Whatever happened to real handymen?

[TwoForFlinching]

I'm a handy guy. Loved learning new skills coming of age. plus, when you'reyoung and want nice stuff, you have to take cheap stuff and make it nice. I got so tired of being everyone's handyman for pizza and beer, I won't touch anyone else's stuff for less than ridiculous "I don't want to mess with it" rates. Even at the office, want that picture hung? $5 a nail.

Wasn't always that way, but by the time a friend asks you to build a second dining room table for material costs, red flags fly.

 

[retrieverman]

Utube has made fixing a lot of things yourself more of an option, because there’s generally several videos on about any subject.
I’m not the most mechanically inclined, but I’ve been able to fix several things recently by watching utubes that I normally would’ve called someone to fix.

 

[BillM]

Things aren't made the same way. Appliances are more complicated and proprietary. Everything is more expensive. Every faucet and fixture is different. Society is more litigious. People expect too much for too little. The only handymen that can have a normal life are the ones that seem like they charge a lot. Its very difficult to be an expert of everything and also cheap.

Go to Appliancepartspros.com, with the model number of your appliance. They have parts diagrams, and DIY videos. I don't buy all my parts from them, but many. They're a bit more expensive than Amazon or ebay for parts, but I don't want them going out of business.

 

[TwoForFlinching]

Utube has made fixing a lot of things yourself more of an option, because there’s generally several videos on about any subject.
I’m not the most mechanically inclined, but I’ve been able to fix several things recently by watching utubes that I normally would’ve called someone to fix.

I'm what you'd call YouTube Certified, lol. Dealers wanted $2100 for knock sensors in an LS4, grew a little gumption and did it in the driveway one afternoon. Total cost, $84 for parts, $86 for tools. Learned a hard lesson with garbage O'reilly parts, redid it with factory parts from RockAuto for another $100. Same/same for plumbing, replacing a smart furnace valve, extended lectric panel, new circuits, building a shop, etc... Glad I'm alive to have bought a home during the golden age of YouTube.