy hauler.

I figured that was a win for both of us.

But truth is, I'm old and just didn't want to do it!

I need mine done lol

 

[rivermobster]

I need mine done lol

He's in Acton, and I paid him well.

 

[Badchoices03]

I got a few quotes for doing a vinyl fence around rear and one side of my house, quotes were from $4000-$5000....I priced materials at about $2000 and said FK it I can do it myself with my neighbor that agreed to help...we spent 12 hours on Saturday and 10 hours on Sunday...and we are about 3/4 of the way done....I am about $2600 into it with material, tool rental (auger, cement mixer), dump run, lunches, drinks, etc....ran into some shale in the last 7 post holes and need to go rent a jack hammer to finish...all said and done I will be around $3000 into it....I am old, my back, legs, skin, head all hurt today....I should have just paid the $4000

Anyone have a jack hammer I can borrow?? LOL

 

[MPHSystems]

Think you are old or think you are young, either way, you’ll be right

FACT

 

[gqchris]

I feel like we all learned to do things ourselves because we were poor and had no choice!

As we age, we realize the time to money ratio is not worth it anymore. Due to our bodies taking a beating, or the time is so precious that we rather be vacationing then wrenching on shit!

I always tell people the story of when I was too broke to buy a starter, so I would go to the river and take out the starter from my truck and use it on the jet boat, and swap it back when going home. People are like WTF!

Money doesn't buy happiness, it just makes things more comfortable and easier to fix problems.

 

[jetboatperformance]

" she was happy in the end."

Always of importance

 

[Socalx09]

I got a few quotes for doing a vinyl fence around rear and one side of my house, quotes were from $4000-$5000....I priced materials at about $2000 and said FK it I can do it myself with my neighbor that agreed to help...we spent 12 hours on Saturday and 10 hours on Sunday...and we are about 3/4 of the way done....I am about $2600 into it with material, tool rental (auger, cement mixer), dump run, lunches, drinks, etc....ran into some shale in the last 7 post holes and need to go rent a jack hammer to finish...all said and done I will be around $3000 into it....I am old, my back, legs, skin, head all hurt today....I should have just paid the $4000

Anyone have a jack hammer I can borrow?? LOL

You are more than welcome to borrow ours. Bad pictures, but it’s in a corner.We are in the chino area

 

[bilz]

Being retired I have a little more time and a lot less money. Last Wednesday I marathoned and changed the oil on one of the Camrys, unjammed the garbage disposal, repaired a puppet stage for my wife's school, walked the dog and cooked dinner.

 

[HNL2LHC]

You are more than welcome to borrow ours. Bad pictures, but it’s in a corner.We are in the chino area View attachment 1418712 View attachment 1418713

Got the same one in Havasu garage. LOL

 

[Ricks raft]

I don’t want to work off a ladder anymore, so I just got a quote on a surroundsound system install where I provide all of the material , tall ladder, 6 Yamaha speakers ,all of the wire, stereo , etc and I asked him to install six speakers in my ceiling, run the wire to the stereo, And I would do the rest of the connections. We have vaulted ceilings about 12 foot tall in the room. He he went home and emailed me an Estimate, he came back with a bill of $2500 for one day of labor, it’s expensive out there.

Wow. I don’t charge enough. But if there’s reasonable attic space, no blocking in wall, that should be a 2-3 hr job. We’d be $250-375.

 

[NicPaus]

Just had a client in Seal Beach condo that had an upstairs toilet that was leaking through the downstairs drywall. She had cut a 10 x 16 hole where the water stains were. Called a local plumber and he quoted her $450 to pull the toilet, new wax ring and reset.
A friend referred her to me and for $600 I replaced the wax ring, patched/painted the drywall below, rescreend her patio door and fixed another small issue. Took me all of about 5 hours and she was happy in the end.

I thought $350 was high to change a wax ring. Apparently not. Got this screen shot from plumbing page on FB. When someone asked. I definitely need to start charging more.

 

[TimeBandit]

10 years or so ago I called one of those "we clear any drain for $75. or it's free" plumbers advertised in a weekly we get.

He shows up, tries to use a water closet snake and it just won't clear, he says $275. to remove and inspect toilet.

I put a $20. in his shirt pocket for effort and declined.

I pulled the toilet and found my wifes ATM card acting as a valve in the bowels of the toilet. New wax ring $5. New ATM card $free

 

[poncho]

I’ll look at what needs to be done, stare at it for a couple of minutes, then turn around and go watch tv.

Once I start and get going, it’s all ok, but that “getting started” part is a big hill to climb sometimes.

I won’t get into the week after for recovery.

Like getting a kid in the bathtub, once they're in can't get em out....Thats me.
I look at the days ahead before I start, knowing full well I'm going in 110%

 

[Chili Palmer]

Ten years ago I installed a lift pump on my Dmax Silverado with no lift. Holy crap was I sore from just rolling on the concrete, my hips, shoulders, and knees from getting up and down. It was after that day, if it was anything more than changing an air filter or adding washer fluid it was going to the shop. I also learned to hate the smell of diesel fuel that day. And don’t get me started on going up in the attic to do any work up there - sweat and blown in insulation do not mix well, even with long sleeves and gloves.

 

[rivermobster]

I'm at the car wash today!

 

[mash on it]

Ten years ago I installed a lift pump on my Dmax Silverado with no lift. Holy crap was I sore from just rolling on the concrete, my hips, shoulders, and knees from getting up and down. It was after that day, if it was anything more than changing an air filter or adding washer fluid it was going to the shop. I also learned to hate the smell of diesel fuel that day. And don’t get me started on going up in the attic to do any work up there - sweat and blown in insulation do not mix well, even with long sleeves and gloves.

I hear ya-
The morning after I stabbed a ZF 5 speed into a new clutch, added the transfer case, rear drive line, and clutch slave cylinder, I wound up in the hospital. 6 fukkin way bypass.
Front drive shaft was installed promptly 3 years later.
If I could have afforded to have a shop do it...
FML

Dan'l