DIY guys... where do you draw the line?

[notfarnow]

Where do you guys draw the line with DIY projects? I’m a pretty handy guy, and as a rule I prefer to attempt something myself before bringing in paid professionals. It used to be mostly with car stuff, and as a result of lots of projects I’d consider myself a pretty good wrench. I’ve also always helped friends out with house projects, and am pretty handy in that department as well.

Here’s the issue. In the past year or so (specifically, since I bought a house), I find all my weekends are being overrun by projects. Rebuilding the car’s transmission, painting the bathroom, installing a bathroom fan, insulating the basement, replacing the front brakes, re-rigging my sailboat etc etc etc. For the most part, I really enjoy this stuff… especially the house stuff. The car stuff I could do without sometimes, but if I can save $500 by working on the car for a weekend then I really can’t afford NOT to.

This came to a head this weekend. Our car went in for inspection and failed because of a couple bad brake lines and a rear bearing. I figured I could do a rear bearing in 30 minutes or so, so while I had the car up I might as well do the brake lines too. So, I brought the car home to do the work myself over the weekend. Well, I got the car up on stands Saturday night and did the bearing in 20 minutes, but then got underneath the car to do the brake lines and just ran out of juice. I was tired and grumpy, and my wife was inside by the fire with a dog snoring at her feet. I went inside for the night. On Sunday, I spent 4 hours working on the car, laying on my back cursing. I ended up having to drill out the brake proportioning valve, didn’t have a replacement and there was no effen way I was going to work on the car after work during the week. I drove it to the garage (carefully) and left it. I wasted half my weekend, and I bet I saved $75. Never again.

I’ve started pulling back a bit… doing the stuff I enjoy and leaving the crap work for others. But sometimes I take on crap work if I stand to save decent $$ by doing it myself.

Where do you guys draw the line? Which projects do you take on yourself, and which ones do you farm out?

[Superman]

You need to drink stronger beer in the garage. That light beer will only piss you off.

[notfarnow]

LOL... I got TANKED in the garage on friday. I should never have put a fridge in there.

[craigster59]

Automatic transmissions, drywall and gift wrapping. Anything else, bring it on!

[cantdrv55]

When the DIY project will get in the way of family, work or an income producing venture. Basically, I'll DIY if I have a spare moment. Right now, I have an oil cooler, fan and scoop to install. Plus the HVAC project and lowering the car. I have no idea at this point if I can get all or if any of them done. I'm into too many things plus I'm trying to get a business off the ground.

[RANDY P]

Pretty much draw the line at anything that requires tools that can't be bought at Sears, or requires disposal of any other fluid other than Oil, or if I can't afford to replace it if I fry it.

rjp

[vash]

if it is dangerous, i will hire out. i just paid some guy to prune my trees. best money i ever spent. considering i would have probable fallen out of the tree with a reved up chainsaw...danger is my "line".

as for too busy, i dont buy it. i just do stuff when i would be watching television. TV is a sure sign that i dont have enough to do. oh, i will hire out for my home remodel. living in a crappy house is my other line.

[notfarnow]

Originally posted by vash
as for too busy, i dont buy it. i just do stuff when i would be watching television. TV is a sure sign that i dont have enough to do.

Yup that's a good point... I have friends that say they don't have time to do any DIY stuff, but they easily watch 2-3 hrs of TV a day. I try to catch the news on TV when I go to bed, but that's it.

I usually work on projects 2-3 nights a week, even if it's just stacking wood or wiring in a new GFCI outlet.

[MikeSid]

Think of yourself as a professional with a skill set. Work on the highest priced jobs yourself. Sub-out the less cost effective stuff. I don't do exterior painting anymore. If I have the choice of hiring a plumber to retro-fit copper in my house, or a painter to paint the outside, I hire the painter and do the plumbing myself.

All things being equal though, there are some jobs I enjoy more than others. Drywall and pulling wire are pain in the arse jobs. I'd do almost anything else before those jobs.

[pbs911]

When the DIY job is no longer any fun, I will pay someone else to do it.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

No lines, no boundaries.

Girlfriend's condo at 10% done below. In reality, we should have pulled 100 years of plaster and 5 coats of paint off the walls and just replastered them. We're redoing the entire place and it's become a massive job, though highly rewarding and a nice bonding experience. that's the key to taking on any huge project, you've got to have a friend in there with you.




This is about 50% done. At this stage you forget all the crap you went through to get here and only focus on how great it will look when done. I really find that focusing on the end result is better than focusing on the process.

[TerryBPP]

Oooooh you nailed it with auto trannys.

As far as house stuff is concerned I "aint" afraid of nothin. I like the satifaction of tackling a project I have never done before. I figure if some highschool drop out/ meth addict (most tradesman around here) can master a individual task, I can atleast become a novice at it.

Although once I've done it and feel comfortable with it I hire someone to do it the next time ie. landscaping, lol.

[notfarnow]

Originally posted by Shaun 84 Targa
...I really find that focusing on the end result is better than focusing on the process.

Interesting... I find that I do just the OPPOSITE. If I focus on the end result I find myself rushing, or being frustrated by slow progress. However, if I focus on the process, in steps, I find I can trick myself into enjoying it.

Looks great, by the way!

[Superman]

Originally posted by vash


as for too busy, i dont buy it. i just do stuff when i would be watching television. TV is a sure sign that i dont have enough to do. oh, i will hire out for my home remodel. living in a crappy house is my other line.

Television? What's that?

[masraum]

Yep, as many stated here, there are lots of reasons. Some jobs are just too darn complicated. I might be able to actually get the job done right, but if it's going to take me a week to learn how and do a job that I can have done cheaply in a day and I'm confident the job will be done right....

complexity (yep, auto trannies)
cost
time
danger (I'll cut the little low stuff, but when the guy is 30 feet up a tree with a chainsaw cutting the top 15 feet off and it's leaning over the neighbors detached garage....)

[notfarnow]

Here's my DIY "blacklist"

-Auto trannies
-Roofing (don't like heights)
-"out" plumbing (don't like poo)
-2 stroke engines, (exception: outboards)
-drywall
-brake lines (NEW)

[red-beard]

I draw the line at drawing lines. I just can't get them straight.

[vash]

good point above. landscaping. and i guess interior design stuff. i will mow and vacumn, but it would be nice to get somebody to make it look good first. i just dont have the eye.

[Jeff Higgins]

Christmas lights.

[notfarnow]

Originally posted by SoCal911SC
I draw the line pretty far out there.

Automotive-wise, I've done EVERYTHING on all of our cars over the past 15 years. These tend to be 10-20 year old German cars, too, so there is some work to be done.

Even brake lines? Maybe I did wuss out. I think part of the problem is the car itself. I get really frustrated by bad design & materials. I am starting to be really dissapointed in VWs, and don't really enjoy working on them anymore. This will probably be my last one.