Getting a man in to make wife happy

[CheeseSlice]

I'm WFH today and the Mrs CS happens to be at home due to being a school teacher on her Easter break.
She wanted some odd jobs to be done, and last time I had a go at DIY I spent hours and days trying to do stuff that a professional would do in 1/10th of the time. That was bench time that I could have spent on a course improving my quals and skills.

This time we've got a man in to do some odd jobs - fitting curtain rail, putting a mirror up on the wall, fix leaky tap.... nothing big.
Its far cheaper for him to do it than me, but it really does make me feel like an empty shell of a man sometimes. Event worse when he gets all of the praise, and I feel utterly useless.
Thing is I just CBA to waste another saturday dropping things on my feet and hammering my thumbs into the wall.

Am I alone here?

[Pondlife]

For me it's about knowing your own limitations. If it involves gas, electricity or water I'll get a pro in, most other minor things are fair game I reckon.

Most decorating or putting 'something' up I'll have a crack at - Probably one of the reasons why we have no wallpaper anywhere in the house.

[Gonzo]

Am I alone here?

No.

I tried to put up a new mirror in the bathroom once.

I puchased the mirror. Then I realised that I need to purchase a drill too so that I could fix it to the wall. So I bought a drill.

Unfortunately, the masonry in the bathroom was so tough than an ordinary drill would not cut it.

So I conceded defeat and called a man in.

He charged less than I had spent buying the drill.

[Zoiderman]

MF has mentioned a few times about offshoring his matrimonial duties, I am sure this comes in under the 'getting a man in to make the wife happy' banner, which the thread refers to.

[norrahe]

Nope!

First house I bought, foolishly spent years doing it up myself and living in a building site for 3 years.

Second house, got someone in for 6 weeks to sort it out before we moved in.

It's a lot less hassle when you've got someone who knows what they are doing.

[Zoiderman]

Nope!

First house I bought, foolishly spent years doing it up myself and living in a building site for 3 years.

Second house, got someone in for 6 weeks to sort it out before we moved in.

It's a lot less hassle when you've got someone who knows what they are doing.

A Builder charges around £20 an hour in my parts. I charge considerably more. I would take longer than a builder to do the job, regardless if I enjoyed doing it or not. It really is a no brainer unless you are on the bench.

However, as a builder friend told me once, if you do the work, remember you have to see that work every day, and if it isn't the standard you want, you hav to change it, again, and again. At least with a builder, if it isn't up to scratch, you don't pay him until it is.

[MarillionFan]

MF has mentioned a few times about offshoring his matrimonial duties, I am sure this comes in under the 'getting a man in to make the wife happy' banner, which the thread refers to.

WZS

It makes sense to outsource these things. Whereas I can do basic DIY, it's a faff, the missus moans at me & it's a waste of a day, so I prefer to hire someone on £15 per an hour to do it for me when I go to work.

Same with matrimonial duties, it's a faff, the missus moans at me, it's a waste of an evening, so I prefer to hire someone with a 12'' dick to do it for me & I can go to the pub.

Sorted.

[mudskipper]

I got a plumber in last weekend. £250. Shower still broken, and now bath u-bend is leaking too.
He's coming back on Tuesday for another £255.

Over £500 to get the shower working. Have a horrible feeling I'm being ripped off...

[MarillionFan]

I got a plumber in last weekend. £250. Shower still broken, and now bath u-bend is leaking too.
He's coming back on Tuesday for another £255.

Over £500 to get the shower working. Have a horrible feeling I'm being ripped off...

Yes. Sounds like it. My plumber is only charging £700 labour to fit an entire bathroom.

[Zoiderman]

I'm with MF here, I think someone's taking the piss a little.