Whatever happened to real handymen?

[montesa]

That’s the way to do it. I’ve YouTube fixed more stuff than I even knew I could. I even installed a transfer switch and feed to my breaker panel for a generator. Sometimes I’m just gassed and call an appliance repairman, but most stuff is very modular and easy if there’s a video to follow

I would probably still be helpless without YouTube. My dad never could fix anything and wasn't the type to teach even if he could. There are books but there is nothing like watching someone else do what you need to do.

 

[foghorn918]

My insurance guy keeps a Rolodex for trades men and I’ve always had good work from his files when needed

 

[Big House]

Bang. Then there is dealing with people who try to renegotiate the agreed to price after the work is complete or float you a rubber check. Or try to tell me what I should be charging. I am not driving an hour to do a 15 minute job for $25. People want ability but also want it cheap. You want cheap.... Do it yourself. My time and ability/knowledge is valuable.

More people expect the $100 hour work but want to pay the crackhead prices.

 

[Preacherman]

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.

I learned the O'reilly lesson as well when I replaced the heater core on an 88 mustang gt. It was an 8 hour job pulling the dash, console and everything else. Then the brand new heater core from O leaked as well.

 

[THE JOKER]

Most of them have gone to work in the porn industry…..

 

[montesa]

Most of them have left to work in the porn industry…..

Yep. And the clients are always satisfied.

 

[TwoShoots]

More people expect the $100 hour work but want to pay the crackhead prices.

You'd think so, but even paying a premium you get the same quality of work. Oh sure, they'll talk your ear off and ask about your kids at the higher prices, but then you look at the copper pipe they just soldered and have to run grab a bucket to put the fire out they left smoldering in the wall and the solder is all over the floor. And then there's that pinhole on the opposite side that is spraying against the inside wall. Maybe they left the hole to put out the fire?

 

[montesa]

You'd think so, but even paying a premium you get the same quality of work. Oh sure, they'll talk your ear off and ask about your kids at the higher prices, but then you look at the copper pipe they just soldered and have to run grab a bucket to put the fire out they left smoldering in the wall and the solder is all over the floor. And then there's that pinhole on the opposite side that is spraying against the inside wall. Maybe they left the hole to put out the fire?

I've seen all kinds of things but never anything that bad. When you call up new workers are you polite or do you come across as negative? People with a bunch of work are often very choosy and a little thing can make them choose a different client.

 

[PBramble]

I really didn't read all the replies, so I may be reiterating something already said. Handymen came about because people were poor. We fixed stuff because we had to. We couldn't afford new stuff or the labor charge to fix it. We learned how to read interchange manuals to find the part at a lower price and finagled some to get it. I know I've used corporate accounts at some places and paid cash. I get their discount, they get the added numbers for their discount. (And I've never met anyone from Mathis Brothers or Air Comfort Solutions). That relates to maintaining our own vehicles and building the storage or tools we need in our shop. The younger generation has had it easy. Parents made good money and could afford to have all those new things installed. Newer houses that didn't need the service upgraded or new wiring ran. They don't need to learn trade skills to play games, so they don't. Kids don't want to work hard. I knew a plumber in OKC that was starting apprentices out at 23 dollars an hour. He couldn't keep a guy on a job longer than three days. He didn't do new construction stuff and said most of them cringed at laying in toilet water under a house while watching out for snakes. While the handyman has made an exit, most of the trades are showing decreasing numbers as well. It's the soft times that are creating soft people.

 

[Firemedic71201]

You'd think so, but even paying a premium you get the same quality of work. Oh sure, they'll talk your ear off and ask about your kids at the higher prices, but then you look at the copper pipe they just soldered and have to run grab a bucket to put the fire out they left smoldering in the wall and the solder is all over the floor. And then there's that pinhole on the opposite side that is spraying against the inside wall. Maybe they left the hole to put out the fire?

I found a fella that said he was a handyman in the sand springs area. I wanted him to install a tankless water heater in my house. He stops by to look at my heater closet and basically nods and quotes me a price and when he can do it. Day of work the guy literally shows up with zero tools and asks if he can see what tools I have and maybe he can get the work done. Needless to say that was the beginning of being a shade tree repairman for me. Then the man basically threatened my life for leaving him a bad review