Sometimes It's Better Just To Use Professionals
 

There are times when you feel like having a go at things, it might be a venture, a rash decision to save money, or a boast that "I could do that". The internet is a massive source of information and education and on several occasions I have taken on tasks that end up taking ages and it would have made more sense to employ a professional. I put things off because "one day I'll do that": decorating? Build a wall? Fix a tumble dryer? "Sort a car problem? Luckily I don't actually think I know best.

Trouble is, I find it hard to let that stubbornness go.

Evening Fred,
I know exactly how you feel.
You want to see the list of jobs that I could/should do? and so could someone else (Professional?)
David

These days, due to my health issues I have to kinda pace myself, get easily tired. Trouble is when I think I'm getting on top of thing my other half's list of things for me to do grows :(

Having moved from Essex to the land of the pasty, I now have a workman who is at the end of the phone for any jobs I need done which are out of my league. Which most jobs are. He has so far built me a TV unit, a breakfast bar, put a banister rail up and gained access to the garage. He cut the lock off. All jobs that were beyond me. He has also fitted a new element in my cooker grill.

I have however managed to fix a tap after the lift up lever fell off. I have also fixed a LED light. Put up the smoke alarm, and it works. Oh! Believe me it works.
I have managed to hang all my photo’s/pictures. Had a go at electrocuting myself, after I cut through the cable on the hedge trimmer whilst up a ladder.

Thus I’m not allowed to use anything electrical or climb up ladders.

Quite right to leave it to the professionals.

I do and have done lots of DIY. Nowadays it takes ages and I hate paying people to do something I can do. Plastering and bricklaying are beyond me.
It seems our next venture I will do the preparatory work and then "professionals" will do the fancy work. Having a professional install central heating worries me as a poor install will creek and an electrician will not put cables in conduit.


Daughter had a kitchen installed, the draw runners only have 2 screws per runner holding the runner to the carcass.

macafee2

Ah.

But a Professional is simply someone who gets paid for doing something.

Doesn't necessarily mean that they're any good at it or can do it to a standard that's acceptable to you.

Generally I've found that if they can come tomorrow (emergencies excepted) they're not much good but if you have to wait a while they are OK.

And, of course, word of mouth, personal, recommendations beat advertising & marketing spiel every time.

And there's some folks who are incredibly good at what they do and charge coffee with biscuits :D. There's quite a few on here :bowdown: :D

Lived in the Heathrow/Surrey area for 60 years, you have to be a DYer because of the prices they charge down there, example, I like fishing if I wanted to go to a commercial fishery it would cost me the best part of £12 for a single rod, up here in Nottingham £5 tops, I am like you Bob we live in a village where we can get any tradesman and they will not con you for mega bucks.

Rev.

My Father once told me never pay some one to do what you can do as you are only working to pay there wages. The wife on the other hand would have '' a man in'' to do everything that does not get done 30 seconds after she has mentioned it.

Her latest ''want'' is a new kitchen floor. The one she wanted when the new kitchen went in a couple of years ago that I reckoned ''would probably not last'' but she liked it has not lasted. She had a company in on Thursday and they were ''only going to charge £2300 to do the job'' :eek:. I know if I do it that it wont get done for at least a couple of months but it wont cost £2300 more like £500.

I know my limitations, I dont have the patience to do body work on cars, my welding will hold something together but is not the prettiest and I wont work on the roof of the house as I dont like heights.

I've never been brilliant with heights but even more so now, its as if my sense of balance feels "off" :shrug: More than a few steps up a ladder and I'm not happy.