Are you proud to be a do-it-yourselfer?

[JDgreen227]

On Monday the local newpaper here had a story about a city homeowner who was upset with the DPW because they wouldn't remove the stump of a tree they had cut down. He had called them because the tree (on the right-of-way) had cracked and a large branch was hanging over his house. They responded to his request in a few hours, removing the tree, but told him because of budget cuts they would not remove the 36 inch stump. As the story went he got a $100 estimate to have the stump chipped up, and he felt the city should take care of it instead.

It made me laugh to read the story, because I recently dug out the sod, and then used a chain saw and an axe to remove three 30 inch diameter stumps here. Wasn't fun at my age (60) but hard work never hurt anybody. One of my neighbors was telling me recently he had to pay $600 to have his 7 year old well pressure tank replaced. I cannot imagine paying somebody $350 for labor to replace a $250 tank.

Last month I had to replace my step mom's twenty year old garbage disposal, she paid for the parts and afterwards she told me about someone who had to pay $450 for the same job I had done for a third of that much.

I do not begrudge paying a stump grinder, a plumber, etc. to do things I can't do but as long as I have the ability to do things myself, I am proud to be a do-it-yourselfer. And no doubt you are, too. :thumbsup:

 

[k0ua]

Until recently, we have never hired anything done. Now that we are older, I have hired a few things out. Like recently have trees trimmed and one cut down. They left the stump, which I took care of. I have a tractor after all. But I think the main reason I have always been a DIY'er is because I have never had much money, and if you want it done you have to do it yourself!

James K0UA

 

[2LaneCruzer]

On Monday the local newpaper here had a story about a city homeowner who was upset with the DPW because they wouldn't remove the stump of a tree they had cut down. He had called them because the tree (on the right-of-way) had cracked and a large branch was hanging over his house. They responded to his request in a few hours, removing the tree, but told him because of budget cuts they would not remove the 36 inch stump. As the story went he got a $100 estimate to have the stump chipped up, and he felt the city should take care of it instead.

It made me laugh to read the story, because I recently dug out the sod, and then used a chain saw and an axe to remove three 30 inch diameter stumps here. Wasn't fun at my age (60) but hard work never hurt anybody. One of my neighbors was telling me recently he had to pay $600 to have his 7 year old well pressure tank replaced. I cannot imagine paying somebody $350 for labor to replace a $250 tank.

Last month I had to replace my step mom's twenty year old garbage disposal, she paid for the parts and afterwards she told me about someone who had to pay $450 for the same job I had done for a third of that much.

I do not begrudge paying a stump grinder, a plumber, etc. to do things I can't do but as long as I have the ability to do things myself, I am proud to be a do-it-yourselfer. And no doubt you are, too. :thumbsup:

It's very satisfying to have the knowledge, skills and ability to do those sort of things, but at age 74 digging our a big stump is a lot of effort, not to mention the pain involved. $100 would probably be worth it to me. I took out about 12 or so trees last year, and was able to remove the stumps of the smaller ones by cutting them down with about 4 foot of stump remaining. I was then able to dig and chop them out with the use of my 4WD truck and a chain using the long stump as leverage.

If I had known as much about trees 30 years ago as I do today, I could have saved myself a bundle of money by not planting cottonwoods so close to the house. In fact, I would never have planted a cottonwood at all, let alone 20 foot from the house. It had to be taken down one limb at a time; took 3 days and $1400 (a bargain as it turns our; first estimate was $2500).

 

[JDgreen227]

I should have clarified I didn't actually remove the stumps the way a chipper would, just cut them off at ground level or slightly below with the saw, then hacked them down until sod could go over the top.

 

[radioman]

So you did finally get rid of that stump by the firepit. :thumbsup:
I always liked doing things myself as well. Its either a learning process or knowing that its getting done right. (well I am sure some of us like to say as cheap as possible even if it quick and dirty way. )

 

[hodge]

I have worked all of my life with my hands- I don't begrudge anyone who makes a living serving the needs of customers, or the customers who don't have the time or ability to do it themselves. Myself, though, I like to accomplish it myself. But, I also know my limits- I weigh my abilities, and my options, and then decide whether I can do it cheaper, or I can make more money working on something else while someone more qualified fixes something for me. For instance, I do most of my own mechanical work, but a few things, like body work or A/C work, goes to someone more qualified.
I would say that I do 95% of my own work.

 

[smstonypoint]

I weigh my abilities, and my options, and then decide whether I can do it cheaper, or I can make more money working on something else while someone more qualified fixes something for me.

Pardon my language (economics), but you understand "opportunity cost," a concept that managed to elude some of my former students.

Steve

 

[chucko]

" Are you proud to be a do-it-yourselfer?" I will go a step over that and say I somehow feel I have failed if I have to get someone to do something I can't

Well other than see what is wrong with these newer cars where you need a 20k cpu to tell you the gas cap is not tight and causing your check engine light to come on

 

[JDgreen227]

Pardon my language (economics), but you understand "opportunity cost," a concept that managed to elude some of my former students.

Steve

When I was working for a living I made less than $20 an hour, so paying somebody $80 to $100 an hour to do things for me wasn't very practical. Maybe if I had been earning $100 an hour I could have afforded it.

"Opportunity cost...." I like that term. Sounds more impressive than saying I'm just a cheap SOB.

 

[Carl_NH]

Agree with hodge and Steve, I know my abilities better now and what not to do. In earlier years I would not consider cost/risk appropriately and looking back did some risky things.

That said, I do everything from fixing the dishwasher tub with JB Weld, plumbing, wiring, digging stumps, but for instance when I had 10 40" stumps to grind, a fellow with a grinder came and did all 10 in a day for $350. I have rented a stump grinder for a day for half that, so figured $175 for 8 hrs a relative bargain.

Keeping the neighbors box store ridng mowers in tune and adjusted or sharpened and using what I have on hand to fix things without buying new is my preferred route.