Life is expensive... Is it because few DIY? (sell, sale, best)
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"I don't understand. But I don't care, so it works out."
(set 1 day ago)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by keraT
As a person who has done party related DIY (totally unnecessary and takes way too much time & could have kept it simple), I don't think it is efficient for everyone to DIY. The money you waste on buying supplies to DIY that 1 item and than the materials sit around wasted. But I like micro economy where friends and neighbors all are good DIY-er at one thing or another. Have our small little community where everyone isn't doing their individual DIY but collectively its getting done without going to big corporation.
What is party related DIY? Is that like the old fashioned barn-raising or quilting bee?
Location: God's Gift to Mankind for flying anything
5,921 posts, read 13,848,998 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Quietude
So it goes both ways - some small jobs really are costly in time, but things like this, and the typical $60-75 charge for replacing the cabin air filter (which took me fifteen minutes on my Odyssey only because I didn't have a flat screwdriver at hand to pop the retainers easily) are simply gouging. Often high-pressure gouging. A kindly grandmother could replace either one.
Been there done that.
Replaced the cabin filters on both our Honda Accord and Odyssey, with third party items.
The parts were about one third the cost compared to dealer cost. Amazon usually has cheaper versions just as good.
The Odyssey has window cranking mechanism problems, and I can do the job for 45 dollars per door (part only). Dealer cost, parts and labour would have been between 200 and 325 dollars ...
In short, buy parts from Amazon or Walmart or your local parts store.
How to do it? Ask Mr Google first and then watch YouTube videos.
I do have to agree that many people, including my children, today rather have it done for them then do it themselves.
We have every tool ever invented I think. And quite a few Husband has adapted, welded, changed around to fit, etc. One thing I've noticed, without any formal training, sometimes he will fix something and the problem is still there, so he goes looking and tries something else. That's a wasted part he's changed...but still it ends up usually much cheaper than hiring it out.
He likes to say he's not a mechanic or diagnostician, he's a parts changer! But there's not much he can't figure out how to fix. First thing he does when he buys tools is keep all the paperwork, schematics etc. in the tool file. For every truck or car we've ever bought he also bought a Chilton book. Now with the internet there's a wealth of information. That's how he figured out how to change the dead cooking element on our stove.
I think lots of people just think they can't do this stuff and don't try. And a lot of people just hate this diy stuff. I'm just happy to save the money!
We have every tool ever invented I think. And quite a few Husband has adapted, welded, changed around to fit, etc. One thing I've noticed, without any formal training, sometimes he will fix something and the problem is still there, so he goes looking and tries something else. That's a wasted part he's changed...but still it ends up usually much cheaper than hiring it out.
He likes to say he's not a mechanic or diagnostician, he's a parts changer! But there's not much he can't figure out how to fix. First thing he does when he buys tools is keep all the paperwork, schematics etc. in the tool file. For every truck or car we've ever bought he also bought a Chilton book. Now with the internet there's a wealth of information. That's how he figured out how to change the dead cooking element on our stove.
I think lots of people just think they can't do this stuff and don't try. And a lot of people just hate this diy stuff. I'm just happy to save the money!
Sounds like me. I own so many different tools and power equipment that honestly sometimes I forget I even own it. Many times I’ll buy a new tool and then realize I already have one.
I would rather maximize my own income and net worth by focusing my efforts at learning and doing on the things that interest me and for which I have the talent to accomplish.
I hate mowing the lawn and all the little tasks that go into maintaining attractive landscaping, so my yard always looked a little ratty until I reached a point where I could hire professionals to take care of it.
I have no interest in working on my car. I'm happy to pay trusted professionals to take care of it for me.
I understand how my car, my tools, and my appliances work, but I really have no interest in fixing them myself, nor do I have any desire to undertake home renovation projects myself.
I do not like most household DIY projects, so increasing my income and assets to be able to pay someone else to do all of that for me was a great motivator during my career.
My dad always said the best benefit of having money was the choices it provides. He was right. I focused on what I was good at so I could have the money to afford to pay others to do all the things I'm not good at and don't like doing. I'm grateful to be living in the present when there are people who are good at doing the things I cannot do or do not want to do, and I am happy to be able to make the choice to pay them for their skills.
Taking your car as an example, since the OP used it...I also look at what it will take time-wise for me to bring it to a mechanic vs doing it myself.
I did the brakes on my wife's car because I figured I could do it in a few hours, and it would put me out that much PLUS more $$$ to pay someone. If I had more disposable income I might pay someone to do it.
I could change my own oil but the cost savings, AND then storing/disposing of the oil, make it akin to driving my trash to the dump. Nah, I'll pay the shop (and the Garbage Service.)
Other things just don't have a market for servicepeople anymore. I remember when every town had a guy that would fix TV's. You don't see that anymore. I'd certainly get on the interwebs and see about fixing my TV if I could before I replaced it.
I had a problem with my oven and the cost to get someone out was within $50 of a brand new model (the same Oven that I have three years newer.)
No matter how wealthy I can't see myself paying someone to replace a lightbulb in a car unless it required major surgery to get there.
As with a lot of people, I'd imagine.....which projects I DIY, depends on a few factors.
-- whether I feel like it....
-- how much I'd have to pay someone else (meaning how much I'll save/keep in my pocket if I do it myself)......
-- how much time it will take me to do it vs. a professional (will it take me a month of weekends vs a pro doing it in one day
-- will my DIY job be just as good as the pro's quality and durability? (or is it a stop-gap for a couple of years)
I have never and will never: cut my own grass (I hire a service)
BUT, I do trim my own landscaping, shrubs, trees, weeding, planting. etc.
The only plumbing fix I've done was change the toilet flapper. ALL other plumbing I hire......a.....plumber.
I've never worked on my car, and never will.
I have in the past DIY'd:
-- interior painting (rooms and/or closets)
-- cleaned gutters
-- my own house cleaning (interior and exterior siding)
-- re-top coated/sealed my asphalt black top driveway. I did it ONCE, a good job too, but never again!
I really don't DIY too many things at all. I get all my work clothes dry cleaned. And I love not doing all that laundry.
Drop it off....and pick it up. Pressed and ready to go!
I basically will pay people to do things I don't want to -- or have the expertise to do.
There are things I've tried to do first: Example: fix my exterior shutters....tried a fix that didn't hold, couldn't reach them well enough from the ladder OR window....so called a handyman. I'll hire people to do most things..... in a NY minute, and won't think twice about it. I may have wait, because of cost. But that's a separate issue from deciding whether I would do it instead.
ETA: I AM a big believer is using my network...of family, friends....and friends-of-friends.....like hiring a friend-of-a-friend's husband to fix the toilet......or having a neighbor cut some tree limbs for me, etc. That could be at a lower price....or FREE in some cases!
I have a feeling that the cost of many services and merchandise in America would be much lower if people here were a little more DIY minded. But it seems that most don't want to be bothered - until they see the bill.
As an example, I was in the car dealership waiting for a part when I overheard a customer complaining about a $500 service charge for having a bulb changed. "I didn't expect it would cost this much!"
The more people are willing to have services "done" for them, the more service providers will increase prices. IMO, the cure for many price increases is to force service people to complete with "almost free" labor.
What is the last project or task around your house that you normally would have called a service company for, or an item that you could have purchased for a high price - that you actually ended up doing or making yourself?
How DIY are you?
I'm very DIY oriented. Last car job I farmed out was an alignment on that Cougar, since it's adjustable in all 3 measurements (many cars anymore you can only adjust toe) and it was pulling pretty bad, I stopped at a shop in a nearby small town, turns out they did a great job. But, almost all routine car maintenance I do myself. It helps to have several older cars in the "fleet" - if one needs something done like brakes, where I don't want to drive it till the job is done, I just drive another one.
Most around the house stuff, I DIY as well. Just a couple evenings ago I noticed a bit of leakage around my dishwasher door, this particular model of Kenmore, made by Whirlpool, has a nylon pump housing more or less bottom center of the tub, this clamshell type structure is held together with stainless screws with Torx heads. For some reason, these screws like to back out over time, the pump shoots out water and causes the normal water level to slosh up and over the door vents. Would have cost hundreds at least to call a pro, and then there is waiting on the pro or relying on the wife to explain the issue (she's not that mechanical or handy) - I already know about the issue, I have the correct size Torx driver stashed in a kitchen drawer, I tightened the screws in 5 minutes or less. Last house job I farmed out was when a big cottonwood dropped a limb half on the roof, such that it was threatening to hit the electric service. So that went to a pro tree outfit, yeah, that one was beyond my abilities and I don't have my own bucket truck. Insurance paid for it. Although, yeah, I did let the guys just drop the wood into the yard, I did DIY the cleanup, processed into fire wood, threw the leafy limbs out into the pasture for the cows to eat the leaves off. My DIY labor pretty much covered the $500 deductible on the insurance.
I don't think any local service providers are interested in dropping their prices to try to get my business on jobs I normally DIY though.
I enjoy the satisfaction and independence of being able to fix almost anything myself and I will always give it a shot. If it ends up being something too large, problematic or beyond my capabilities, then I will succumb to a professional.
It’s not only about the money, it’s about finding the right person/company, waiting for an estimate and then living with their schedule and level of craftsmanship. More often than not, my work normally yields better results, not because I’m better, I just care more and am not profit driven.
Same here. I always rejoice when I do find a shop or craftsman who will work up to my standards. When I mount and balance my own tires, using my buddy's equipment, but I do the work - I have learned to work to +/- 4 grams for most ordinary car tires. Recall that an ounce is 28 grams and change. So I am spinning the tire up 3 or 4 times till it comes out pretty much perfectly balanced, not just pounding on a couple of weights and calling it good. This does make a difference. Know how most/many cars have a bit of a vibration in the steering wheel at particular "eigenvalue" speeds? Mine don't.
You must be exaggerating? ALL that was done to his car is a light bulb was changed, and this customer was charged $500? No way. Absolutely no way.
If this is an actual true story, and the dealership stood behind their charging a customer $500 for replacing a light bulb, this needs to be reported to consumer protection and the man needs to refuse to pay. I would suspect a local consumer watch dog in the media would be very interested to hear this story, OP.
There's not enough specific information to make a judgement either way. If it was a dash bulb it could have required several hours of disassembly and reassembly on some models. And we don't know if the word "bulb was being used literally or generally. Some modern cars have LED light assemblies that can run close to that price just for the part.
My wife is fond of gardening and her last project which I helped her with was a concrete planter. It was easy, interesting and very cheap.
As about the idea of DIY - living, I've recently discovered an article about some frugal tips from our grandparents' era. Almost all of those tips are based on doing something yourself: DIY, repair, cook, sew, craft, etc. This article gives a lot of useful advice that we've been taught but forgot with time.
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