[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?