My day job is making stuff.

As a general rule, however, when I tackle a home or car project of a type I've never done before, I usually multiply my best guess on how long it will take by three. And that usually turns out to be accurate.

I'm getting ready to retire and I'm starting to wonder if I shouldn't hire somebody to do some of the home repair/maintenance jobs before then. I have been putting some things off, thinking "I'll get to that when I retire and have more time". But then I realize that I'd rather retire and not have to worry about so much.

My rules here are as follows as far as DIY:

No gas lines

No plumbing on Sundays

No plumbing that I won't know how to fix if I screw it up

Only simple electrical...outlets, switches, fixtures. No stuffed junction boxes, no going into the panel.

No roofs.

I'll do just about anything else.

either to be accurate or helpful.

I do many things around my house and help family as I can. I am sometimes slow, but I am much less expensive than hiring a professional.

I do everything myself. I remodeled my entire kitchen without having a clue what I was doing, after several months of online research. I wouldn't have it any other way. It came out better than any contractor would have done. So good in fact, that the cabinet company I bought my materials from posted my pictures on their website.

You probably know what is involved with kitchens. They are a different animal, and they are difficult. It may take you 16 hours just to figure out cabinet hinges. You have to worry about clearances, fit and form. Not everyone can do them. I will carry the pride of what I've done for my family forever. During a grueling 11 month period, I did my complete kitchen, some hardwood floors, doors, trim, and several other projects. That is why I make jokes about these things.

Congratulations on doing your own stuff.

after the project sits, still unfinished, after 18 months.

There will always be at least one tool needed for the job that you do not already have - usually an expensive one.
Oh, and another tool you think you will need, so you buy it, and do not use it, but will, for whatever reason, be unable to return it for a refund.

Re-buying a tool you already have because you can't find it and then discover it was right in front of you.

yup. i should a used your table lol.

what i thought was going to be a three month project to save my water damaged floors, well, it's six months later and halfway there! since i don't have the cash to pay a contractor to do it, it all sits undone until i've got energy and the all important_ cash.

and whilst ripping out my bathroom, discovered that i needed to re-plumb the entire house!


p.s. you gotta add the doctor bills from all the scrapes, bruises, tetanus shot, etc. ( and the cost of the wires, tape, and screwdriver handles that my dog chewed up.}

Kitchen took three ER visits. Put a chisel through my finger, burned my hands, and threw my back out.