Quite a few trade skills are worth learning the basics of yourself. Fixing a minor plumbing problem can easily be $500 for a simple job, or $30 in parts and an informative video to do it yourself. It has been one of the consequences of telling everyone for decades trade schools are inferior to college. We are short on tradesmen, thus they are very expensive to hire.
Fixing a minor plumbing problem can easily be $500 for a simple job, or $30 in parts and an informative video to do it yourself.
Sometimes it’s not a matter of not knowing how to but being unable to actually do that task the way a skilled professional could. I have some rubber gaskets that wore out on a toilet, and managed to introduce new leaks in the process of fixing it, after spending about $300 on tools and parts (I had to Dremel out the bolts holding the tank to the rest of it since they were completely corroded on, plus replacing more parts as things didn’t quite fit together and kept leaking, plus my wife bought some $50 bolt cutters that we couldn’t use in the right space) and I ended up having to call a plumber to fix both the original problem and my failed attempt to fix it
There is absolutely a skill component which you can improve with research (videos) and experience. For your exact situation, you many have considered buying a completely new toilet, which costs $100-$200.
And yes, sometimes you are going to fail. Use that experience to better yourself for next time. Watch what the professional you hired did, ask him questions, understand where you failed and become more knowledgeable/skilled in the process.
Nearly 70% of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck, same percentage can’t afford a $400 emergency.
I can afford a $400 emergency, I’m just struggling to find an emergency that cheap…
Quite a few trade skills are worth learning the basics of yourself. Fixing a minor plumbing problem can easily be $500 for a simple job, or $30 in parts and an informative video to do it yourself. It has been one of the consequences of telling everyone for decades trade schools are inferior to college. We are short on tradesmen, thus they are very expensive to hire.
As a homeowner who went through rough financial times 15 years ago, yes, YouTube and home depot will save your bacon.
This is probably the number 1 life skill I learned from Dad and wish to impart on my children.
Sometimes it’s not a matter of not knowing how to but being unable to actually do that task the way a skilled professional could. I have some rubber gaskets that wore out on a toilet, and managed to introduce new leaks in the process of fixing it, after spending about $300 on tools and parts (I had to Dremel out the bolts holding the tank to the rest of it since they were completely corroded on, plus replacing more parts as things didn’t quite fit together and kept leaking, plus my wife bought some $50 bolt cutters that we couldn’t use in the right space) and I ended up having to call a plumber to fix both the original problem and my failed attempt to fix it
There is absolutely a skill component which you can improve with research (videos) and experience. For your exact situation, you many have considered buying a completely new toilet, which costs $100-$200.
And yes, sometimes you are going to fail. Use that experience to better yourself for next time. Watch what the professional you hired did, ask him questions, understand where you failed and become more knowledgeable/skilled in the process.