Comments on: Is the DIY Life Worth it?

By: Fence Update: Maybe Spending More Money

Fence Update: Maybe Spending More Money — Mon, 19 May 2008 12:03:18 +0000

[...] Is the DIY Life Worth It? [...]

By: DIY Fence Project Update: Those Darn Trees

DIY Fence Project Update: Those Darn Trees — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 15:17:49 +0000

[...] Is the DIY Life Worth It? [...]

By: Stephanie Chance

Stephanie Chance — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 21:58:19 +0000

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!

By: DIY Fence Project Update

DIY Fence Project Update — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 12:07:50 +0000

[...] you know, we’re taking on the monumental task of replacing our backyard fence. Rather than give you regular written updates, I felt you would get a better sense of what needs to [...]

By: inthebuff

inthebuff — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 12:04:48 +0000

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.

By: A

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 02:15:46 +0000

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.

By: SMB

SMB — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 19:35:01 +0000

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?

By: Miranda

Miranda — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 18:26:22 +0000

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…