No One Knows How to Fix anything Anymore.

[Blues Man]

Is it just me or are people, but men in particular, completely clueless when it comes to fixing anything around the house anymore?

I had a friend who was complaining about how much a plumber charged him to remove a cracked toilet and install a new one. He really had no idea that he could have done it himself for less than $150.

I know another guy who actually called an electrician to put in a ceiling fan.

It just sad isn't it?

 

[Auld Phart]

even more amazing, when you realize that YouTube has a video on how to do almost anything

 

[Anomalism]

My time is valuable. If I need something like that done I pay some monkey to do it.

 

[Canon Shooter]

I'll admit, I'm not the most handy guy around the house. Accordingly, I have no problem paying someone who's licensed and far more knowledgeable to take care of those types of things for me...

 

[strollingbones]

hubby is handy....he hates being handy...he does all that crap..plumbing electric...carpentry and tile...so my projects are budgeted for materials only...right now i am still waiting on kitchen cabinets....waiting and waiting...plus he needs to replace switch..the new switch is laying on the wood stove..o and fire wood needs to be processed....

sometimes its not good to be handy....

 

[postman]

My time is valuable. If I need something like that done I pay some monkey to do it.

That's all well and good, except when a pipe springs a leak on Christmas Eve. Good luck finding a plumber nights, weekends, and holidays.

 

[Oddball]

Is it just me or are people, but men in particular, completely clueless when it comes to fixing anything around the house anymore?

I had a friend who was complaining about how much a plumber charged him to remove a cracked toilet and install a new one. He really had no idea that he could have done it himself for less than $150.

I know another guy who actually called an electrician to put in a ceiling fan.

It just sad isn't it?

A total lack of curiosity.

 

[Mr Natural]

I get a great deal of satisfaction fixing something myself. And the money saved is a bonus.

 

[beautress]

Is it just me or are people, but men in particular, completely clueless when it comes to fixing anything around the house anymore?

I had a friend who was complaining about how much a plumber charged him to remove a cracked toilet and install a new one. He really had no idea that he could have done it himself for less than $150.

I know another guy who actually called an electrician to put in a ceiling fan.

It just sad isn't it?

No, but welcome to my world! It's easier to put off something done than to get someone who takes a $150 job and charges you $2500 for it because he owes someone else a lot of money and when he checked the bottom line of your bank account, he did not know you are setting aside $7,600 for paying local taxes next December when they are due or else you get a huge fine from the county if you are one day late.

 

[strollingbones]

o you can find a plumber 24/7.....as hubby says the answer to all problems...money

you will pay a hefty premium

 

[strollingbones]

i know women who would buy fixer ups then work the trades..changing men when needed for the next project...

 

[Blues Man]

My time is valuable. If I need something like that done I pay some monkey to do it.

Not so valuable that you can't waste time posting here though right?

It literally takes less than 20 minutes to replace a toilet.

 

[Ralph Norton]

Is it just me or are people, but men in particular, completely clueless when it comes to fixing anything around the house anymore?

I had a friend who was complaining about how much a plumber charged him to remove a cracked toilet and install a new one. He really had no idea that he could have done it himself for less than $150.

I know another guy who actually called an electrician to put in a ceiling fan.

It just sad isn't it?

There are some things I will do and, as noted above, there are YouTube videos for many things.
When it comes to electrical (and most plumbing) repairs, however, I'll let a professional handle it.
Not sure why you think that is "sad"?

 

[night_son]

Is it just me or are people, but men in particular, completely clueless when it comes to fixing anything around the house anymore?

I had a friend who was complaining about how much a plumber charged him to remove a cracked toilet and install a new one. He really had no idea that he could have done it himself for less than $150.

I know another guy who actually called an electrician to put in a ceiling fan.

It just sad isn't it?

Both grandfathers raised us (the men in the family) to fix everything around the house from roofing and plumbing to pulling engines and transmissions—I suppose it was their Depression Era apocalyptic mentality. One of them even forged his own tools and forge welded farming equipment; they never threw anything away, not if it could be salvaged; everything could be salvaged. They even taught us to sew and fix shoes. However, that was way back in the 70's and 80's. Times have changed and an abundance of capitol has sometimes led us to splurge on repairmen rather than go Rambo on every broken down item in our daily lives.

On the flipside, I will never understand my wife's family's tendency to call out repairmen for the merest of damaged or broken household goods. The men in her family come from different stock: they are descendants of wealthy Guyanese land owners and businessmen who cashed in while their nation was still a British colony. Their idea of getting their hands dirty is telling stories about . . . getting their hands dirty. Oh well, they're still good people—hard workers—but in a more intellectual sense.

All of that being said, I must agree with your assessment that men of the more recent generations are much better at fixing nothing much at all . . . unless it involves computer gaming. Perhaps a new mini-apocalypse will arrive and reboot the do-it-yourself culture, eventually.

 

[Hang on Sloopy]

Is it just me or are people, but men in particular, completely clueless when it comes to fixing anything around the house anymore?

I had a friend who was complaining about how much a plumber charged him to remove a cracked toilet and install a new one. He really had no idea that he could have done it himself for less than $150.

I know another guy who actually called an electrician to put in a ceiling fan.

It just sad isn't it?

Well half of them are just figuring out their genders. Give it more time

 

[Blues Man]

I'll admit, I'm not the most handy guy around the house. Accordingly, I have no problem paying someone who's licensed and far more knowledgeable to take care of those types of things for me...

You don't have to have a license to replace a toilet or a ceiling fan.

 

[Blues Man]

i know women who would buy fixer ups then work the trades..changing men when needed for the next project...

When I was younger I knew a couple women who would trade for the trade work I did for them. (wink)

 

[Anomalism]

Not so valuable that you can't waste time posting here though right?

It literally takes less than 20 minutes to replace a toilet.

I post here for fun. The time value equation changes when we're talking about things I want to do vs things I don't want to do.

 

[postman]

Not so valuable that you can't waste time posting here though right?

It literally takes less than 20 minutes to replace a toilet.

I'd give it an hour. Unless you're replacing it with a nearly identical model. But how many people have toilets new enough, that they still make it.

Have you tried to get a brass flush valve? They're all plastic and cheaper to buy the whole valve, than try to replace a leaking seal.

 

[Blues Man]

I post here for fun. The time value equation changes when we're talking about things I want to do vs things I don't want to do.

It's just stupid to pay some guy a grand for something you can do yourself for 100 bucks.