Have you given up on DIY?

[brett]

It is surprising how easy some small jobs can be when you seek out qualified advice.

I needed to move a 220v receptacle up 3 feet to accommodate a new stacked dryer. I had done a fair amount of electrical work in the past.

I took some pic on the ipad. Went to Home Depot and asked the gentlemen in the electric dept. if he was an electrician. He was. Told him what I was doing, showed him the pic.

In less than 5 minutes he had walked me around to get the correct box, marrettes, and measured out 3.5 feet of the required cable. He told me he would be there all day, to come in or call if I had any problems.

I did not. He gave me what I needed. Very easy job as long as you remember to flip the breaker before starting! Probably saved myself $400 in an electrician out call and got it done when I needed it done.

 

[Out of Steam]

I need to set a calendar reminder to 2033 saying: "Joe, stop the nonsense and move."

I suspect that you're about my age, as I have a similar date in mind to wrap up owning a house.

 

[Affinity4Investing]

I don't want to face the time when I can't DIY. It's the only life I know and I truly enjoy tackling everything from landscaping, to repairs around the house, to wrenching on the vehicles and so much more. More than the satisfaction of a job well done, I just thoroughly enjoy the research and learning new things to do with these hands. Saving a ton of $ never hurt, either.

 

[harley]

I don't want to face the time when I can't DIY. It's the only life I know and I truly enjoy tackling everything from landscaping, to repairs around the house, to wrenching on the vehicles and so much more. More than the satisfaction of a job well done, I just thoroughly enjoy the research and learning new things to do with these hands. Saving a ton of $ never hurt, either.

I don't want to face those days either. Sadly, age and physical condition don't care what you want. I'm already facing some of that. It annoys me twice to have to pay someone to do something I always enjoyed doing myself. But it would annoy me worse to have to pay the doctor or hospital bill if I hurt myself by assuming I was more capable than I really was. So I'm trying to apply some of that wisdom that supposedly comes with age. My mantra these days is "what can I do that DW wouldn't say was stupid"?

 

[wolf]

I don't want to face the time when I can't DIY. It's the only life I know and I truly enjoy tackling everything from landscaping, to repairs around the house, to wrenching on the vehicles and so much more. More than the satisfaction of a job well done, I just thoroughly enjoy the research and learning new things to do with these hands. Saving a ton of $ never hurt, either.

My "exact" sentiment. Very few people understand by DIY philosophy when I try to explain the Why

 

[Ronstar]

I don't want to face the time when I can't DIY. It's the only life I know and I truly enjoy tackling everything from landscaping, to repairs around the house, to wrenching on the vehicles and so much more. More than the satisfaction of a job well done, I just thoroughly enjoy the research and learning new things to do with these hands. Saving a ton of $ never hurt, either.

+3. Just got back from my annual medicare wellness exam. Doc's ending advice was no ladders and stay off the roof. I can do that.

Usually he recommends no lawn mowing/ yard work and snow shoveling, but he said I can keep doing these for now.

It's not going to be easy giving things up. I have a friend and a cousin's husband both in early 80's that can't do much anymore. And their health problems have been compounding for many years.

My no DIY days will be coming at some point and I need to be ready and accept the fact that I need to hire stuff out.

 

[Time2]

Have you given up on DIY?

No not yet, I got the generator out last night just to make sure it would run.
It didn't. My plan was to look at it this morning and get it running. But instead, my wife called me from the store parking lot, the truck won't start and the alarm is blaring. So I drove over, and I could not get the alarm to stop either*. I unhooked the horns and used a rope to tow it home. So I spent the morning working in the starter solenoid area, found no power to the solenoid wire, checked the relay and the link, both were fine.
Now back to * this alarm has always been difficult to shut off. There are two sequences I have found on the internet to shut it off, Both work, Sometimes!
After all my troubleshooting, I tried to shut off the alarm one more time and succeeded, this allowed the starter to work. So the alarm prevented the starter from working properly---as it should! Now, as to what caused the problem? I'm going with dirty battery contacts, because if the circuit voltage goes low the alarm triggers. I'm thinking poor connection at the battery terminal, she tried to start it and the voltage went to zero and triggered the alarm. I cleaned the contacts and hope that solves the problem. I also noted the battery is is 3 yrs 2 months old, and has a 3 yr guarantee, it's time for a new one.
This afternoon I worked on the generator. I drained out all the fuel. purged the fuel pump line, added some cleaner to the tank, I cleaned the carburetor, as well as I could, and it started and ran. Now, I hope I don't need the generator. I also need a nap.

 

[Walt34]

+3. Just got back from my annual medicare wellness exam. Doc's ending advice was no ladders and stay off the roof. I can do that.

This reminds me of my paternal grandfather. At 76, he decided to paint the outside of the house which had wood clapboard siding. Gramma was complaining about his stubbornness was going to get him killed but it didn't. And the house looked great when he was done. That stubborn streak was passed on to my father and to me, but I prefer terms like "persistent", "tenacious", "strong-willed", or "determined", that have a more positive connotation.

 

[53anddone]

My approach at 60 YO is I still do most everything myself but I bring in equipment to make life easy. Last time I painted the house I rented a spider lift for a week - holy cow that was easy - no ladders! If I had that painting job in the stairwell hello scaffolding!

I also buy myself a new tool every time I do something new and different.

The only thing I dont mess with much is appliance repair. Thats cheap and never the same thing twice.

 

[rayvt]

This reminds me of my paternal grandfather. At 76, he decided to paint the outside of the house which had wood clapboard siding. Gramma was complaining about his stubbornness was going to get him killed .

A 75+ year old man at our church had somebody install gutter leaf guards. After they were done he pulled out a ladder to climb up to check the installation. Ladder slipped, he fell, and died 3 days later.

Last month one of our retired neighbors decided to clean the siding on his house. Five feet up, the ladder feet slipped on the rocks and he fell. Broke 2 vertebra, cracked 3 ribs. The resulting infection damaged his gall bladder. He's been in and out of the hospital. Home mow, but in great pain and bedridden.

I stopped changing the oil in the cars when I retired. Crawling under the car was no fun anymore. And the cost of oil and filter is not much cheaper than Walmart charges for an oil change.

 

[kingkarmann]

I live on the NeverDone Ranch.
It’s wearing on me.

 

[Music Lover]

I wouldn't trust ladder feet not to slip on rocks.

A few years ago I had to go on my roof in winter to fix a leak. I didn't trust my ladder wouldn't slip even though from the deck to the roof it's barely 8'. I screwed a scrap of 2x4 to the deck joists (between the deck boards do as not to damage the surface) and that board prevented the ladder from slipping.

On the ground on most ladders that have rubber "feet" you can flip them so that the edge digs into the ground.

 

[Fermion]

You guys are crazy going up ladders. I can see you down there below me.

 

[meleana]

We purposely downsized to a brand new cottage now in retirement. We’ve owned homes since our 20’s. First was a handyman special. We did a lot and also hired some things out. Second was new construction but owned for 32 years and did a lot ourselves. Hired out also.

We are keeping things simple. We have a .02 acre lot the HOA takes care of and we have 4 small bushes the builder put in. I just have to trim one.

As for the house, we still have the builders paint on the inside. Will still wait a few more years and then hire out a painter.

We did a few things when we moved in like put up medicine cabinets and grab bars and shelves, etc.

We do some small maintenance things but we don’t really have a lot to do right now.

My husband snowblows our small driveway. When he can’t we will hire someone to plow.

Cars my husband stopped doing years ago after trying to put in brakes and rotors was too taxing on him.He said it’s not even worth changing the oil. But he does do that in our whole house generator.

 

[aja8888]

You guys are crazy going up ladders. I can see you down there below me.

You are much younger than many of us here....and if you fell, you wouldn't break as many bones as us older guys.

And if you happen to die from that fall (head on landing), your wife is young enough to find another guy like you that likes ladders.

 

[candidman]

When I think about what happened to Jay Leno, it makes me think about not working on my car too much in the near future.

 

[zippy2020]

My spouse has never been the fix-it type. I love cars, but although I know how to do a fluids change, we prefer to pay a reliable service guy. I'll do small, simple stuff around the house, but as I've aged no choice but to give some things up.

Getting BPPV (vertigo) a few years ago also made me realize it just isn't safe for me to continue to do all the gardening - we live in an urban metropolis, but have a small cottage on a large lot, and the whole thing is on 30-degree slant with a lot of winding hardscape. Even when healthy, I've fallen 3x while gardening, one time seriously enough that I was laid up with a compound fracture of the left leg.

Gardening in a Mediterranean climate means you weed year-round, whether it's 40 degrees or 95 degrees. So now we have a service come out monthly.

With vertigo (it eases up but never goes away 100%), ladders, even indoors, are a little dicey as well (and I never did like heights, LOL). But with 16' cathedral ceilings and massive picture windows, I finally had to get a housekeeping service. Don't need them for small stuff, but for the bigger jobs, where a lot of bending/lifting/twisting is involved....yeah, gotta hire someone.

No point in denying one's aging....and as long as one has the funds to afford help, I just figure we're helping the economy keep humming.

 

[Chapter 3]

Added on to first house, built second house, and fully gutted and remodeled current house, all with very little or no contractor help. As eyesight diminished in my 50s DIY became less and less appealing. 64 now, and in the last couple of years I have tried to hire things out but work rarely meets my standards or is just bad. So I guess I continue to be a reluctant DIY.

While I used to stand on the top of my 8' ladder to paint and other things they are scary now. Had two different friends take falls from relatively short ladders. One died (DW discovered him on the garage floor), and the other nearly did and has never fully recovered.

 

[TappyGee]

I did it all: plumbing, electric, construction, painting, repairs, automotive. Now I have a lawn service, drive up for oil changes, and hire out many jobs.

I tell my son: when you are young you have more energy than money and do it yourself. As you age you have more money than energy and hire it out.

 

[pb4uski]

I'm 68 and do a lot of DIY but I gave up doing car oil changes, tire rotations, brakes etc long ago and I'm more selective on other DIY these days. For example, we recently replaced our dishwasher and I removed the old one and installd the new one and brought the old one to metal recycling since dishwashers are pretty light. But when we replaced our refrigerator we paid to have it delivered and the old one taken away... too big and heavy for me. OTOH, the one that they took away my son and I had delivered in my truck and the two of use brought it in and installed it 11 years ago.

The key to DIY is discerning what you can reasonable do and what things you should reserve for the best tool in your toolbox... your checkbook.

And no ladders higher than a stepladder for me these days.

 

[FLJim]

What a great & interesting thread, full of both wise and entertaining comments!

Was a DIY-er most of my life - to "save money" or not spend money that I did not have. Oil changes, car repairs, minor electrical, plumbing, carpentry, around the house. Mowed the lawn and loved it! I think I enjoyed blowing snow (Chicago burb) because DW said I always had a smile on my red face when I was out there covered in snow!

Retired at 62, heart attack at 63 and that changed everything. Hired grass, snow, auto, because I HAD to during recovery. Found out I did not miss the DIY stuff. Also realized that years of DIY had helped create a nice nest egg.

So now with a stix-n-brix in Indiana, and another in Florida, we hire it all. Have developed our "go-to" vendors that we trust and pay well - plumber, electrician, painter(s), landscaper, car repair, pretty much everything. Now 75 I have little desire to DIY; prefer to spend time with friends and neighbors, wining and dining, travelling, and reminiscing about the good old days when I was ABLE to DIY!

 

[ERD50]

Lifetime DIY'er. But at 68, with good financials, the short version is - I'm more selective.

I DIY if I find it interesting, if I think I can do a better job with less effort then dealing with some one to hire, or there is significant financial gain to DIY (and it's easy enough).

-ERD50

 

[Koolau]

I've never been handy, but I used to be able to do minor stuff on the car and around the house. These days, I'm just in too much pain to do anything very physical. But the worst thing is it's so hard to find any one reliable to commit to doing a j*b. SO, it comes out that a lot of stuff just has to wait (if it can.)

 

[Ronstar]

Lifetime DIY'er. But at 68, with good financials, the short version is - I'm more selective.

I DIY if I find it interesting, if I think I can do a better job with less effort then dealing with some one to hire, or there is significant financial gain to DIY (and it's easy enough).

-ERD50

I went to dr a few days ago. He suggested several DIY tasks to give up. He said "remember you're 68 not 28".

 

[Rushmore]

I would love to give up most dyi, but I can’t find any one to do the little projects. I had a whole list of them, called and left messages, called again and sometimes again with no answer. I finally begged my brothers to help me with a couple I simply couldn’t do myself, did a couple I could do and left the rest.