Does it count if your in-laws try to DIY but cut a lot of corners and do a bad job, then have it come out worse than if they would've just left things alone? They don't need to, but always go for the cheapest option regardless of how well it will work out and it comes back to bite them a lot.

They wanted to do some landscaping behind their house. MIL found some 2x4s that were either dumped or fell off a truck, stacked them on the ground and there you go... instant planter. I think a couple of nails might've been thrown in to keep the 4 stacks from falling over.

I was able to talk the MIL out of trying to tile about 1,000 sq ft of their place. She wanted to use discounted, cupped tile and the cheapest wet saw that HD sells. They farmed that job out instead.

That sounds like my former neighbors. They had to replace their gas line from the meter way n the back of the yard up to the house. They dug a trench by hand that was only 12 inches deep. They they used PVC pipe! When the gas company came out to connect the meter the gas company man about had a stroke.

My neighbors were upset the gas company refused to connect it. The gas company took the meter so the home owners could not connect it themselves. They actually converted their house to all electric so they could just skip gas service.

umm... I don't know anywhere but here, Ihave seen more than one house with the white PVC pipes running for gas in the back yard (outside), and these are from pro. I popped the question up to the gas guy more than once, they explained that it's ok for outside/under ground.

Back 25 years ago schedule 40 glued together PVC freaked out the local gas company when it is was in a 12 inch deep trench.

My father in law is horrible. Didn't even own a screwdriver when I first met him. (I since gave him one, but he doesn't know how to use it. He actually questioned me once when I told my neice to turn a screw counterclockwise to remove it).

He needs a handyman for the simplest **** - like hanging a towel rod, replacing a doorknob, etc. He called a plumber because his "toilet broke". The flush arm going from the handle to the chain broke. I said "Hey, I just replaced mine, it's a $5 part at home depot, will take you 20 minutes, or me 5." he prefers to roll with the plumber and pay him $80 I guess.

Thing is, he hires cheap guys who do really ****ty jobs. And if I had to pay someone every time I fixed something around my house, I'd be broke.