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RubyRaven907 t1_jdpmsp9 wrote

I just shrug and say “I value self sufficiency and learning new things”

17

redbucket75 t1_jdpmswh wrote

Wait you still write your own Reddit posts? As a large language model AI, I feel the need to point out there are chat bots for that, dude.

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Apprehensive_Lynx_33 t1_jdpn6e1 wrote

This is why I love being from New Zealand. We have such h a DIY culture, that is strange to see folks who can't do this stuff themselves. I can't imagine living like that.

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IronSmithFE t1_jdpo4hh wrote

some people in oregon don't know how to fill their gas tank.

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immateri t1_jdpplxb wrote

Certified to change your own oil? Lol what is wrong with those people?

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julz22vit t1_jdpqlmn wrote

Years ago I used a tampon when my carburetor butterfly got stuck. The look on the guys' faces when I got to my destination...priceless!

Thank you, this made me smile.

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its8up t1_jdpreru wrote

If you don't have one already, get your epa 608 certification for funsies to totally cut out an entire industry of price gouging vultures. I got the study guide on a Mon, read bits over the next few evenings, and took the test that Friday, then went out of town. Came home to find a universal certification in my pile of mail. After spending few thousand in tools, I'm set. No more calling the hvac guy. The tools paid for themselves in less than a year by using them to tackle a few side jobs at a heavily discounted rate.

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TGIF-42 t1_jdpv3a7 wrote

Imagine watching another man change your tire xD some people genuinely gross me out.

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oughtabeme t1_jdpwlai wrote

We just changed kitchen faucet. Took from 7,30pm yesterday to about 4,30pm today. That includes a constant drip (even though all water was turned off) 2 hacksaw blades, ruined 1 screwdriver as had to chip away at underside of countertop. Alarm for rotation to wake up to empty drip bucket. Fun times.

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Darklord_Bravo t1_jdq0nmj wrote

>I live in a middle class neighborhood in FL panhandle,

Say no more.

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nize426 t1_jdq2zt7 wrote

My coworker called in maintenance because his door was sagging. I was like, "...you can usually just fix that with a screwdriver."

The dude literally did not have a screwdriver in his home.

Absolutely nuts.

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nitro912gr t1_jdq3wcf wrote

You know this is all so weird to me, we in Greece sure have people like them around but they are so rare that they get lost in the noise of the DIY people. I mean we even have a dedicated word for hacking things to work "pateda" :P

And if someone have a flat tire and don't know how to change it, most likely will call a friend or just plain stop some other driver around to help like "lol wtf I'm not calling the road assistance on that".

I'm not doing everything myself but I can't get my mind around of getting a professional to do some very basic things. But I have heard from my electrician that there are people out there that will call him to change a burnt light or just plug the TV antenna...

5

PhilipKendrikRichard t1_jdq6l17 wrote

I would like to say I am here because I like to be self reliant but honestly I’m here because I’m broke. That doesn’t mean I don’t get a sense of satisfaction when I actually do fix something that other people would imagine was even possible without special certifications and specialized training (nothing crazy, just like suspension and I fixed my water heater and my furnace too)

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headphonz t1_jdq7mv4 wrote

I DIY cuz I'm cheap AF. Simple as that.

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fangelo2 t1_jdqbof9 wrote

I’ve always done everything myself including building my own house. My wife is the same. Her father and brothers were in construction so she just assumed every man knows how to do all this stuff. Her father was staining his deck when he was 94 while in a wheelchair. My father was the same . I would go visit him and find him on a ladder or on the roof when he was in his mid 80s. I’m getting pretty old myself now, 72, but I just can’t bring myself to hire people to do work at my house. It’s not the money, it’s just something I like to do myself. My wife and I are always amused when we see people that don’t know how to do anything. My sister and her husband can’t do the simplest task. They recently hired a plumber to change the hoses on the back of their washing machine.

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fredsam25 t1_jdqeoqe wrote

Trust me when I say that some people are not certified to change their own oil. And because of that, they'll drive 30k miles without an oil change.

2

lueVelvet t1_jdqf4x3 wrote

I love doing my own work but admittedly I’ve reached a point in my life/career that time has become an issue. I just don’t have time to work on everything myself so those projects stay waiting for a year or two, or I break down and call someone for help.

Recently a pipe clogged at my moms house and no amount of plunging/snaking made a dent at all. I finally broke down and just called a plumber since I have a few other renovation projects going at our house and I just couldn’t dedicate anymore time to it. The plumber had to hydrojet the whole drain line only to find years worth of built up grease. It took him a couple of hours to get it all out. I wouldn’t have known what to do even if I tried at that point and was very glad I called someone in. It cost a few hundred bucks but that guy earned it that day! lol

My point is, we all enjoy doing our own work but sometimes it’s ok to call someone in for whatever reason. Sometimes you just need to pay a pro what they’re worth to get passed whatever you can’t figure out in your own.

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Paejats t1_jdqg05a wrote

I think this is mainly an American issue, my boyfriend works around a lot of tourists and the american ones always seem to have trouble doing things themselves.

0

shadybabynight t1_jdqg4wn wrote

Replying to oughtabeme (#2,366,264)

Yeah everyone likes to talk about how much cheaper it is to do everything yourself but usually that only takes in to account the job going right first time

I was lucky enough to get a new build home but it’s made me terrified of giving stuff ago myself… if the job goes wrong and I break something I’m likely gonna have to shell out loads more money to fix something that didn’t need touching in the first place… always scares me in to putting stuff off

3

combatwombat007 t1_jdqhboi wrote

Replying to thin_veneer_bullshit (#2,366,941)

We have a culture that ingrains the idea that money is infinite and time is scarce so it’s best to trade money to save time because you can always make more money.

In reality, time is also infinite, but not on the scale of one human life, and we’re an individualistic culture.

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Spirited-Pin-8450 t1_jdqhlw1 wrote

I grew up with parents who always encouraged us to help out and thus learn things like changing a tyre, shingling a roof, laying a garden path. But I married a man whose family did none of these things and it’s hard to convince him that not everything is complicated. I love putting things together like ikea furniture, or hanging wallpaper, putting in a new faucet. Hopefully our daughters will do this too. I always try to do things myself first before hiring someone else.

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Usefulnotuseless t1_jdqhodw wrote

I lol’ed about the engine oil.

I work in a garage, and DAILY the amount of cars in my bay that have no detectable oil on the dipstick was shocking at first. And, bald-ass, deflated tires. Air filters that have never been changed. Simple stuff anyone can learn.

It happens so often now I just shake my head and add oil for them, add air or whatever. My manager doesn’t want us to lecture the customer, so I sometimes add snarky notes to my paperwork (if the customer even reads it):

“Insufficient engine oil, please see the manual for specification”

“The engine air filter is at the end of its life, recommend replacement”

“Please see the placard on your driver door frame for proper tire air pressure.”

I’m always tempted to write other things, of course.

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age34act12 t1_jdqiedc wrote

It's a enjoyable thing to be able to help people that I would guess was raised or think differently about being self reliance. Myself always hated to ask for help with the day to day issues of life. Hell I still remember the day I had to get someone to come and fix my furnace because I had no clue mainly because I grew up cutting firewood for the source of heat. Did enjoy because that technician was very helpful and allowed me to pick his brain about my gas furnace. This forum has taught me a few things and allowed me to help others so hope you can find some enjoyment with it. There is some hilarious moments as well!!!!

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BlownCamaro t1_jdqj5t2 wrote

Man, do I know the feeling! I watched my neighborhood go from everyone mowing their own lawns to only 2 of us still doing it. I heard a saw running a block away and got excited that someone was actually building something!

A someone who as always done all of their own repairs, automotive and household, I just don't understand while people would rather pay for something they can do themselves! I am all about NOT paying.

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0

An0mndr t1_jdqjnry wrote

Replying to combatwombat007 (#2,368,342)

Don't forget the environmental fee, that's another 50$. Oh and the refilling fee (which is not included in labor for some reason), which is another 80 bucks. Combine that with an off hours call (yes, it was only 2 pm when you called, but by the time we made it here, it was past 4:30 pm), so that's an extra 200. With tax (depending on where you are), that brings your total up about 1,050$. Will that be in cash or on a card? Oh you want to put it on visa? There's also an extra 2% fee for using a credit card instead of debit, it's only to cover the same cost we pay to use the system.

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An0mndr t1_jdqkg7n wrote

Replying to shadybabynight (#2,368,151)

My house was 15 years old when I bought it. Still had original everything. Since moving in a year and a half ago, I've learned to replace appliances, alter cupboards, remove carpet and laminate floors (previous owner had pets and the subfloor under the carpet was also ruined) also learned to replace subfloor, change light fixtures, replace a water heater, replace a door, fill holes in drywall, hang heavy things from the ceiling, and how to lay vinyl plank flooring. I can't imagine paying someone to do something that I can learn from a 5 minute youtube video

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thin_veneer_bullshit t1_jdqqplm wrote

Replying to age34act12 (#2,368,537)

The kiwi is the national bird of New Zealand. The fruit is named after it (much later). Typical NZ slang has NZers referring to themselves as Kiwis. Our dear dear cousins across the ditch (aussies in case that not immediately obvious) call us that, where as we call the Aussies ( or bogans). Yanks is abbreviation of Yankees, a affectionate nickname taken from WWI (I believe) when US soldiers served alongside the Brits and her colonial lackeys... I mean subjects. All slang is pretty much affectionate, not meant to be a diminutive or derogatory... mostly.. ;-)

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Ottoclav t1_jdy65fu wrote

Replying to IronSmithFE (#2,371,135)

Especially here in New York. I can’t say how many times I’ve heard a friend say that they tried to get a contractor or handy-person to even show up for a quote on a job and got stood up. Personally, I’m from Alaska and a contractor that flakes doesn’t get business, because word of mouth travels quickly.

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