livinginreality

Ok have guys lost skills over the years of doing DIY or what?Maybe my poor OH had a lot to follow in my Dad's footsteps.My Dad could put his hand to pretty much anything.He was a plumber by trade,but there was nothing much he could'nt do!My parents brought a shell of a house in South Oz a few years back and my Dad put up all the windows,plaster board,kitted out the bathroom to a high standard,fitted the kitchen and god knows what else.We moved house last year.I was about to put some curtain rods up,and my OH suggested he do it.Boy what a cock up he made of them!It must of taken him 30 minutes to just put up the hook things,and then they were'nt straight and he had to start again!!!!My advice to all girls out there,contemplating living with guy or getting married,test him on the DIY first before commiting.You might not think its that important now,but jeez a few years down the line it can really drive you bloody crazy!I might add,that yes I am actually quite good at DIY,I even made my kids a guinea pig hutch years ago!I think I got ripped off in that department,I want a refund!So guys,are you good at DIY?Did you learn your skills from your Dads,or am I just married to someone who is abit....well thick?

LaLaLayla

Men just aren't men anymore. This was brought home to me a couple of years ago when a bloke in front of me in the queue at our work's Starbucks said, "I'll have a grande skinny machiatto to go, please".

I mean, come on...

Alfresco

Umm we completely gutted our UK house we bought in 2003. Everything except structural and certified required stuff we've have done on our own together - me and wifey.

The list includes:-

De-wallpapering every room incl ceilings. (wallpaper should be banned universe wide)
Fitting new kitchen
Decorating each room, painting & coving (cornices) etc...
Wooden/laminate flooring.
Building cupboards
Excavating 12 cubic metres of earth for patio.
Block paving patio (angle grinding etc...)
Build retaining wall
Change all light fixtures and dodgy plug sockets
Hang new doors incl hinges locks
Hard Landscape garden
Plant up garden
Construct fencing
Pastering exterior walls and paint whole exterior of house (4 bed semi)
Tiling bathrooms

That's enough for starters.


So I would go with your last sentence.

livinginreality

Wow thats pretty impressive!I'm starting to think my OH is Frank Spencer.

POW148

I live out of town and trying to get a tradesman out to do any type of work is nearly impossible. If you can get one to come out, they will charge like a wounded bull. Therefore the only alternative is to do it myself. I do all my own plumbing, bricklaying, tiling, roofing, Fencing, Electrical, phone lines and building.

I am a Radio Technician by trade and have a good understanding of most things electrical. I am very practical and if I dont know how to do something, I will research it to death and then give it a go. Together with a neighbour, we have completely plumbed in 4 demountable homes which included all subfloor plumbing and installing envirocycle septic tanks. Together with the same neighbour, we have installed 4 bore pumps with a saving of nearly $4K per bore. I go on the theory that someone has to do it so it might as well be me. Not only that, I know how hard I have to work for my money and I really begrudge paying someone to do something that I can do myself.

My father is completely hopeless at any type of DIY so I never learnt a thing from him. I am not afraid to attempt anything so I just give it a go.

Barney

shirlw

Mine is pretty good but I'm not too shabby myself.I'm not a religious person but my patrents always said to me "God helps those who help themselves" so being independant comes naturally to me.You have to have a balance though 'cause if your man knows you can do xyz then they become complacent.Every now and then you have to play the damsel in distress card!

My dad on the other hand was pretty useless,he "fixes" everything with Araldite(contact adhesive I think?)........mum on the other hand has painted and decorated, wallpaper and all from top to bottom in her hey day!

quoll

Mine is going to have to lift his game as we now have a totally gutted kitchen (in my absence thank heavens) and I would like a fully fitted and functioning one before Christmas (this year!). He wants to do it - including fitting new windows and doors in places that havent yet had windows and doors and so I sincerely hope he has read enough books on the subject and gets his act into gear - fast! Must admit I am not inspired by his previous attempts and have a fall back plan for the recruitment of trained professionals if the time seems to be lingering somewhat. Any builders/plumbers in Canberra looking for pocket money????

Kapri

My OH can put his hand to most things.

In our current house he has:

*Knocked down wall between kitchen and dining room.

*Fitted new doors on kitchen cupboards

*New boiler and radiators (this is his job)

*Fitted new bathroom

*Laminate flooring downstairs

*Decked the garden

*Replaced internal doors and skirting

* Painted throughout

*Converted half of garage into utility room

*Replaced fencing outside

* Jobs for this year - new patio doors and new downstairs loo.

I am not practical at all and as such I am not allowed to help. Shame

Petals

My oh is very handy, built this house, took long service leave to do it.

Prepared for the slab, did the frame and fitted out. Dad did the electrics.

Since then he has renovated the ensuite, kitchen and bathroom.

Built the pergola an extra car port.

I am truly blessed.

He also worked and got well paid

kporte

I am a natural with my hands. Not much I cant do well on the DIY front but plastering and painting are hopeless. Plastering is one of these skills that looks easy but isn't and painting is just dull!

emelems

You can come and put up my ikea furniture anytime!

Em x

Jan4kids

My Husband is bloody brilliant at most things except tiling which he won't admit and I end up growling at the aforementioned wonky, badly grouted things for years to come.I'm getting older thesedays and can actually laugh (quietly) at this trait of his now. He will not accept help of any kind and sees it as an insult to his manliness

He is an electrical mechanical engineer by trade so car fixing is also no problem, he's just had a 'man-shed' built (by a company ) so hopefully this will eliminate me finding bits of engine being cleaned in my sink.

He is currently 3/4 of the way through building me a new kitchen.....he's a clever old wotsit

Oh and his Dad had him helping him from an early age and he went from being forced to do it to liking it.....although he says he wasn't too impressed with the trolley jack he received for his 10th Birthday lol!

The downside (apart from the undulating tiles ) is that I have many old electrical items, normal people would just discard their T.V's, dishwashers you name it when they gave up the ghost....oh no not here, they get circuit tested, inspected a repaired *SIGH*

Love him really......

Jan

iamthecreaturefromuranus

I'm an IT professional and will freely admit that I can do pretty much sod all when it comes to DIY... If I want something doing I get a man to do his trade and do a few additional hours at my trade to pay for it.

Having seen some DIY work its an approach I suggest more guys should take !!

Lord_Farquar

You need to get a Pole to do it for you. They are very hardworking you know.

paulry

I'm pretty much the same. Decorating and relatively undemanding repairs yes but beyond that I prefer to get the professionals in.

These days the difference between the prices of houses that need complete gutting and those where the work has already been done isn't as great as it should be so I prefer to buy a house with most of the work already done.