What is your skrongest DIY home maintenance/improvement skill set?

MikeDamone

YellowSnow said:

RaceBannon said:

Decks

It was a hobby as a home owner. Built three of them. Ended up adding value too

I've never built a deck. But I did refinish both are front back ones last summer. I sanded them down entirely and then applied a nice stain. It's amazing how well 20 year old cedar holds up in dry climate. Fuck your Trex @CFetters_Nacho_Lover !!

I have my cedar deck sanded and stained every year. 15 years old and it still looks brand new.

dannarc

Landscaping

I am a jack of all Doogs master of nothing. We have an older home built in late 30's. I've remodeled every room with exception of kitchen which will effectively end my shitty carpentry, electrical, and plumbing tenor and more than likely my marriage this winter. I generally do a solid jib, but it's the finer details that trip me up. When I refinished the hardwood floor, I sanded, stained, and everything looked great until I put the poly on, it flashed and left some very faint streaks. My tile job on the upstairs bathroom could have been better, a few of the grout lines are thicker than the rest, besides that everything else looks good. I am a landscaper by trade, so the outside is great. I found that hiring out for very detailed type work does not necessarily mean you will get a top notch product, that's why I decided to refinish floors and do some tiling, the pros around here may or may not have done as good job. I might redo the upstairs bathroom and maybe parts of the hardwood because eventually I get tired of looking at my fuck ups

Baseman

MikeDamone said:

Hiring immigrants to do the work.

I’ve paid my DIY dues. Now I’m rich and don’t want to fuck with those things.

Fuck, I admire you

PurpleThrobber

Other

MikeDamone said:

Hiring immigrants to do the work.

I’ve paid my DIY dues. Now I’m rich and don’t want to fuck with those things.

Cierto, amigo mío.

Mejor contratar a los ilegales y pasar tiempo bebiendo buen licor y comiendo las mejores carnes y quesos de toda la tierra.

1to392831weretaken

Other

dannarc said:

I am a jack of all Doogs master of nothing. We have an older home built in late 30's. I've remodeled every room with exception of kitchen which will effectively end my shitty carpentry, electrical, and plumbing tenor and more than likely my marriage this winter. I generally do a solid jib, but it's the finer details that trip me up. When I refinished the hardwood floor, I sanded, stained, and everything looked great until I put the poly on, it flashed and left some very faint streaks. My tile job on the upstairs bathroom could have been better, a few of the grout lines are thicker than the rest, besides that everything else looks good. I am a landscaper by trade, so the outside is great. I found that hiring out for very detailed type work does not necessarily mean you will get a top notch product, that's why I decided to refinish floors and do some tiling, the pros around here may or may not have done as good job. I might redo the upstairs bathroom and maybe parts of the hardwood because eventually I get tired of looking at my fuck ups

This is the thing. The primary reason I do a lot of my own shit is because I want it done right. I've had eight or nine contractors out at my place in the 14 years I've owned it. TWO of them weren't total fuckups. I walk up the hill behind my property where the McMansions are going up. They're not even finished yet, sign in the yard that they're sold. Giant, beautiful houses, and I'm looking right at cheap 60-minute paper tucked right into the window openings and windows improperly taped. Those houses are fucked. Building science has evolved, and most builders haven't, doing things the same shitty way they were being done in the '90s.

dannarc

Landscaping

1to392831weretaken said:

dannarc said:

I am a jack of all Doogs master of nothing. We have an older home built in late 30's. I've remodeled every room with exception of kitchen which will effectively end my shitty carpentry, electrical, and plumbing tenor and more than likely my marriage this winter. I generally do a solid jib, but it's the finer details that trip me up. When I refinished the hardwood floor, I sanded, stained, and everything looked great until I put the poly on, it flashed and left some very faint streaks. My tile job on the upstairs bathroom could have been better, a few of the grout lines are thicker than the rest, besides that everything else looks good. I am a landscaper by trade, so the outside is great. I found that hiring out for very detailed type work does not necessarily mean you will get a top notch product, that's why I decided to refinish floors and do some tiling, the pros around here may or may not have done as good job. I might redo the upstairs bathroom and maybe parts of the hardwood because eventually I get tired of looking at my fuck ups

This is the thing. The primary reason I do a lot of my own shit is because I want it done right. I've had eight or nine contractors out at my place in the 14 years I've owned it. TWO of them weren't total fuckups. I walk up the hill behind my property where the McMansions are going up. They're not even finished yet, sign in the yard that they're sold. Giant, beautiful houses, and I'm looking right at cheap 60-minute paper tucked right into the window openings and windows improperly taped. Those houses are fucked. Building science has evolved, and most builders haven't, doing things the same shitty way they were being done in the '90s.

I made the mistake of hiring a blow hard know it all contractor to paint our house. The dude thought he was so good that he didn't tape off anything and got overspray on everything, called him back to fix it and he did, found out 6mo later that he used an interior paint on the exterior trim, fyfmfe. My interior skills are definetly not top notch, but good enough to not take a chance on shitty contractors. * disclaimer, there are good ones out there and I have had success with some of them..

Fishpo31

Painting / Staining

dannarc said:

I am a jack of all Doogs master of nothing. We have an older home built in late 30's. I've remodeled every room with exception of kitchen which will effectively end my shitty carpentry, electrical, and plumbing tenor and more than likely my marriage this winter. I generally do a solid jib, but it's the finer details that trip me up. When I refinished the hardwood floor, I sanded, stained, and everything looked great until I put the poly on, it flashed and left some very faint streaks. My tile job on the upstairs bathroom could have been better, a few of the grout lines are thicker than the rest, besides that everything else looks good. I am a landscaper by trade, so the outside is great. I found that hiring out for very detailed type work does not necessarily mean you will get a top notch product, that's why I decided to refinish floors and do some tiling, the pros around here may or may not have done as good job. I might redo the upstairs bathroom and maybe parts of the hardwood because eventually I get tired of looking at my fuck ups

I think my hesitancy / laziness is in the fuck up factor...I painted our entire house (interior), repainted it 6 months later, and was going to do it again until the wife said "enough". I bought an old school bar on wheels, complete with a brass rail, stripped it, sanded, stained, poly. Everyone compliments me on it, but every time I look at it, all I can see is where I fucked up...

dannarc

Landscaping

I'm starting to get over it. When I did the hardwood floors, there were some existing cracks that I thought were too big, so I got some sandable, stainable wood filler and now all that I can see is the wood filler joints that never did absorb stain as advertised, and of course the poly flashed and left some variances. All in all it looks ok, but I hate it when you do everything 110% and some minor bullshit thing is all you notice. Watching UW football the last 20yrs has softened me up to not giving as many shits

LebamDawg

Other

I have had contractor's come in and since I worked at home for a major aerospace company I spent as much time as possible keeping an eye and questioning everything they did. They got the message. No move was made without me being right on them.

My wife actually fired one of the guys that worked for the contractor. Told him he could have all the scraps (metal roofing, lots of old cedar timbers, etc) if he doesn't come in late anymore. Lasted less than a week.