Mr. Fixit strikes again

[auld argonian]

This could sooo be taken the wrong way but as someone who also tries to fix everything himself I intend it to be funny.

If you are constantly working on the dryer for a water leak, it may be time to have that service guy come in to fix your washing machine.

No...it's more like we get a good rain and debris from the main city sewer out under the street clogs up the end of the pipe coming out from our house. As a result we don't get backwash from the sewer but our waste water stays in the pipes and eventually backs up through he drains in the basement floor...slightly less disgusting than having the city's mains back up into the basement but that's small consolation. We usually find this out after everybody has taken their morning showers...of course, the teen age daughter takes those twenty minute plus showers so it can still be a bit of water. Add to that the downspouts which drain into the same system...the city wants everybody to disconnect their downspouts but you still have to find somewhere other than around the foundation of your house to send the water to. I've become rather expert at rodding out my drain as well as fixing the appliances.

Best

AA

[Tartan Hiker]

I fix everything around here (plumbing, electrical, paint, drywall, roof...whew!), built a storage shed and a wood shed, take down damaged trees, you name it and I've probably done it. And I work three jobs.

But does the "Look how much money I've saved us" argument work on my darling bride?

[Bugbear]

Good luck, I know that out going plumbing can be a... well problematic situation. It's so dry out here, that I am able to use all my gray water out on the property; we're all septic and dry well in this area for the black water.

[Frank McGrath]

I'm another cheap bast...errrrr...frugal fellow. I hate paying someone to fix something that I can probably fix myself. Once in awhile I run into a problem that's beyond me, but normally I try to do things myself.

My wife marvels at the things I have fixed around the house. I rewired her favorite lamp after just a couple of dates. She said I was a keeper. The worst part is, I have enough junk in the basement to fix anything in the house. So, Yes, I am a keeper. (of obscure junk). And a collector of tools. And a cheap B*****d. We rented a house with washer and dryer. The dryer broke. I installed a new bulkhead rather than pay the landlord to do it. Saved us both a lot of money. The landlord started asking me to do his repairs.

[Howard Clark]

My problem has been service and repair people that did not do a good job. I had two different "professionals" out to look at my induced draft high efficiency furnace a couple of years ago. It was not lighting correctly. It would light, but always with a big "whoosh" of fire. Both of the "pros" scratched their heads, looked at it and said, "I dunno". And cost me $50 each for the privilege. Made me angry. All it needed was to be taken apart and have the burners cleaned. Which I did. Now it works fine.

I do not encourage others to fool with gas or furnaces unless you have some prior experience doing so, however, as there is a danger factor in fooling with fuel gasses.

I hate drain work, but do it anyway.

I am a big believer in doing for yourself whenever possible. I went back to buying kilts though.

[Barry]

Two: When I get around to ordering that new Eight Yard Robertson Ancient Hunting kilt, I will be able to say, "But, dear, I saved us a shipload of money by not having to pay a service guy seventy bucks a visit just to show up and not know what went wrong with the dryer...and I have done this at least a half a dozen times. Am I not, therefore, entitled to spend the money on a kilt?"

That`s a great argument. Unfortunately for me my good lady doesn`t do logic. I really hope that it works for you. Heck, just buy the klt anyway - you know you want too

I just love fixing stuff and the feeling that you`ve saved soooo much money is great. Don`t you just love the Internet?

[Livingston]

Well, if you listen to the Magliozzi (sp?) Brothers on Car Talk, one of their favorite lines is, "You should never put any more money into a car than it's worth...and if that's true then my brother Tommy should never fill up the tank on his current car."

Best

AA

Don't let my wife hear that. I still need to spend a bit with the Dr. till I get my back in shape and I KNOW she won't say I'm worth THAT much.

[Tartan Hiker]

My wife marvels at the things I have fixed around the house. I rewired her favorite lamp after just a couple of dates. She said I was a keeper.

Sounds familiar. We hadn't been dating more than a few weeks when she invited me to her parents house for Thanksgiving break. Spent the entire time breaking up her dad's driveway with a sledge hammer and hauling it to the dump in my pickup. I'm pretty sure her parents threatened to disown her if she didn't go through with the marriage.

[Pleater]

I quite like plumbing - it is just so satisfying to install my own white goods, and sinks and things.

I like assembling flat pack furniture.

I put plugs on too.

Every Christmas I go over to our neighbours and set up the tree for her. I saw off the bottom of the trunk, drill a hole and insert the securing bit.

I do ours as well, of course. The silly thing is still standing outside, still green with its needles in place - it doesn't know it is dead.

You know how they say that a real friend will help you move a body?

I can crate it up and put wheels on.........