Is the DIY Life Worth it?
So that fence I was telling you about? The fence panels were delivered yesterday in the pouring rain, Except the truck driver/forklift operator said they wouldn’t fit in our garage. So he left them in the driveway and I covered them with a tarp until Mr Ng came home.
As suspected, the fence panels could indeed fit in the garage, we were just dealing with a lazy person. One by one, Mr Ng and I carried the panels into the garage. It took a while and my body just ached by the time we were done. Since it was pouring rain when they were delivered we have to allow time for them to dry. Then we have to stain and seal them. After that we have to rip down the old fence and put up the new fence. Before that however, we need to chop down all the trees that are growing against the fence. This is looking less and less like a weekend DIY project and more and more like a major event.
Ever just want to say “the heck with saving money, let’s just hire someone?”
Image © Deborah Ng
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POSTED IN: Doing it Yourself
8 opinions for Is the DIY Life Worth it?
Miranda
Apr 1, 2008 at 12:26 pm
Fun stuff with the fence. I’m a firm believer in first toting up the “cost” of doing it myself. I look at how much I make per hour doing my work, in addition to cost of materials. I also think about intangible things, like time spent with my family, and whether I will be grumpy with my son.
A lot of the time, I find it’s not worth it…
SMB
Apr 1, 2008 at 1:35 pm
There’s that puppy again, begging me to steal him…
Seriously, he’s a cutie. It looks like he’s growing up quickly! What kind of dog is he, again?
A
Apr 1, 2008 at 8:15 pm
I’ve heard friends say that fences, in particular are a real drag to DYI. We like to try our best to DYI but I think a fence I would probably hire out.
inthebuff
Apr 2, 2008 at 6:04 am
In addition to what Miranda said about the cost factor, I also factor in whether I can do the job better than a professional and if I have the time.
Also, when you hire a professional you have a contract. You generally pay them by the job. If you don’t like the job you can always withhold payments.
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Stephanie Chance
Apr 9, 2008 at 3:58 pm
I agree with what Miranda and inthebuff said about the cost. If you spend all your weekend doing it, you don’t have time for the things you normally do on the weekends, like clean. And you are not going to do as great a job as a professional, so you may have to replace it sooner. And the most overlooked is the cost of materials. When we were building our own house, we made trips to Lowe’s every single day because there was always some other tool that we needed that a professional would already have. But sometimes paying someone is not an option. Good luck!
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