DIY jobs, do you handle them yourself?

[Keesha]

YES. Four years ago we discovered we had a rotting wall partially due to my husband attaching a back deck without flashing and partially because our builder put the protective paper on backwards.

We had to brace the top floor so it didn’t shift or fall on us while we worked. We had to replace windows, doors, flooring, some sub-flooring, sills, joists, walls, drywall, and insulation then add baseboards and window framing. We almost redid our entire back walls ourselves.

I’ve wrote about fixing our rotting back wall but didn’t show any pictures of it.
Today I found some. Unfortunately we didn’t take pictures of every section of the entire back wall but these show some of the steps taken. Patio doors replaced with French doors. Kitchen door taken out completely which now has given us more cupboard space while renovating our kitchen.

 

[squatting dog]

a HUGE concrete floor which I colored and made to look like huge pavers.

Similar to you, we re-painted our cement entry way and then with gray paint, faked flagstone.

 

[tbeltrans]

Yes, I have done all that the OP mentioned too. However, I think it is time for a song...

Tony

 

[fmdog44]

That is great. I live in an apartment and I make changes but I'm not supposed to. But when I have a problem like needing a new sink in my bathroom I'm not satisfied with the job they do. The last time was the back splash. It was ugly and made of arborite. So I replaced it with tile I bought at the recycle store. I also painted the walls again.

Wall tiles are easy to apply. And you can get spacers, etc. to make sure they are even and straight.

The grout part I thought would be hard but actually it's the easiest part of the job.

View attachment 73394

Did you run a bead of silicone calk on your tile-to-sink top intersection? It does not appear you did unless you used a clear caulk.

 

[Camper6]

Did you run a bead of silicone calk on your tile-to-sink top intersection? It does not appear you did unless you used a clear caulk.

No I did not because I set the tiles on grout. That part never gets wet. The bathroom sink is mainly to wash my hands. It's different in a kitchen where you are washing dishes and rinsing them.

That's on one side only. The back part is molded.

I hate the look of caulk and it get's a grubby color after a while.

 

[Gaer]

No I did not because I set the tiles on grout. That part never gets wet. The bathroom sink is mainly to wash my hands. It's different in a kitchen where you are washing dishes and rinsing them.

That's on one side only. The back part is molded.

I hate the look of caulk and it get's a grubby color after a while.

Caulk can be repainted you know, so easy. or, You can get pre-stained caulking in a carmelcolor, or something that blends. (just sayin)

 

[bowmore]

I am pretty much a DIY, but @Kayelle will not let me on a ladder. We live close to an airport, and the small planes are not supposed to fly over our house, but they do. I found this great sign I am going to have put up on the peak of our roof. At my age, I will have the handyman do it.

 

[Camper6]

Caulk can be repainted you know, so easy. or, You can get pre-stained caulking in a carmelcolor, or something that blends. (just sayin)

Caulking applied as directed on the tube is a messy result. No one can apply it evenly by hand. The only way to get a first rate job is to use masking tape first both sides and then caulk in between and tool it. Let it set and then peel off the tape. Then you have something.

 

[FastTrax]

My hardest DIY project was looking for a handyman.

Thank the Lord for Angies List.

www.angieslist.com/companylist/handyman-service.htm

 

[Keesha]

I do all the repair and renovation on all the properties as well as the vehicles. My properties are historic so I do a great deal of wood working, electrical, plumbing and roofing. Currently welding wrought iron fencing for a 1850 Gothic Revival, tomorrow I need to start putting in a new garage door. A/C work is the only thing I don't do, IF I had the certs to get the material I would do that as well. Its tough to hire anyone to do anything.View attachment 125964

Sweet. Now that is some ‘fine’ work!
Good job!

 

[charry]

Yes absolutely... My o/h does all the plumbing, electrics , Painting & decorating, gardening, car repairs and maintenance himself... He laid all our ceramic flooring, installed our temperature controlled power shower.. ..and done loads of woodwork and carpentry in and outside the house!

I can also paint, replace bulbs, wield a mean screw driver or drill do the gardening, .. even saw up the logs!!

Today alone when he got home from work, he assembled a new tower fan which arrived today.. and also replaced a new hydraulic Strut on my office chair ..all within an hour of arriving home from work.

So you would miss him,if he couldn’t do those jobs anymore holly......

 

[LindaB]

My husband is extremely handy and can fix almost anything. In fact our grandkids always say, "If Grandpa can't fix it, it can't be fixed." Having said that, he is getting to the point of not being comfortable with climbing ladders or getting down on his knees to fix things. He also has back issues so we are hiring some workers for certain things.
We also have someone who mows the lawn, weed-eats, edges and trims our bushes regularly because hubby has allergies at certain times of the year. Getting old...ain't it great?

 

[needshave]

My husband is extremely handy and can fix almost anything. In fact our grandkids always say, "If Grandpa can't fix it, it can't be fixed." Having said that, he is getting to the point of not being comfortable with climbing ladders or getting down on his knees to fix things. He also has back issues so we are hiring some workers for certain things.
We also have someone who mows the lawn, weed-eats, edges and trims our bushes regularly because hubby has allergies at certain times of the year. Getting old...ain't it great?

Linda,
Good for you and Him....It's fortunate you can do that. It's fortunate you can actually hire people to help, that's got to be a great help. Sadly here, it is nearly impossible to hire anyone to help in any way.

 

[bingo]

we've been hauling and dragging and shoveling for years...still at it

 

[StarSong]

we've been hauling and dragging and shoveling for years...still at it

Hauling and dragging and shoveling what?

 

[JimBob1952]

Ok ladies, let me ask you a question.

I am not a do-it-yourselfer. I prefer to call in an expert and am happy to write the check.

However, I'm a decent cook, an outstanding dishwasher, good at housecleaning and I know my way around the grocery store.

So which do you prefer, Tom Toolbelt the DIY guy or a sensitive-yet-manly type like me? Let me add that instead of DIY I grind away as a work-from-home marketing writer. That helps pay for the work around the house.

Your call. My wife seems to appreciate me cooking dinner half the time.

 

[StarSong]

Ok ladies, let me ask you a question.

I am not a do-it-yourselfer. I prefer to call in an expert and am happy to write the check.

However, I'm a decent cook, an outstanding dishwasher, good at housecleaning and I know my way around the grocery store.

So which do you prefer, Tom Toolbelt the DIY guy or a sensitive-yet-manly type like me? Let me add that instead of DIY I grind away as a work-from-home marketing writer. That helps pay for the work around the house.

Your call. My wife seems to appreciate me cooking dinner half the time.

Not sure why you think it's always an either/or proposition. I know some guys who can and will do everything, and some who refuse to lift a finger to help.

Lucky me: My father-in-law taught my husband the DIY stuff. My hubby worked for a janitorial service while in college and lived with a slob roommate in his early twenties. At work he couldn't be skeeved out by cleaning dirty toilets and learned the proper way to do so. At home, if he wanted the dishes washed it was easier for him to do them than to nag his roommate.

I ended up with a sweetheart of a guy who's pretty good with DIY but is willing to call in the pros when he's out of his depth. He's also a good cook who willingly helps with household chores - he vacuums, washes dishes, shops, cleans bathrooms, etc.

Our sons likewise learned DIY and household cleaning, bathrooms included.

p.s. The most important thing is that you and your wife are happy with your arrangement and that you appreciate each other's contributions.

 

[JimBob1952]

Not sure why you think it's always an either/or proposition. I know some guys who can and will do everything, and some who refuse to lift a finger to help.

Lucky me: My father-in-law taught my husband the DIY stuff. My hubby worked for a janitorial service while in college and lived with a slob roommate in his early twenties. At work he couldn't be skeeved out by cleaning dirty toilets and learned the proper way to do so. At home, if he wanted the dishes washed it was easier for him to do them than to nag his roommate.

I ended up with a sweetheart of a guy who's pretty good with DIY but is willing to call in the pros when he's out of his depth. He's also a good cook who willingly helps with household chores - he vacuums, washes dishes, shops, cleans bathrooms, etc.

Our sons likewise learned DIY and household cleaning, bathrooms included.

p.s. The most important thing is that you and your wife are happy with your arrangement and that you appreciate each other's contributions.

D'oh! I forgot about the guys who do both DIY and household stuff.

 

[Aneeda72]

My husband is extremely handy and can fix almost anything. In fact our grandkids always say, "If Grandpa can't fix it, it can't be fixed." Having said that, he is getting to the point of not being comfortable with climbing ladders or getting down on his knees to fix things. He also has back issues so we are hiring some workers for certain things.
We also have someone who mows the lawn, weed-eats, edges and trims our bushes regularly because hubby has allergies at certain times of the year. Getting old...ain't it great?

Weed-eats? Goats? . Actually lots of places here that have large empty lots next to their business hire people to bring in their goats to eat them rather than mow. It fun to watch a herd of goats chowing down. Couple days weeds all gone.

 

[Irwin]

I can do a lot of repairs around the house, but there are some that I just don't like doing, like working on our vehicles (other than oil changes). I'm not very good at drywall work, although I could probably get the hang of it if I did it enough, but whenever I try, I can't get the joints flat.

I'm currently learning how to repair guitars, which I'm enjoying. It's rewarding to take an unplayable instrument and turn it into something that plays well.

 

[LindaB]

Weed-eats? Goats? . Actually lots of places here that have large empty lots next to their business hire people to bring in their goats to eat them rather than mow. It fun to watch a herd of goats chowing down. Couple days weeds all gone.

I guess goats would be more fun than a weed-eater! That's what we call 'em here in NC. In Florida we called 'em weed-whackers! Go figure...

 

[LindaB]

Linda,
Good for you and Him....It's fortunate you can do that. It's fortunate you can actually hire people to help, that's got to be a great help. Sadly here, it is nearly impossible to hire anyone to help in any way.

I understand. We are fortunate...for now. Who knows if we will be able to do it in the future financially.