I feel this... I usually give myself one solid attempt, but if things start spiraling or I'm spending more time Googling than actually fixing stuff, that's when I call someone. Learned the hard way that stubbornness can get expensive fast.
Yeah, I get where you're coming from, but how do you know when you're actually in over your head? I've seen plenty of folks who think they're doing fine until suddenly they're ankle-deep in water. A couple years back, I had a homeowner call me after he'd spent an entire weekend trying to install a new toilet. He'd watched all the YouTube videos, bought all the right tools... but somehow managed to crack the flange and didn't realize it until water was seeping through the ceiling downstairs. Cost him way more than if he'd just called someone from the start.
I mean, DIY is great and all, but at what point does saving money turn into losing money? Seems like there's a fine line between determination and stubbornness. Curious how others decide when it's time to throw in the towel and call a pro.
Haha, been there... I usually draw the line when my "easy weekend project" starts turning into multiple trips to the hardware store and a growing pile of mysterious leftover parts. If I'm spending more time googling "is this normal?" than actually working, it's probably time to call in backup. Curious though, anyone else ever stubbornly push through a DIY disaster and actually come out ahead?
I've had mixed luck with pushing through DIY disasters:
- Once stubbornly kept going on a kitchen sink install, ended up saving a decent chunk of cash but spent like three weekends on it. Worth it? Maybe.
- Another time, tried to "power through" a flooring project. Ended up calling a pro anyway because I botched the alignment badly.
Honestly, if you're spending more time troubleshooting than actually building, stepping back usually saves headaches—and money—in the long run.
I've been there with the flooring fiasco—thought I'd save money by laying laminate myself, but ended up with gaps big enough to lose spare change in. Had to call in a pro anyway, so my wallet took a double hit. DIY can be rewarding, sure, but knowing when to step back is key. If you're spending more time watching YouTube tutorials than actually working, might be time to reconsider your strategy...or at least your skillset.
