If I can earn more on web work...

[cornwall]

.... why have I just spent a couple of days tiling a bathroom myself, and not employed someone to do it for me?

Funny old world ;)

Anyone else do things themselves, that on a cost benefit analysis they would be better off employing someone else to do it for them?

[GaryK]

Personally, I take great pride in looking at the crown molding, or the wallpaper, or the wood floor knowing that I did it myself even if it cost more than hiring someone to do it for me.

[dragonlady7]

And, sometimes, the time it would cost you to find someone to do it RIGHT (the way you would yourself) isn't worth the cost and aggravation. :D

[volatilegx]

I've explained the cost-benefit thing to my wife over and over and she still doesn't get it. I don't do something myself unless it costs more per hour to pay somebody to do it than I make in an hour.

[Shak]

I would not ask the builder to do my job, and neither do I expect to do his.

just make sure you choose a quality craftsman.

Shak

(btw, my family dont get either, they just think I play computer games all day)

[txbakers]

I enjoy doing it. I can go at my own pace and not be beholden to their schedule.

Still, I've felt like a complete idiot when I botch a job and have to call in the professional. Like the time I tried to replace my own springs on the garage door.

It's a good thing I know how to do to something correctly. And as soon as I find out what that is I'll let myself know.

[hcstudios]

We do some stuff ourselves (small things like calking, replacing light fixtures) but call in the big guns when it's something where a mistake could be costly. Major plumbing, structural stuff, anything involving large amounts of electricity -- those we pay for. Sweat work that takes time but won't hurt the house's value even if we have to do-over at some point we do ourselves (it's a nice break from sitting at the computer).

Funny thing...earlier this summer we had a wasp problem and called all the folks under "exterminator" in the yellow pages. When I told them I wanted a bees nest removed no matter which company we called they all said "wait until dark then climb up on a ladder and knock it down." Yeah, they ALL told me to do it myself. What's up with that? Sheesh, if we sold our design services like that we'd be broke.

Bees nest is still there...I'm 5' tall and have bee allergies so there's no way in HELL I'm climbing up a ladder IN THE DARK and HITTING a bees nest with a stick. (Can you say "Darwin Award"?) And I bet all those exterminators who could have gotten my money are on a forum somewhere asking fellow exterminators what's wrong with their sales technique! Sheeesh.

[killroy]

"(btw, my family dont get either, they just think I play computer games all day)"

Oh, but isn't that what you do?

SN