Don87
Elite Member
This is the "key" to the thread.
If you are doing it for yourself, in your spare time...........it actually costs 'nothing'.
Your time is not free
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If you are doing it for yourself, in your spare time...........it actually costs 'nothing'.
jas67
Platinum Member
And just what is wrong with driving a BMW 3-series (not all BMW drivers fit your stereotype). I happen to have and drive TWO BMW 3-series (a 2000 and a 1994), AND a 4WD F-350 w/ Powerstroke Diesel. Of course, I'm a DIYer and a bit of a red neck compared to most BMW drivers.
Don't knock it till you try it. BMW's are great drivers' cars. Too bad that have a stigma due to some of the 1st owners (both mine were purchased pre-owned, for cash, after someone else took the depreciation hit).
jas67
Platinum Member
This was my point as well. We're saving money, AND being more comfortable. And yes, I too enjoy being outdoors gathering and processing the wood. I sit at a desk all week long for my job, so it is nice to get outside and do work that is more physical, and less thinking.
jgrreed
Platinum Member
Apologies... I think you and I are in the same boat..... I have tried it.
If you like your 3-series because it is a great car, carry on..... if you like it because it's what helps you fit in with your metrosexual friends.....well, then......
-Jer.
grunewald
Bronze Member
Back to the original subject, think for DIYers, it comes down to saving cash, your trade off is X amount of $ versus X amount of labor (your free time). My hour rate is probably close to zero. If I had my hourly rate at $90.00, I would not have much of anything accomplished at my place in the past 25 plus years, never could have afforded it if contracted out, dishing out my hard earned cash. Only thing I have contracted out were sidewalks and slab for garage. Built my own workshop, ran all my water and electrical lines (under ground ) dug my own stocktank, do my own plumbing repairs and electrical repairs, wife and I had house built as "liveable now" , so we painted house, did our own floors, etc. Would be interesting to go back in my memory, estimate what a contractor would have charged for all of this, subtract material I used, then see how much I saved. Would not be suprised if it come out close to 6 figures (wild guess). This is why we do it ourselves. If I charged myself $90.00 per hour, most dedicated professionals in their trade would be cheaper than me? Makes no sense whatsoever.
I dont think you can put a price on family time or money saved by doing a job yourself
I do most every thing myself and i work for myself running a company that employs 16 poeple
Its been 3 years since i paid another man to work at our home and that was to lay the concreat in my workshop floor but it is 95 feet long and 30 feet deep and he done a better job than i could have and it didn't cost much more than it would of to hire the tools to do it myself
but i put the building up myself and wouldn't have had it any other way
But when i am at home in the workshop the 2 oldest sons come down with me from time to time and my girl has spent many hours helping me they all know how to weld the eldest is quite good now and as soon as our 2 year old son is big enough i hope he will take an interest as well
so if im in the workshop repairing and building my own stuff or building the extra rooms on the house or fencing or the like as long as the kids are with me and they are learning on the way its got to be better than paying somone else to do it for me and hopfully it will teach them to work hard and not part with the money they earn easily
I do most every thing myself and i work for myself running a company that employs 16 poeple
Its been 3 years since i paid another man to work at our home and that was to lay the concreat in my workshop floor but it is 95 feet long and 30 feet deep and he done a better job than i could have and it didn't cost much more than it would of to hire the tools to do it myself
but i put the building up myself and wouldn't have had it any other way
But when i am at home in the workshop the 2 oldest sons come down with me from time to time and my girl has spent many hours helping me they all know how to weld the eldest is quite good now and as soon as our 2 year old son is big enough i hope he will take an interest as well
so if im in the workshop repairing and building my own stuff or building the extra rooms on the house or fencing or the like as long as the kids are with me and they are learning on the way its got to be better than paying somone else to do it for me and hopfully it will teach them to work hard and not part with the money they earn easily
Don't know if this has been said before (too many posts to read, coming to thread late).
All this talk of your time is not free is really only valid if you happen to have enough money to pay to have everything hired out or bought.
If I say my time is worth $100/hr and a project takes 100 hours (lets not count material) then its cost is $10,000, lets say that is also the cost to purchase the item. But if I do not have the $10,000 to spend to purchase or if the $10K can be spent on more important things, then by doing it myself it is just as if I had actually earned $10K or spent my time working at $100/hr because I have created using just my time something with a value of $10K without spending the money.
So in that respect DIY is just like earning money. Other than the pure enjoyment of making something yourself which is very high for many people, the main motivation for DIY is to save money in that case your time is indeed not free but your time is actually equivalent to earning money.
All this talk of your time is not free is really only valid if you happen to have enough money to pay to have everything hired out or bought.
If I say my time is worth $100/hr and a project takes 100 hours (lets not count material) then its cost is $10,000, lets say that is also the cost to purchase the item. But if I do not have the $10,000 to spend to purchase or if the $10K can be spent on more important things, then by doing it myself it is just as if I had actually earned $10K or spent my time working at $100/hr because I have created using just my time something with a value of $10K without spending the money.
So in that respect DIY is just like earning money. Other than the pure enjoyment of making something yourself which is very high for many people, the main motivation for DIY is to save money in that case your time is indeed not free but your time is actually equivalent to earning money.
Arky217
Silver Member
So, TBN reader, you value your time at $xx/hour ?
If you were in your last hour of life,
how much would another hour be worth to you ?
There is no 'value' to your time,
there is only value in how wisely you use it.
If you were in your last hour of life,
how much would another hour be worth to you ?
There is no 'value' to your time,
there is only value in how wisely you use it.
Personally the last hour would not be worth much, got to punch out eventually, but the last year, that would be priceless.
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