Are post-ER tasks basically a new job?

[HFWR]

I pay for mowing, and once a year hedge trimming, but do most other chores, and most household maintenance.

But that's what got me FIREd, so I'm used to it. As time passes, though, crawling under sinks to fix a shoddy "professional" drain installation, like I did a couple of days ago, as well as other assorted torture that comes with maintaining a house, has rapidly lost its charm.

[FUEGO]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HFWR But that's what got me FIREd, so I'm used to it. As time passes, though, crawling under sinks to fix a shoddy "professional" drain installation, like I did a couple of days ago, as well as other assorted torture that comes with maintaining a house, has rapidly lost its charm.

Yep. I'm about to go up on the roof tomorrow to fix a small leak around a vent. Last time I was up there I was thinking to myself "Self, will I still want to do this to save $100-200 in 10 years when I'm 45? In 20 years when I'm 55? In 30 years when I'm 65?". I know some day I won't want to (or won't be able to) get on the roof (or in the crawlspace or underneath a sink) to do these DIY maintenance tasks.

[Hermit]

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Originally Posted by FUEGO Yep. I'm about to go up on the roof tomorrow to fix a small leak around a vent. Last time I was up there I was thinking to myself "Self, will I still want to do this to save $100-200 in 10 years when I'm 45? In 20 years when I'm 55? In 30 years when I'm 65?". I know some day I won't want to (or won't be able to) get on the roof (or in the crawlspace or underneath a sink) to do these DIY maintenance tasks.

I'm 66. I sheathed my roof last year, but had a roofer do the shingles. My knees were telling me I didn't need to be doing that! If I'm any sort of measure, you have a lot of DIY time left.

[unclemick]

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Originally Posted by W2R +1 Life is a lot more fun these days than it was when I was working. The author doesn't seem to realize that with sufficient funding, one can HIRE a handyman, gardener, auto mechanic, and so on. We don't have to do these things ourselves. The author isn't really talking about retired vs working; he's talking about money vs no money.

My Wife had to pause in her gardening so the gardener could do the lawn and trim the shrubs. I haven't changed oil, washed the car, or done any extensive remodeling since 2006. Some but not much.

heh heh heh - doing it myself early on means I can afford not to later on. Pun intended.

[FUEGO]

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Originally Posted by Hermit I'm 66. I sheathed my roof last year, but had a roofer do the shingles. My knees were telling me I didn't need to be doing that! If I'm any sort of measure, you have a lot of DIY time left.

But will I want to?

Financially I'm planning on phasing out my DIY in my 50's or 60's.

[Hermit]

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Originally Posted by FUEGO But will I want to? Financially I'm planning on phasing out my DIY in my 50's or 60's.

I guess it depends on what you like to do. Finances are not part of the decision for me. I have been making and fixing stuff my whole life. I like that more than traveling. I know folks that are still at it in their 80's. I hope to be one of them. On the other hand, my knees hurt some now and when I am doing something where I have to be on my knees, they really give me fits. Those things I will hire out unless I really want to do them and put up with the pain.

Hermit

[Focus]

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Originally Posted by FUEGO But will I want to? Financially I'm planning on phasing out my DIY in my 50's or 60's.

I never phased it in! I'm impressed by all the DIYers here. My dad wasn't into DIY, even when money was scarce, so I never acquired more than the most basic skills. I could do some real damage.

[Walt34]

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Originally Posted by FUEGO But will I want to? Financially I'm planning on phasing out my DIY in my 50's or 60's.

That's where I am. At 66, I just hired lawn mowing service this year and I stopped doing plumbing work several years ago. Could I do it? Sure, but we have the money to not have to do it so I'm not.

BTW, anybody wanna buy a lawn mower?

[Hermit]

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Originally Posted by Focus I never phased it in! I'm impressed by all the DIYers here. My dad wasn't into DIY, even when money was scarce, so I never acquired more than the most basic skills. I could do some real damage.

My dad wasn't a DIYer either. He always call a plumber. I rarely called a plumber until building this house. Some things I don't want to screw up. Putting plumbing lines under the concrete in the basement is one of them. That would be real damage!

[HFWR]

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Originally Posted by Walt34 That's where I am. At 66, I just hired lawn mowing service this year and I stopped doing plumbing work several years ago. Could I do it? Sure, but we have the money to not have to do it so I'm not. BTW, anybody wanna buy a lawn mower?

I have two mowers, a weed whacker, and a blower. None will start, and they're waiting for me to clean/rebuild the carbs. They could be waiting awhile. 😜

[Senator]

I will probably always be a DIYer. In my rentals, there is very little I hire out. I hired out a furnace replacement recently, due to my time limitations. I have replaced several of them in the past myself too.

It doesn't take that much to save a lot. Plus I get some great tools, and can write them off.

In my recent remodel, I saved quite a bit.

Replace 500' of laminate and trim, savings $1000+
Replace kitchen faucet, savings $75
Replace 4 screens, savings $100+
Paint, (ceilings, walls, trim), savings $1200+
Replace outside deck side walls, savings $400
Cleaning, savings $500+
Patch holes in walls, Savings $100
Install washer and dryer, savings $1000

Plus lots of other items.

[FUEGO]

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Originally Posted by Hermit I guess it depends on what you like to do.

Electrical work is okay. Appliance and computer repair is okay and sometimes fun (too much fun!!!). Plumbing - not that fun unless it's simple 5-10 minute jobs. Yardwork - not much fun but great exercise and rewarding when the job is done and everything is pretty.

None of those tasks would be missed if I were a billionaire. In the meantime, I'd rather be playing or relaxing than crawling through our crawlspace but I'll do it if it means saving many hundreds of dollars (= sump pump replacement 2 years ago).

[HFWR]

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Originally Posted by FUEGO Yardwork - not much fun but great exercise and rewarding when the job is done and everything is pretty.

My gym is air conditioned; the yard, not so much. Plus, my yard just looks short ugly after mowing.

[FUEGO]

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Originally Posted by HFWR My gym is air conditioned; the yard, not so much. Plus, my yard just looks short ugly after mowing.

Around July and August, my yard is like a sauna. Got those at your fancy gym?

[Hermit]

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Originally Posted by FUEGO ... In the meantime, I'd rather be playing or relaxing than crawling through our crawlspace but I'll do it if it means saving many hundreds of dollars (= sump pump replacement 2 years ago).

The funny thing is in our last home, I put a home theater in the family room. All the wires were behind the walls with the speakers mounted in the ceiling. The amount of time I spent running cables and wires through the crawl space, behind walls, and under floors/over ceilings was amazing!

[HFWR]

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Originally Posted by FUEGO Around July and August, my yard is like a sauna. Got those at your fancy gym?

One word: Texas...

[Sarah in SC]

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Originally Posted by Hermit My dad wasn't a DIYer either. He always call a plumber. I rarely called a plumber until building this house. Some things I don't want to screw up. Putting plumbing lines under the concrete in the basement is one of them. That would be real damage!

Funny you mention plumbing under concrete. I got cold feet on that for the little efficiency apartment we want to build on a slab under our (elevated) house and so I called our trustworthy handyman friend, who said he'd do it for me. But would charge extra if I "helped".

[HFWR]

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Originally Posted by Sarah in SC Funny you mention plumbing under concrete. I got cold feet on that for the little efficiency apartment we want to build on a slab under our (elevated) house and so I called our trustworthy handyman friend, who said he'd do it for me. But would charge extra if I "helped".

Labor charge: $50/hr
If you watch: $75/hr
If you help: $100/hr

[FIREmenow]

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Originally Posted by HFWR Labor charge: $50/hr If you watch: $75/hr If you help: $100/hr

Our electronics shop that I worked at had one of these signs. There was one more at the bottom:

$200/hr if you fixed it first.

[FUEGO]

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Originally Posted by HFWR Labor charge: $50/hr If you watch: $75/hr If you help: $100/hr

Ugg, I think I paid the highest rate. $89 for a service call and the plumber invited me to watch. I should have stayed downstairs and it might have been only $50 or $60.

He did negotiate himself down from $115 to $89 when he saw all my kids running around the house screaming and yelling (and some suckers think kids COST money??!!).

Quote:

Our electronics shop that I worked at had one of these signs. There was one more at the bottom: $200/hr if you fixed it first.

This explains it more fully. I tried to fix it first and sheared a pipe in half (with my bare hands!). The plumber said I stopped working on it just in time before it got really expensive. (no joke)