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  • Important Rules for DIY

    Mainly posting this as a bit of a rant, since some people we get with home DIY projects haven't got the brains or ability to complete the task they're looking at. So here we go.

    1: Know what you want to do, and start small.

    First off, what is the project you want to do? Don't just come into store and tell me "I want to improve my garden," or "I want to renovate my bathroom," because ffs people, where are you even starting? I can't pile up a trolley and say "here's everything you need, have fun!" Try starting something small. You want to improve your garden? Try building a sandpit or a raise garden bed. They're relatively easy, and we have the materials and advice for you on how to do it correctly.

    2. Get your measurements before heading to the store.

    It's great that you're enthusiatic, but I can't magically tell you if the shed you're buying is gonna fit your yard. That's your job.

    3. You will need to buy the correct tools.

    This should speak for itself. You need the correct tools for the job. You can't get buy doing a major renovation with basic cheap brands unless you want to have to keep replacing them. Nor can you use a drillbit meant for timber if want to drill into a brick wall. Get the right tools.

    4. Get the right materials.

    You can't use untreated timber outside in the ground, even if it is cheaper. It'll rot faster than you would believe, not to mention the potential problems with termites and the like. You're gonna be redoing the job again in about a month or two.

    5. Be prepared for serious spending.

    I'll be honest: a lot of home DIY people who are good at what they do, don't do it to save money. They do it for the satisfaction they get making things themselves. Because lets face facts. These projects can blow through their intended budget much quicker than you think. If you're looking to save money, just hire a builder. You'll probably save money in the end.
    Patient has severely impacted cranial rectosis. There's probably no cure. - Overheard in ER

  • #2
    If you are not experienced, DIY ALWAYS takes longer than you think. We made this rock wall/garden looking thing. No experience with cement, all trial and error. We figured it would take a weekend. It ended up taking 3 weekends to finish and it was back breaking carrying all the rocks.
    Last edited by April; 09-09-2015, 02:25 PM. Reason: cause I'm slow and can't figure out pictures

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    • #3
      When our septic pump went out, I took a stab at trying to figure out how to replace it. I couldn't even get the pump out of the tank, so I quickly gave up and called a septic service.

      He was there in four hours, was familiar with the neighborhood, already had a replacement pump of the correct size ready to go, and, most importantly, had all the stupid little parts that would have me making a half-dozen trips to Big Orange to purchase. And to top it off, this was done for all of $100 over the cost of me buying the pump online and having it shipped.

      DIY can be fun, but you absolutely have to include how much you think your time is worth. That $100 was worth every penny I paid, and then some.

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      • #4
        Value of DIY

        DIY can save money, but not in the way cheapskates think it will.

        If a basic project will cost $2000 to buy completed, then a good DIY where you put in the $2000 for the materials ends up giving you a project that would have cost maybe $5000 but over the counter.

        But there is a real reason why the most basic project costed $2000 to buy, if a beginner DIY person tries to do the basic project for $1000 they will just end up with a pile of junk.

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        • #5
          All of the above is why people think that those who sell handmade items are over charging. Quality materials are expensive. Expertise comes from years of practice and mistakes. Time is valuable.

          Every year I hand make bookmarks for a silent charity auction. I bid on them all because it would break my heart to see them sell for less than the cost of the materials and because I do it to help my favorite charity. If nobody outbids me, the bookmarks are stocking stuffers for Christmas.

          I'm the first one to admit that plumbing defeats me. It looks simple, the u-tube videos make it look simple, the guys at the hardware store make it sound simple. It costs more to get a plumber out to fix my screw-ups than it would have cost to get one out to just fix it in the first place.

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          • #6
            Quoth Latekin View Post
            2. Get your measurements before heading to the store.
            Lovely, now my eye is twitching. If everyone measured first the waits at my work would lessen by a lot. Because how often does someone walk up to the counter and do the "show me how much one yard looks like, hum, how about a yard and a half" dance? Yes I know people are visual, but lets be honest, if they measured for their project, they'd be much less likely to depend on eyeballing! And when I'm buying and don't know how much I need I overestimate and make a decision, I don't waffle over a few inches for 15 minutes.

            Also, back at the roofing company, people were awesome at messing up their roofs. No, not always by trying to repair something. They would try to clean the roof, or put up solar panels, or otherwise poke giant HOLES in the roof, and then call us all upset. Like we should fix it for free because... reasons! Newsflash, the warranty only covers our work, not your messed up attempt to attach a giant Santa to the roof using screws the size of railroad spikes.
            Replace anger management with stupidity management.

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            • #7
              I'm a DIY guy myself, mostly because I'm a perfectionist and it's the only way I can be sure that things were done right. The two biggest pieces of advice I can give are to call in help for the important things, you don't want to waste time and money undoing and redoing things because of mistakes. The second thing is to be prepared for a long timeline. It's going to take longer than you think, then life gets in the way and the timeline gets even longer. Make sure that life can go on around the work in progress and that a vital piece of your home isn't being removed for the duration.
              D.I.L.L.I.G.A.F.
              Quoth = Crossbow "EvilHomer, Irv, Gravekeeper, and Seraph: the Four Horsemen of the Dumbpocalypse."

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              • #8
                I done DIY most of my life. But I am now at a point in my life where I can't do what I once did. So instead of rebuilding the deck I built 30 years ago, I am having a contractor do it. Dirty Harry expressed best what every DIYer needs to realize, "A man's got to know his limitations."
                "I don't have to be petty. The Universe does that for me."

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                • #9
                  When I went carpet shopping the sales guy was impressed that not only had I measured, I'd added six inches to the lengths and rather than try to accommodate and odd shape I was prepared to just buy the largest rectangle.
                  ludo ergo sum

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                  • #10
                    Quote Dirty Harry-
                    "Man's got to know his limitations"

                    I'm Bob, but I'm not Bob Villa. I can rebuild a engine and fix a radar jammer, don't ask me to fix the deck.
                    AkaiKitsune
                    Sarcasm dear, sarcasm. I’m well aware that dealing with civilians in any capacity will skin your faith in humanity alive, then pickle anything that remains so as to watch it shrivel up into an immortal husk thus reminding you of how dead inside you now are.

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                    • #11
                      Quoth Rosco the Iroc View Post
                      Quote Dirty Harry-
                      "Man's got to know his limitations"

                      I'm Bob, but I'm not Bob Villa. I can rebuild a engine and fix a radar jammer, don't ask me to fix the deck.
                      Could you shuffle a deck?
                      This site proves Corey Taylor right. Man really is a "four letter word."

                      I'm now using my Deviant Art page to post my humor.

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                      • #12
                        While I haven't yet tackled any large DIY projects I enjoy little around the house projects. I'm working my way through hanging new inside doors, cutting the holes and spots for the hinges myself. Damn hinges tho are old and the template is too small to use so they get done without it. I taught myself how to take apart the drain thing for our sink. It's an American Standard but with EZ connectors which I had difficulty in finding a video on how to take it apart, but I found one. I could take that thing apart in the dark now if I had to, lol. I bought myself a Makita cordless drill a couple years ago, Best.Investment.EVER. Love that thing. I even fixed our oscillating tower fan, it had stopped oscillating and it was just out of warranty and it was like $80 to replace it. Took that sucker apart and discovered a part that connects the oscillating arm to the motor had come out and god knows where it went but I used a small bit of bamboo skewer, in hindsight I should have used some heavy gauge wire I have in my crafting room and bent it around so it'd never come out but meh, can do that if the skewer comes out. I'm like some weird love child of MacGyver and Martha Stewart, lol.

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                        • #13
                          Add rules:

                          Always buy extra materials. Especially if it's your first attempt. YOU WILL NEED IT. Every artist/craftsman knows that the leftovers are no such thing. They can and will be used in another project.

                          Seriously, measure twice before cutting. If it's over, slowly shave a little off at a time until it fits. If it's under.. well, that's why you buy extra material!

                          And for the love of all that is holy, COUNT the amount of parts before you start putting it together. Nothing sucks more than to start putting something together only to find a part is missing.
                          If I make no sense, I apologize. I'm constantly interrupted by an actual toddler.

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                          • #14
                            Quoth notalwaysright View Post
                            Lovely, now my eye is twitching. If everyone measured first the waits at my work would lessen by a lot. Because how often does someone walk up to the counter and do the "show me how much one yard looks like, hum, how about a yard and a half" dance? Yes I know people are visual, but lets be honest, if they measured for their project, they'd be much less likely to depend on eyeballing!
                            You are preaching to the choir, sister. If I had a dollar for every time some customer asked me how much fabric they'd need for their project but didn't take measurements first, I wouldn't need to work there. And the "show me a yard" people? Several a day, every day! It's shocking how many people don't understand basic measurements. (NOTE: This does not include folks from countries that use the metric system trying to figure our our imperial measurement system. Those, I understand. Though if they didn't do any measurements at all, we're back to square one!)
                            I don't have an attitude problem. You have a perception problem.
                            My LiveJournal
                            A page we can all agree with!

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                            • #15
                              Quoth XCashier View Post
                              (NOTE: This does not include folks from countries that use the metric system trying to figure our our imperial measurement system. Those, I understand. Though if they didn't do any measurements at all, we're back to square one!)
                              If they didn't measure at all, it hardly matters which measurement system they didn't measure in...
                              Life: Reality TV for deities. - dalesys

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