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So where do you fit on the handyman skills scale from 0-10? And are you ok with that?


Ralphie

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Just now, Philander Seabury said:

So do you plan to make use of that in retaarment?  Do you find it enjoyable?

If we stay in this house, it could use a lot of work, so yes.

If we move, I'll likely want to build new, so no, I would not.

I don't mind puttering around, I usually enjoy it.

Not afraid to tackle most anything.

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Building, maintaining and programming jet engine test cells, laser systems and race cars has led to lots of skills.  When I was younger I took on all sorts of tasks around the house. Unfortunately now that I'm older I've probably slipped down the scale to a 5.  Once the pain sets in I get frustrated and am prone to hacking out something that will work instead of finishing everything just right.

 

This is very different from working on the small race cars.  They don't cause much pain so every detail is an attempt at perfection.  That in itself is frustrating because as soon as a task has been done really well you realize exactly what could have been done better.  Perfection becomes an unobtainable goal.

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It depends...   Now I'm learning it's easier and the results are better if I hire someone.   I did have a false start.   When I was 7 my dad painted a storage room in the basement. Later, when he was done,  I convinced my brother who was 6, we could help and do a better job.  I learned painting with paint thinner is a bad idea.  My dad.... lets just say he wasn't happy at all. 

 

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.5  :unsure: Dearie used to be at probably 8..he built a good part of his farmhouse with heating on his own.

Honest, sewing requires logic, skill and artistry for higher quality results.  On latter, I put myself at 7...since I saved hundreds of dollars for over 15 years, by sewing 80% of my clothing, including lined tailored jackets.  My mother is at 8...she can draft patterns from scratch...ok fitting an couch to knife-edge accuracy.

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25 minutes ago, Square Wheels said:

I went to a technical high school.  Terrible scholastic education, fantastic skills education.  The first year I went through a lot of shops.  Settled on carpentry and did that for 3 years.  Worked for a couple of contractors for a few years, then had our own company for a few years.

So how did you end up in the position you are in now? There is a story there somewhere.

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I could do a passable job at most things and a very good job at several, electrician, plumbing, carpentry, painting I was very good at. Masonry I was passable at best. Decent mechanic.

But those skills are fading, muscle aches, fading eyesight, and poor memory are all contributing factors.

I still enjoy woodworking, and screwing around with old tractors, but I take my car to a garage, and I wouldn't even consider putting a roof on my house.

So prolly was a 9 and am now a 6

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10 minutes ago, Square Wheels said:

Short story: I didn't like the weather.

When I had the full length decks and porches added to my house they didn’t get started until October. By the time they were done the weather was getting bad. I asked them if they could do a steel roof for me and they said sure. I had money left over after I paid for all the work so I had them put a steel roof on the garage. I told them I wasn’t in any hurry for the garage roof if they wanted to wait till spring and warmer weather. They said they didn’t have any other work lined up and were ready to start. They did the garage roof all in one freezing day. Bad weather takes all the fun out of outside work.

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Mine vary.   I am a good 'rough' carpenter, but am weak on the finish carpentry stuff.  I am okay with electricity but don't like messing with it.  Anything involving an internal combustion engine goes to a shop.  I dont even change my own oil., so I am solid 5-6 overall.  Plumbing is good.  "Shit runs downhill" is your first lesson, my Dad (who worked in the plumbing industry) used to tell me.

What I am good at is troubleshooting.  If something no longer works, I am good at systematically working through to find the problem.  Even without Google....  it comes from working my way through University in an Air Conditioning repair shop and working and fixing dive gear for 30 years

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7-8. I grew up with dad not able to pay for a lot of work, so he learned how to do it himself. I followed that path for the same reason. The only work I have had to pay for was a new HVAC and I paid an electrician to rebuild the mast where the power enters the house after some storm damage. 
I will pay to have my roof done next year just so it’s done quickly. I helped Dad roof our house growing up so I know how it’s done. 
I have framed, dry walled and painted. I gutted and entirely replaced all plumbing in both baths and the kitchen. I have run gas lines. I have done floors in ceramic tile, engineered wood and vinyl. I poured sidewalks and front steps for our house. Did our paver patio. Mid-level electrical like adding outlets into the bathrooms replacing lighting fixtures and adding ceiling fans. 
Right now, where I draw the line is can I physically do the work? Will I have to buy new tools I will only use once? 

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2 minutes ago, Longjohn said:

When I had the full length decks and porches added to my house they didn’t get started until October. By the time they were done the weather was getting bad. I asked them if they could do a steel roof for me and they said sure. I had money left over after I paid for all the work so I had them put a steel roof on the garage. I told them I wasn’t in any hurry for the garage roof if they wanted to wait till spring and warmer weather. They said they didn’t have any other work lined up and were ready to start. They did the garage roof all in one freezing day. Bad weather takes all the fun out of outside work.

So many people would call us in the winter and ask to line us up for the spring.  We'd tell them we worked all year round.  They were surprised.  

The hot days were really hard.  It was tough to stay hydrated.  We never wore sunscreen.  You'd get lightheaded easily.

The cold days were brutal.  We needed to keep adhesives (when used) warm so we often had a truck running.  It was so nice running to the truck, even for 15 seconds, to get a new tube of adhesive.

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mr. and I can do the odd jobs, like patching holes in drywall, changing switches and ceiling fixtures, cleaning out drains, replacing sinks, faucets, shower heads. But we hire contractors for anything that takes years of know-how, like hanging doors, framing, installing outdoor faucets. 

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1 hour ago, Square Wheels said:

Even in my 20s I knew I didn't want to be climbing up on a roof in my 40s or 50s.  New England weather is harsh.  Working outside all year was not always fun.  Brutal July sun while roofing, freezing February temps while holding a hand full of steel nails (gloves don't work for that).  Plus I still had all my fingers.  Not all carpenters can say that. 

When I was a freshman in HS, I had no idea what I 'wanted' to do' in life.  So I took shop class, plus all of the other stuff.  We had auto shop, wood working, and metals shop.  I didn't like wood working, because I wanted to keep my fingers where they were.  Metals was OK. But I loved auto shop class. 

So I stayed in auto shop all 4 years.   I also was very good at math and science, except for chemistry. (thank god for people like Mick)  I made a LOT of money fixing cars.  Early senior year... my parents were asking so where do you want to go to college. What do you want to do?  At first I was considering an automotive school in Denver.  I was considering stating a traveling auto repair business, we come to your home to fix your car.   Then my parrents suggested engineering, and the possibilities that that could bring.  I thanked them for that several years down the road.

One of my jobs to pay for college...  One winter break I worked for a HVAC company.  Getting up on a roof, in the cold winter wind to help fix a commercial furnace for a business, that only convinced me I needed to be sure I got better grades in engineering.  It was f'n cold... 

Our old home was a 1 1/2 bath home.  I remodeled the bathroom.  Ripped out the flooring, the fiberglass tub/shower, cabinets, a bunch of wall board had to go for the new tub/shower (just to set the thing in properly) and the wall paper.  OMG I HATE removing wall paper. So does WoBG. They must have used the wrong glue.  I needed to change the plumbing, rewire for the new lights, install a tile floor, the new vanity, new mirror, new toilet, the new wood trim work, and paint and stain where needed.  And move one wall slightly for the new vanity.

After that.... I told WoBG, that was fun but...  the next time we do anything, I'm just paying for it.  I did change my mind (slightly) for our new home.  I did install the tile floor in our laundry room, and all of the low voltage wiring for our electronic stuff and some in the wall speakers.

 

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2 hours ago, Square Wheels said:

Even in my 20s I knew I didn't want to be climbing up on a roof in my 40s or 50s.  New England weather is harsh.  Working outside all year was not always fun.  Brutal July sun while roofing, freezing February temps while holding a hand full of steel nails (gloves don't work for that).  Plus I still had all my fingers.  Not all carpenters can say that.  I got pretty lucky injury-wise.  Jammed a nail into the side of my leg.  Hit myself in the head twice with a hammer - once required stiches.  Smashed my thumb more times than I can count.  Cut myself with my knife, that got me a few stitches.  The lucky one was a kick back from a saw.  Was kneeling on a piece of wood, saw kicked back and the blade grabbed my jeans.  Still got a nice cut on the inside of my knee, but without the jeans may have needed an amputation.

I didn't see a future in it physically and decided to go back to college.  The first year was really hard as I had very little background.  I went for a science degree.  I had no prerequisites.  I also didn't study, when you go to a technical high school, they don't focus a lot on studying.  I drank my way through college, and they gave me a degree.  Honestly, I probably studied a total of 100 hours for all 5 years.

In my current job, I worked insanely hard as a technologist.  Then I took a really hard specialty exam.  It has a 65% failure rate, oddly they gave me a certificate.  That opens doors.  I left the current place for a Sups job at another facility, came back to the current place in less than a year for a bigger position.  About 20 years later the director left, got replaced by someone who didn't work out.  I was appointed interim director, no good applicants even though they did a nationwide search.  Was asked to apply, I did, here I am.

Short story: I didn't like the weather.

You and I both seemed to follow more difficult, but in some ways more rewarding paths.  Your way led to good pay however while mine led to 

 

wut?

 

 

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I have done some things (minor repairs) in the past, but as I age, I've realized I need more help. My Bobcat driving friend has adaptly named me Dr. Deep pockets, as in, if I have the money, we can do it. We are current purchasing pipes and panels to fence our property along the roads. We'll start building next spring. Continuous fencing, but ours will be modified a bit too better hold sheep. Neighbor builds these panels commercially. 

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A 10, of course I cheated.

1) My step father custom built homes one at a time, and from age 6 on was at his job site when school was out. Basically, he babysat and kept me out of mom's hair...but over the years I learned a lot. Graduate from exploring the woods adjacent to the job sites to climbing on roof and "helping"...plus everything in between.

2) First intended college major was architectural engineering until overwhelmed myself with a ridiculous class load

3) Currently, no problem with DIY.

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8 hours ago, roadsue said:

mr. and I can do the odd jobs, like patching holes in drywall, changing switches and ceiling fixtures, cleaning out drains, replacing sinks, faucets, shower heads. But we hire contractors for anything that takes years of know-how, like hanging doors, framing, installing outdoor faucets. 

That's about my extent. Decent/good on plumbing. I can do other stuff but it's going to look like shit.

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