mathjak107
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
- Joined
- Jul 27, 2005
- Messages
- 6,210
if you have the pump info i can look up the trade cost on your pump tomorrow when i am at work
It's just a really hard thing for me to accept emotionally. With very few exceptions we have always built and fixed EVERYTHING ourselves. We built our home, built our cabinets and furniture, repair our cars, plumbing, electrical, etc. The only things we hired out were things we didn't have the equipment or skills to do, such as tires and alignment on the cars, or the slab in our garage (took 6 guys to do that one).
A couple years ago we paid to have some trees taken down. It was something we technically could have done, but there were some challenges that we chose just to hire out (another $4000 bill). I didn't regret that choice.
However, the pump replacement was something I COULD have done. I installed the first one, I certainly could have replaced it. If I could have just run down to the store and picked up the parts I needed I probably would have. But the urgent nature, cold weather (34 and snowing), and lack of available parts is why we hired it out.
Honestly, it's a life transition I'm finding hard to deal with. I knew a day would come when I would have to hire out things out I could do myself, but I didn't think it would come so soon (I'm only 60!).
It also sucks that we have had a few major expenses like this in our first year of retirement. I had planned for these types of expenses, but thought they would be a few years out. I swear since we retired something has broken every week or two. On well, I guess we won't have to worry about them for a few years.
It's just a really hard thing for me to accept emotionally. With very few exceptions we have always built and fixed EVERYTHING ourselves. ....
Honestly, it's a life transition I'm finding hard to deal with. I knew a day would come when I would have to hire out things out I could do myself, but I didn't think it would come so soon (I'm only 60!)....
Sometimes it's nice to just pay someone to do something (if it all goes well, that is), and avoid the dirt, grime, discomfort, sore muscles, and use that time for something more enjoyable.
we have always built and fixed EVERYTHING ourselves. We built our home,......... I knew a day would come when I would have to hire out things out I could do myself, but I didn't think it would come so soon (I'm only 60!).
Your post number 22 is actually part of the problem. When you fix everything yourself is very hard to grasp the concept of what hiring someone to fix it actually costs.
It costs money and it will take you awhile to get comfortable with that. After 50 years of marriage we are at the point right now. No one can ever do it as cheaply as you can!!!!
The problem is I really ENJOY doing things myself. I like figuring things out, I like things done a certain way, and I like not having to schedule my life around other's schedules. When I do something myself I know what went into it, I know it was done properly, and no shortcuts were taken in the interest of time or money savings.Originally Posted by ERD50 View Post
Sometimes it's nice to just pay someone to do something (if it all goes well, that is), and avoid the dirt, grime, discomfort, sore muscles, and use that time for something more enjoyable.
Losing the ability to do things myself is like losing a little bit of myself...
Yep, there is definitely sticker shock paying others to do work, both due to paying labor costs and basic inflation. Even if I replaced the pump myself it would have cost $1200 for the pump. That's a big jump from the $300 I paid for a better pump 30+ years ago.
Your post number 22 is actually part of the problem. When you fix everything yourself is very hard to grasp the concept of what hiring someone to fix it actually costs.
It costs money and it will take you awhile to get comfortable with that. After 50 years of marriage we are at the point right now. No one can ever do it as cheaply as you can!!!!
It just struck me that this particular job was a lot of grunt work, and nothing to show for it other than a pump working as it did before.
The problem I have with paying for professional help is most of the time they do crappy work