Suspended My Man Card For a Day

[Ben]

And called my plumber to fix a leaking supply valve in the bathroom of the rental I'm working on. Normally an easy job where I would hang my head in shame for calling in a pro, but this is the second time on an "easy" plumbing issue where I saved my bacon by wimping out, and the plumber earned his money.

In this case, a twenty year old gate valve on galvanized pipe. This plumber does all my rentals and I absolutely trust him, so when he told me I made a wise decision, I know he was being honest. He was grunting and cussing like a sailor before he got the old one off, and if it was me,  I would have likely gotten mad, overexerted the wrenches, and busted something behind the drywall.

The previous time I suspended my man card was at my home I recently sold when I put a new water heater in about a year ago. I installed the one that was there when I moved in, but a little voice told me, "just pay the plumber for the new one." Again a wise choice, because it took that plumber over four hours, again because of seized valves from the crappy water there. He ended up giving up and cutting the old ones off, leaving about an inch of copper on one side for him to solder onto sticking out of the drywall. He was also not a happy camper, but I was happy to pay for the extra hours of frustration I didn't have to go through. :)

Anyway, I'm learning more and more that I don't have to fix every damn thing myself, and am happy to take the hits on my man card.

[K Frame]

I absolutely do NOT work on galvanized pipe.

[BlueStarLizzard]

Considering that you lose twice the number of man cards for breaking something you're supposed to be fixing because you got in over your head, I think your safe from wiping out on your total collection of man cards.

[Andiron]

Net win,  pick your man card up at the courtesy desk,  I think you misplaced it.

[grampster]

There is no such thing as a man card.  That is myth that has been promulgated by communists.  I do all my work around the house with one hand...that is to sign the check to Manuel Labar who I call when I need him.

[Ben]

There is no such thing as a man card.  That is myth that has been promulgated by communists.  I do all my work around the house with one hand...that is to sign the check to Manuel Labar who I call when I need him.

I've got to learn to be better about doing that. It would give me more time for manly pursuits like fishing trips.  :)

If money were really tight it would be one thing, but it's mostly ego with me. I'm pretty good about calling someone for stuff way above my skill level, but not for stuff I can do. With this rental, for example, while the tenant of 10+ years didn't thrash it, she didn't leave it in the best of shape, plus some stuff just needed to be done for normal wear and tear and aging. I chose to take most of the work on myself over the last few weeks (with some days off, including a fishing trip in between), but I could have easily handed half the work off to my very talented and very reasonable handyman. I need to learn to spread the wealth a bit to let the younger guys make a living while I sit on the porch drinking whiskey with the dog. 

[vaskidmark]

If the good $Deity meant for me to fix stuff, move stuff, and generally be "handy" it would have given me those skills.  And probably not the other skills I received instead.  One of which is knowing not to buck the good $Deity.

stay safe.

[grampster]

I've got to learn to be better about doing that. It would give me more time for manly pursuits like fishing trips.  :)

If money were really tight it would be one thing, but it's mostly ego with me. I'm pretty good about calling someone for stuff way above my skill level, but not for stuff I can do. With this rental, for example, while the tenant of 10+ years didn't thrash it, she didn't leave it in the best of shape, plus some stuff just needed to be done for normal wear and tear and aging. I chose to take most of the work on myself over the last few weeks (with some days off, including a fishing trip in between), but I could have easily handed half the work off to my very talented and very reasonable handyman. I need to learn to spread the wealth a bit to let the younger guys make a living while I sit on the porch drinking whiskey with the dog. 

Sitting on the porch drinking whiskey with the dog is a requirement not an option.  I have no dog, but my brother came over last night and we both drank whiskey and talked about dogs.

[Monkeyleg]

Seriously, sometimes the job is beyond the home handyman's abilities.

[brimic]

My first step when dealing with galvanized pipe involves a Sawzall.
Increasingly more and more things are not worth my time to do and can be farmed out to a pro. A free saturday (and sometimes encroaching into the sunday) is worth more to me than a few hundred bucks paid to have someone who doesn't have to learn on the job.

[MillCreek]

My first step when dealing with galvanized pipe involves a Sawzall.
Increasingly more and more things are not worth my time to do and can be farmed out to a pro. A free saturday (and sometimes encroaching into the sunday) is worth more to me than a few hundred bucks paid to have someone who doesn't have to learn on the job.

I want to click the 'like' button several times for this post. Especially the learning on the job part.  I have a bad habit of researching how to do something new, think 'well, how hard can this be?', and then regretting my decision if a problem comes up beyond my ability to solve.

[seeker_two]

Deferring to the knowledge of a professional is never a bad thing.....

....unless you're getting firearm advice from a DEA agent....

[Ben]

I want to click the 'like' button several times for this post. Especially the learning on the job part.  I have a bad habit of researching how to do something new, think 'well, how hard can this be?', and then regretting my decision if a problem comes up beyond my ability to solve.

I'll hit the "virtual like" as well.

When I was still working, I had much less of an issue calling someone because I was at work or work travel so much that every spare minute was important to me, and I figured anything where hiring someone calculated out to less than my salary converted to hourly wages, it was a no brainer to hire someone unless it was something super quick and easy.

I still need to learn about being retired. I've been figuring that since I have spare time now, that I should be doing more projects myself, but really, I should be looking at making the most of my spare time. :)

[grampster]

Some of the greatest disasters in my formerly DIY life started out with either:  This can't be hard to do. Or, This is just a simple job.

It is simply amazing all of the small pieces a porcelain toilet will break into when hurled into the garage from the doorway of the Family Room with a Mighty Oath.
 

[Larry Ashcraft]

I did the same thing (almost) yesterday.  My wife called at 11:00 AM and said there was no water.  She checked the power at the wellhouse and it was good, but the pump wasn't working.  I resisted the urge to close up, run home and try to figure it out.  I called a local well and pump service I know, and they went out.  They called me and said the pressure switch had gone bad and they replaced it.  (He started to explain to me what a pressure switch was, but I told him I knew, I had installed it, along with the pressure tank and plumbing.)

I could have fixed it, in several hours and multiple 100 yard trips back to the garage for tools, but I figured it might be the pump.  It'll probably be at least $200 for a $25 pressure switch, but I think I made the right decision.  I'm getting too old to try and do all the fixups around the house.  I broke a rib two weeks ago fooling around with a drain pipe in a ditch above the garage.

[grampster]

Heh.  I understand.  My pump seemed to me to be running too much.  $125.00 well spent (pun?) dollars to the guys come out.  They purged the tank and then re-pressurized it.  Told me to watch and see if loses air pressure quickly.  He didn't think it would.  But if it does, I'll need a new tank.  That was over a week ago.  Everything seems ok. 

[Ben]

Heh.  I understand.  My pump seemed to me to be running too much.  $125.00 well spent (pun?) dollars to the guys come out.  They purged the tank and then re-pressurized it.  Told me to watch and see if loses air pressure quickly.  He didn't think it would.  But if it does, I'll need a new tank.  That was over a week ago.  Everything seems ok. 

Heh, had to get the tank to the house well here replaced a couple of months ago. Not only did I pay for the pump guy, but because they're so shorthanded with all the wells running dry out here, one of the two brothers that own the company came out himself and I had to help him install it. 

[Larry Ashcraft]

Heh.  I understand.  My pump seemed to me to be running too much.  $125.00 well spent (pun?) dollars to the guys come out.  They purged the tank and then re-pressurized it.  Told me to watch and see if loses air pressure quickly.  He didn't think it would.  But if it does, I'll need a new tank.  That was over a week ago.  Everything seems ok. 

I installed my 44 gallon pressure tank maybe 20 years ago.  It loses pressure about 3-4 time a year now.  I take a portable air tank down there and pump air in while I let water out of the bottom.  Works pretty well.  You can tell when you don't have enough air when the shower surges.  I should replace the tank one of these days.

[KD5NRH]

In this case, a twenty year old gate valve on galvanized pipe.

Galvanized pipe?  You mean the stuff that stays put, has threads, and doesn't use compression fittings?

I had to replace another stop on the Qest tubing last night, and I'm sorely tempted to rip it all out as soon as I can gather enough PEX leftovers from friends reworking their plumbing.

[Jamisjockey]

The only thing that revokes a man card is a pair of skinny jeans.

[Ben]

The only thing that revokes a man card is a pair of skinny jeans.

I'm safe there. Even if I lost my mind and considered wearing them, I'm pretty sure they don't make any big enough to fit me. 

[Scout26]

As i get older I find it much easier to sign a check and have a pro do it, then for me to make the mandatory 3 trips to the hardware while I OJT a task I know squat about.


I installed our water heater in 1993.  A couple of weeks ago it started leaking.  Turned off the water to it, kill the pilot light and shutoff the gas.  I called a plumbing company and had them come out (I also drained it into the sump).  Took the guys all of 45 minutes to remove the old and re-install a new one. 

When I did at age 28, it took me three days to do the job (including fixing numerous leaks in my soldering).   I neither have the time, will, nor inclination to do that anymore.

"Who do you want me to make the check out to?"

[Ben]

So related to letting other guys do the work, today I had the guy in to hang the new blinds. I've been using him for years and he gives me good deals, even for custom cut blinds, including installation. Today he installed six blinds. In 15 minutes. It would have taken me at least two hours what with the measuring thirty times to make sure I drilled the holes in the right place and all. I didn't even see him measure - he just held the brackets up and screwed them in, and everything came out perfect.

[grampster]

If a job doesn't take 3 times to do it, with 4 trips to the hardware store, it isn't worth doing.  I decided to snip out the 3 times and the 4 trips years ago.  It's much more fun either being a helper or the kibitzer to the pro.  Hey you pay money to go to sporting event or a concert inter alia.  Paying the pro is merely admission to an interesting event.