Our times are changing so fast, you can’t count on everyone to agree with common sense old sayings anymore. Like this one: When everyone around you tells you you’re drunk, maybe it’s time to sit down. By today’s standards, that might be considered offensive, a violation of the rights of the drunk person, and obligates him to fight back to preserve his honor.
What does this have to do with home repairs? Well, even for the proudest do-it-yourselfers, their family’s handyman heroes, there will be times, to ensure domestic tranquility in their households, they ought to swallow their pride, SIT DOWN, and let someone else get it done, quickly and correctly.
For instance, here are the times that Fix St Louis suggests, when the DIYer in your household might want to sit this one out.
Roofs & Ladders
While there’s plenty of ways that DIYers can get somewhat hurt while fixing things, there are only a few ways they can get seriously killed. You don’t want to fall off a ladder, and you don’t want to fall off a roof. You’re better off leaving jobs like these to people skilled and crazy enough to do these jobs for you. Yeah, that would be us here at Fix St Louis.
Plumbing
And while you’re not likely to get hurt, much less killed, from doing your own plumbing work, the same can’t be said of your HOUSE. Gushing water can quickly rack-up large repair bills from damaged drywall and flooring, and huge costs for replacing furniture.
If you know how to use shut-off valves AND you know for sure they are in good-enough shape to turn-off the water COMPLETELY, you can safely putz around for hours trying to fix things. But if you don’t like whining and harsh glares from family members, because they can’t shower or go to the bathroom with the water shut off, and are becoming hysterical because they think your home might never have running water again, you might want Fix St Louis to do it instead.
Electrical
The idea of a homeowner working with electricity seems to scare people more than working with plumbing. But if you really think about it, when was the last time you heard of a homeowner getting electrocuted in their own home? It’s always some crazy teen thinking he’s Spiderman and climbing an electrical tower, am I right? The fact is that just about everyone who has worked at a home with electricity knows EXACTLY what touching the wrong wire feels like, it didn’t kill them, and they’ll never (well, almost never) do it again.
But still, working with electricity isn’t the easiest thing in the world (as those who have ever tried wiring a 3-way switch will know), and you’ll want to make sure things have been wired safely and the right materials were used. Electrical work also often forces you into other skill areas that make the whole job more complicated, e.g. cutting into, then restoring drywall. Real men call Fix St Louis (OK, OK, real WOMEN, too).
Jobs That Require 2 People and Strong People
Often, it’s not enough to just have ONE person in the household with the aptitude and interest for DIY work. A lot of jobs require a 2nd pair of hands, or a 2nd person with high body strength. Another good reason to have Fix St Louis do the job instead.
So, think again about that project you haven’t started or completed yet. Are you sure it isn’t outside your scope? Or it might take so long that everyone around you will eventually tell you it’s time to sit down? Well, when you DO sit down, make sure there’s a computer or phone within reach. There’s no shame in contacting Fix St Louis. Actually, your family will respect you even more for it.
Dr Steve
Fix St Louis