I'm the guy professionals love

[rescueme]

Over the years, I've learned that I do not do well at anything related to manual skills.

While I did a lot of wallpaper work on our previous two homes, when it came to our current/terminal home my DW said we should get pros to do it (nice way to say that my previous efforts sucked ).

I've attemped plumbing on previous homes, resulting with unanticpated leaks, broken pipes, etc.

Luckly, my work*ing years were spent in an area that I had a bit more skill (IT) and through a LBYM lifestyle can now afford to hire others to do the work that I know that I can't.

As someone once said:

YouTube - Eastwood- A Man's Got to Know his Limitations

[M Paquette]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Emeritus I worked as an electricians helper for several summers in college. What I see in houses can be really scary. we have a switch box with 3 switches on three different circuits. That was done by a pro, as was the defective wiring in my prior house.

Heh. Sometimes the work done by contractors can be scary. You can put multiple different circuits in the same (large) switch box, but the breakers need to be tie-bar linked or similar so flipping one kills all power to the box, ground wires have to be tied together, and there are a bunch of other fiddly requirements. With three circuits, I'd be surprised to see this done correctly.

Way back when I was 8-9 years old, my dad, an electrician, would take me with him on weekend jobs. It turned out that I fit nicely into attics and crawl spaces! I got to see firsthand how an electrical job shouldn't look. "Dad, I found the connection, but there ain't no box. The wires are just laying here, and look all burned up." I got really good at fishing wire and retrofitting boxes, as well as learning the joys of fiberglass insulation.

Recently, while overhauling our family room, I discovered the ceiling fan was being 'supported' by a plastic nail-in ceiling box. The sort of box you might trust to hold up a 40 watt bulb in a porcelain socket. It sagged enough that the wallboard caught most of the weight, so I'm sure it was OK. (not!) I suppose even the best crews cut a few corners on Friday afternoons.

Over the years I've fixed quite a bit of 'legal but marginal' stuff in this house. It gives me something to kvetch about on these forums.

[Emeritus]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rescueme I've attemped plumbing on previous homes, resulting with unanticpated leaks, broken pipes, etc.

DW is a fine hand with an electrical soldering iron and was better than I was at sweating pipe (Her Dad was a PhD in experimental physics) . Fortunately I can iron a pleated skirt

[Walt34]

Quote:

Originally Posted by M Paquette Way back when I was 8-9 years old, my dad, an electrician, would take me with him on weekend jobs.

Similar background here. The first dollar I ever made was at the age of 5 pulling cable through a crawl space Dad couldn't fit in.

Not thinking ahead to retirement, I promptly spent the dollar on candy.

And a dollar bought a lot of candy back then!

[zedd]

I'm otherwise pretty handy but for some reason every DIY plumbing job turns into at least an 8 hour, $100 and/or two-beer project.

You're probably wondering about the $100? I've learned the hard way that no matter what size/length gizmo I just bought it's probably the wrong part. When it comes to replacing a plumbing part I'll buy the size I think I need and then one size smaller, one size bigger and every conceivable gizmo that will attach to it. It hate making ump-teen trips to Home Depot.

zedd

[Texas Proud]

Quote:

Originally Posted by zedd I'm otherwise pretty handy but for some reason every DIY plumbing job turns into at least an 8 hour, $100 and/or two-beer project. You're probably wondering about the $100? I've learned the hard way that no matter what size/length gizmo I just bought it's probably the wrong part. When it comes to replacing a plumbing part I'll buy the size I think I need and then one size smaller, one size bigger and every conceivable gizmo that will attach to it. It hate making ump-teen trips to Home Depot. zedd

I do not do this.... but my BIL used to buy like that... but once he found what he needed... the second trip was to take everything back he did not use... opened or not...

[TromboneAl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Walt34 Not thinking ahead to retirement, I promptly spent the dollar on candy.

Too bad. If you had saved it and gotten a real return of 3%, it would have grown to $4.52 now.

[M Paquette]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TromboneAl Too bad. If you had saved it and gotten a real return of 3%, it would have grown to $4.52 now.

On the other hand, investing in 10 cent comic books, and managing to hold onto them in good condition, would have nicely covered all those trips to the hardware store.

[Walt34]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TromboneAl Too bad. If you had saved it and gotten a real return of 3%, it would have grown to $4.52 now.

In that case the candy was probably a better investment.

I still remember that huge bag of candy, or at least it seemed to be. At the time a Snickers bar was five cents and would fill a five-year-old's hand. This in a time when a six-pack of Coke and a box of Ritz crackers was a once-a-month luxury.