[TheForge] Re: [TheForge]Do it yourself versus hire a pro

[Aaron Silver]

On the converse side of this I'll point out that I saved myself about $40 
this week by being willing to do it myself. I saved $20 by fixing a thrown 
out wheelbarrow by buying 2 new handles and all new hardware. I then saved 
another $20 by buying some scrap pipe and plate and welding them together 
to make a fence post driver.

Given the amount of time I spent, I don't think I saved any money if 
someone was paying me for my time, but then again, no-one was paying me. 
Luckily what I do have is a fair amount of free time, and the inclination 
to practice my welding, and other manual skills.

On the other hand, I think the best $100 I ever spent was for the 
installation of our dishwasher. I was torn when I decided on spending the 
money, but after watching the person do the install, I was a believer. 
Between the little metal pieces that he placed on the floor so the feet of 
the unit didn't scratch my newly re-done slate floor, to the fact that he 
had just the right pipes and fittings, to the fact that the job was done in 
under an hour, compared to the 3 days of cursing it would have taken me, I 
am more than happy to part with my money for someone to make it look easy.

Aaron Silver
Still young and dumb enough to do it myself. (For some things.)

At 11:34 AM 5/20/2003 -0700, you wrote:
>I thought I'd save a few bucks and do the oil change on my diesel truck
>myself, because it costs $60 at my friend's shop. Well, having bought the
>oil and the filter, I'm out $50 or so, and I don't even have the right size
>oil filter wrench. On top of that, there's my time in a busy week, and the
>truck won't get washed and vacuumed, not to mention getting lubed and all
>the fluids checked and topped off, and the many things that get noticed and
>called to my otherwise distracted attention...sure am saving some money,
>aren't I?!!!??
>Andy G.