jelloshots4all
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 14, 2013 15:54:13 GMT -5
Posts: 4,642
|
Post by jelloshots4all on Apr 6, 2019 13:12:25 GMT -5
I outsource everything I can. Bi-weekly cleaning service, yard service, online grocery shopping and then I pick it up. All car, home repairs, etc. Either A. I don't know car, home electrical, plumbing etc., or B. I don't like cleaning, yardwork, and I save more money by grocery shopping online as I am not wandering the aisles and throwing a bunch of extra stuff in my cart for the $5 fee they charge. I also online shop a lot as well.
Call me lazy, but with teenagers and very busy schedules, it makes sense for me and helps keep my stress level down.
|
|
TheOtherMe
Distinguished Associate
Joined: Dec 24, 2010 14:40:52 GMT -5
Posts: 26,956
Mini-Profile Name Color: e619e6
|
Post by TheOtherMe on Apr 6, 2019 15:44:09 GMT -5
I have no handyman skills. None. Some things I try to do after spending hours watching videos on You Tube. Once in a while, I get it to work. I was so proud of myself when Lucy locked herself in the basement bathroom and I found a You Tube video that showed me how to open the door. If it happens again today, I'd have to find the video to unlock the door.
I used to do my own interior and exterior painting. As I've aged, I've developed a fear of heights and I've gotten dizzy while on ladders. It isn't worth falling and getting hurt so I now hire those things. This house has no exterior painting.
I can't fix my own car, do plumbing or electrical. I'm not even trying to do any of that.
I pay my neighbor to mow my lawn and shovel my snow. The luxury I give myself is that I pay to have my house cleaned once a month. They do so much better than I ever would and they are so much faster. Yes, there are things I do in between visits, but they do the big stuff.
|
|
tskeeter
Junior Associate
Joined: Mar 20, 2011 19:37:45 GMT -5
Posts: 6,831
|
Post by tskeeter on Apr 6, 2019 20:34:43 GMT -5
Maybe a way to evaluate what you outsource and what you do not is the hourly cost for what you outsource. For example, having someone do house cleaning runs about $20 an hour in this area. Outsource it. Car repair labor costs between $100 and $150 an hour. Do as much as you can for yourself. And learn to do more. With trip charges, having an electrician replace a light switch or outlet would probably cost about $400 an hour, because this is only a 15 minute job. Well worth learning to do it yourself. (YouTube is your friend. I learned how to replace wiring for the power sliding doors on the minivan, how to replace tie rod ends, and how to test and replace ball joints. Would have taken me about 90 hours to earn what it would have cost for the labor to do these repairs.) I'm just curious about the car repairs. Not that I have any intention of doing this stuff. Don't you have to have a car up on rack or whatever you call it or do you just get under the car to do all this stuff.
I'm dumb as a red brick about car repairs except that I know how to get to mechanic on my own or have AAA tow me there so just wondering. Inquiring minds want to know.
I’ve never had a rack or lift. I did buy a service station style floor jack back in the days when my brother and I were building figure eight cars for a friend of the brother’s. While convenient, that type of jack is not necessary. A set of ramps will raise a car so you have access from underneath. The jack that comes with the car is adequate for lifting the car so you can remove tires. But, I do suggest a pair of jack stands to hold the car up while you work on it, if you have raised the car with a jack. The key is to raise the car so you have access underneath it. There have been times when I have pulled one side of the car up on a curb so I could get at something from below the car. You don’t have to spend a bundle for tools to do many car repairs. A few good quality basic tools will get you started. A set of combination wrenches. A 1/2 inch drive ratchet set. A few screwdrivers, a few different styles of pliers, and a couple of adjustable wrenches. Probably less than $150 worth of tools. Many infrequently used specialty tools can be borrowed from auto parts stores. I started with a few Craftsman wrenches from Sears. If I was starting out today, I would buy Husky brand tools at Home Depot. Lifetime warranty, very good price point. I’ve been buying Husky wrenches as I have needed large size wrenches that I didn’t already have.
|
|
Anne_in_VA
Junior Associate
Joined: Dec 20, 2010 14:09:35 GMT -5
Posts: 5,502
|
Post by Anne_in_VA on Apr 6, 2019 21:14:41 GMT -5
We outsource projects that DH and our SIL can’t do. Dh can do most things except for HVAC or water/gas lines. Just today, DH, SIL and a couple of friends took out a load bearing wall put in a beam, and removed two rooms of carpet and parquet flooring.
DH and SIL have remodeled two bathrooms and are getting ready to remodel the kitchen including building the cabinets. We are outsourcing having the flooring installed, but will do all the prep work ourselves.
|
|
buystoys
Junior Associate
Joined: Mar 30, 2012 4:58:12 GMT -5
Posts: 5,650
|
Post by buystoys on Apr 7, 2019 9:38:13 GMT -5
We outsource very few projects around here. We did have someone rebuild our deck and put in a basement window last year. They were both worth it, but we could have probably handled the window if we did a little bit of research first and saved that money. We did just get a quote on ductless AC, but I'm not sure it's worth the $10k. I'm sure I'll change my tune come super humid PA summers, but I don't think I can spend it right now. DH hadn't bought me an engagement ring and I was moving to his house in Westchester County. He told me he couldn't afford ductless air conditioning AND a ring. I told him I wanted the air conditioning more than a ring. We might get a ring for our tenth anniversary next year.
|
|
countrygirl2
Senior Associate
Joined: Dec 7, 2016 15:45:05 GMT -5
Posts: 16,709
|
Post by countrygirl2 on Apr 8, 2019 8:33:04 GMT -5
Son, had the split system AC put in. I told him his wife and son don't need another miserable summer. People that said upstate NY doesn't need AC is crazy. I can't believe that a house built in 2003 didn't need it, but everyone claimed, "oh it doesn't get that hot up here and if it does only a week or so". It was either a lie or climate change is that bad.
|
|
nittanycheme
Established Member
Joined: Aug 8, 2011 14:26:36 GMT -5
Posts: 487
|
Post by nittanycheme on Apr 10, 2019 10:21:15 GMT -5
We outsourcing the major part of the cleaning, larger house projects, and most of the autowork. My DH is NOT handy at all, nor is interested in being handy (or helping me when I am being handy). I am comfortable doing painting, small electrical projects (replacing ceiling fans, adding/replacing outlets, etc.), plumbing now that we have PEX, carpentry (shelves, etc.) and small auto like air filter replacement. I am also willing to do larger projects, depending on what they are. I would likely outsource more if I knew how to find a reliable handyman. I'd like to re-do my one bathroom, and I want a bunch of tile in it. I think I may end up taking one of those classes at the home depot/lowes on tiling, and seeing if I really want to redo the second bath on my own.
|
|
sheilaincali
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 19, 2010 17:55:24 GMT -5
Posts: 4,131
|
Post by sheilaincali on Apr 12, 2019 11:38:16 GMT -5
We had to outsource a couple of projects this winter- but that was mostly due to our house being 70 plus years old. The Hubs re-did the bathroom and tried to add a light in the shower stall. Electric was screwed up so it cost us about $150 to have the electrician fix it. He told the Hubs "if it's any consolation this is the weirdest wiring layout I've ever seen". Had to have the plumber fix a cracked pipe after my pipes frozen in that extreme cold- Hubs probably could have fixed it but he was in Virginia at the time.
We outsource the things we don't enjoy doing- I pay a nice young college kid $12 a week to pick up all of the dog poop from my yard (he does the spring cleaning for free if you sign a 2 month contract with him). I also pay $40 a week to have my lawn done. He does all the mowing, trimming, weed wacking, etc. Hauls it all away to the city's green waste drop off too.
Painting, tile laying, simple electric and plumbing, etc we do ourselves.
I need to rebuild my retaining walls this summer. I'll probably pay someone to install it. Mostly because the Hubs has a bum back and I don't want to listen to him whine about his back hurting for a month after the project
|
|
movingforward
Junior Associate
Joined: Sept 15, 2011 12:48:31 GMT -5
Posts: 8,358
|
Post by movingforward on Apr 12, 2019 12:02:33 GMT -5
Cleaning service once per month I don't iron (with the exception of the occasional t-shirt). Anything that requires ironing just gets taken to the dry cleaners I am having someone come clean out the gutters this spring. I could do it but don't really want to climb up on the ladder and deal with it.
Most all car stuff gets outsourced. I get it detailed once per year and run it through the car wash 4-5 times per year. There is a lot of dust where I live so I would be constantly washing or paying someone to do it if I actually tried to keep it clean all the time. Sometimes I wonder if it is worth it all since as soon as it gets washed it is dirty again. Bothers the crap out of me.
I will probably get someone to pressure wash the windows this summer. I am trying to decide if it is worth for me to buy a pressure washer or just get someone to do it occasionally. I don't really want to do it but might end up doing it myself depending on cost.
Not sure if this counts but I purposely bought a place where the HOA takes care of all the landscaping. I am definitely paying for it in HOA fees so in a way I consider it to be outsourcing.
There is nothing else immediately getting outsourced but I definitely see things in future years such as painting, AC system maintenance, etc. getting outsourced.
|
|
lund
Familiar Member
Joined: Jul 22, 2015 7:12:22 GMT -5
Posts: 787
|
Post by lund on Apr 16, 2019 2:55:17 GMT -5
IMO it's perfectly right to outsource what you can't reasonably know how to do in a correct way. Electric work, plumbing, building, car repairs,.... This depends on your training/education, physical strength, skills, age/mobility, ......
Chores like home cleaning and lawn mowing are IMO perfectly OK to outsource too, provided there is room in the budget, but with the caveat that it is important that youngsters in the household learn that this is a luxury and should not be seen as the norm, and that they learn how to do the chores, know that it should be done regularly (for instance daily or weekly - not once a month or year), and that they don't see doing household chores as a punishment, but as a normal, if boring, part of life. (I know somebody who had no housecleaning when school was off for the longer breaks, and had the teens pitch in instead. That was the Great Chorus of Moaning!)
(As a student, there were some who had never taken care of any laundry, and who did not know how to clean their dorm rooms or how to shop and cook a basic low-cost somewhat healthy meal. Parental failure warning!)
|
|
spartyparty
Well-Known Member
Joined: Dec 21, 2010 12:34:41 GMT -5
Posts: 1,605
|
Post by spartyparty on Apr 16, 2019 12:12:50 GMT -5
I almost always outsource when there's a bunch of $hit to dispose of...I don't want to have to deal with it. When we bought our house, all the window treatments needed to be replaced. I would/could have done it myself, but I didn't want to have to deal with disposing of all old coverings.
A previous owner did some landscaping in front of our house and used some block that is not meant to be used for retaining walls (at least not one that is 3 foot tall)...we knew it was effed when we bought the house, and it was just a matter of time before the frost pushed it over (which it did after 2-3 winters). Anyhow, there was a lot of material that had to be hogged out and trucked off somewhere to anywhere but my property, as there was no good place to put it on site.
|
|
NastyWoman
Senior Associate
Joined: Dec 24, 2010 20:50:37 GMT -5
Posts: 14,233
|
Post by NastyWoman on Apr 17, 2019 18:04:36 GMT -5
I'd outsource anything I don't enjoy doing at this stage in life. I earned the money and I'll " blow" it. The only time I pop the hood of my car is if windshield wiper fluid needs replacing between oil changes! Basically I'm lazy. You are doing good! Since we only have rain here a couple of months/year I don't even have to replace the windshield wiper fluid myself and only because the latch to pop the hood is right next to the one for gas do I even know where that thing is...
|
|
MN-Investor
Well-Known Member
Joined: Dec 20, 2010 22:22:44 GMT -5
Posts: 1,935
|
Post by MN-Investor on Apr 17, 2019 20:12:08 GMT -5
You know, if I were rich enough, I'd outsource my outsourcing. I wouldn't hire someone to mow my lawn. My outsourcer would do the research on available lawn care companies, present me with several alternatives, I would review them, choose the one I wanted, and my outsourcer would handle it from there. Yes, I'd pay the bills, but, other than that, my outsourcer would run the house.
|
|
countrygirl2
Senior Associate
Joined: Dec 7, 2016 15:45:05 GMT -5
Posts: 16,709
|
Post by countrygirl2 on Apr 17, 2019 21:21:15 GMT -5
Hubs does everything, he is practically rebuilding another rent house. Next week having the electric company engineer come as he is putting in a new weatherhead, breaker box, and already has all new wiring run in the house. They will put in underground wiring so we are going to see what the cost is, if its under $1000 we are having it done at the rent house.
But we hire HVAC work, our geothermal is something he doesn't mess with and we just outsource that work anymore. Getting new AC put in that house also $3200 has raised in price again. We also outsource roofing, we are both to old to do it anymore.
For some reason my truck goes to the dealership and hubs does maintenance on his, not sure why, well I've usually got an almost new one so guess that is why.
He is picking up and doing all the stuff I had to do for 15 years, like to worked me to death, I hope to help this summer though.
Eventually I will hire someone to clean as I age, right now not necessary, I also want to finish paining inside, DD's room and bathroom and my office, I got the rest done last year. It should be good for years, its the same color even and we want to tile the back splash. We just don't outsource much, it could change as we age but if hubs can do it he will.
|
|
NastyWoman
Senior Associate
Joined: Dec 24, 2010 20:50:37 GMT -5
Posts: 14,233
|
Post by NastyWoman on Apr 18, 2019 0:34:33 GMT -5
You know, if I were rich enough, I'd outsource my outsourcing. I wouldn't hire someone to mow my lawn. My outsourcer would do the research on available lawn care companies, present me with several alternatives, I would review them, choose the one I wanted, and my outsourcer would handle it from there. Yes, I'd pay the bills, but, other than that, my outsourcer would run the house. Believe it or not but I once lived almost like that. It was when we lived in SE Asia and the company xH worked for provided a lot of this. We had a housekeeper/cook and a cleaning lady (these were live-in), a company provide driver and night guard, and a gardener. Despite having two kids I had to find enough volunteer work to keep me busy. Turns out I am not only much in favor of cleaning and stuff, I also don't like the clubs/shopping/bridge scene. They bore me stiff. However, I did learn during those years that, whenever you can afford it, outsourcing things you don't like is a great idea
|
|
TheHaitian
Senior Associate
Joined: Jul 27, 2014 19:39:10 GMT -5
Posts: 10,144
|
Post by TheHaitian on Apr 22, 2019 19:53:25 GMT -5
Ex this was posted on my town Facebook: they already have a cleaning company; but need someone to do the in between stuff. And I am not hating, if I could afford it I would do it do... I miss Haiti or the lifestyle you can afford in Haiti making a certain income.
There is not enough hours in the day for all the things that need done. I just outsourced the backsplash and replacing the grout in the bathtub upstairs because it has been over 3 months and I still have not gotten around to getting it done.
|
|
Deleted
Joined: Mar 28, 2024 12:15:24 GMT -5
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 23, 2019 7:02:52 GMT -5
Cleaning: I do all my own housecleaning. It's not a big deal since it's just me- no kids or pets. I have a routine that takes less than an hour a day 3 days a week, in which every room gets a thorough cleaning every 2 weeks- from dusting the corners of the ceilings to wiping down the baseboards. I've had cleaning ladies in past years when I was married to a clean freak, raising DS and working FT. They didn't clean to the same standards- never moved furniture, for example. Lawn and garden care: I hire out the chemical application but do all the mowing and weeding. This year I had some large branches fall after the ice storms, but I used a hand saw to cut them up and took the pieces to a local place that composts them and recycles some into wood chips for mulch. I'll do all of this as long as I'm capable; I save a bundle and it's exercise. Home maintenance/improvement: I have two basic questions that drive the decision. What's the chance I'll get injured doing the work, and if I mess it up, how catastrophic would it be? I'm a little warier of doing work high up on ladders since I live alone, but I'm good at removing wallpaper, painting, removing popcorn ceilings (none in this house or we wouldn't have bought it) and putting down floor tile. I hire out all but the simplest work on the car and on plumbing. (I can put in new windshield washer fluid, check tire air pressure and add air if needed by myself!) I can follow instructions but get frustrated if something doesn't fit the way it's supposed to and that happens a lot. I lack the imagination to find a workaround. Last week my lawn mower was in the shop for routine maintenance and I paid to have the lawn mowed. It was nice and I definitely could get used to that! I just remind myself that the more I DIY the more $$ I have for the travel budget.
|
|
1Day@aTime
New Member
Joined: Mar 15, 2011 15:44:39 GMT -5
Posts: 49
|
Post by 1Day@aTime on Apr 23, 2019 7:12:43 GMT -5
When it comes to auto repair, furnace, plumbing, etc...if we feel we might not be able fix it correctly the first time and in a reasonable amount of time, we'll call in the pros. We do pay a husband/wife team for lawn maintenance. I ABSOLUTELY HATE lawn care, they don't charge much and it's worth every penny. I pretty much feel the same as Athena: "I just remind myself that the more I DIY the more $$ I have for the travel budget."
|
|
countrygirl2
Senior Associate
Joined: Dec 7, 2016 15:45:05 GMT -5
Posts: 16,709
|
Post by countrygirl2 on Apr 24, 2019 18:25:59 GMT -5
Yes, there are things I still want to do in the house. The new flooring and hubs this winter building out the rest of the basement. Both will cost money and I hope to be able to it and travel too. Hope I don't have to wait till next year.
|
|
Artemis Windsong
Senior Associate
The love in me salutes the love in you. M. Williamson
Joined: Dec 18, 2010 19:32:12 GMT -5
Posts: 12,284
Today's Mood: Twinkling
Location: Wishing Star
Favorite Drink: Fresh, clean cold bottled water.
|
Post by Artemis Windsong on Apr 25, 2019 12:40:06 GMT -5
You know, if I were rich enough, I'd outsource my outsourcing. I wouldn't hire someone to mow my lawn. My outsourcer would do the research on available lawn care companies, present me with several alternatives, I would review them, choose the one I wanted, and my outsourcer would handle it from there. Yes, I'd pay the bills, but, other than that, my outsourcer would run the house. Job description of a wife.
|
|
stillmovingforward
Senior Member
Hanging on by a thread
Joined: Jan 1, 2014 21:52:58 GMT -5
Posts: 3,066
Today's Mood: Don't Mess with Me!
Location: Not Sure Yet
|
Post by stillmovingforward on May 5, 2019 15:00:43 GMT -5
I just outsourced lawn mowing and edging. It looks so nice and was worth it . I hated that chore!
|
|
raeoflyte
Senior Associate
Joined: Feb 3, 2011 15:43:53 GMT -5
Posts: 14,629
|
Post by raeoflyte on May 6, 2019 18:50:52 GMT -5
The company that I have mow the lawn has on-demand scheduling so I just request it whenever I feel like it. I was thinking to have them come out once a month and hope that dh and I keep up on it between this summer, but right now I'm debating just signing up for bi-weekly service and taking out even the stress of remembering to schedule it.
|
|
djAdvocate
Member Emeritus
only posting when the mood strikes me.
Joined: Jun 21, 2011 12:33:54 GMT -5
Posts: 74,870
Mini-Profile Background: {"image":"","color":"000307"}
|
Post by djAdvocate on May 7, 2019 23:10:41 GMT -5
business #1 outsources about 2% business #2 outsources about 73% for "talent" business #3, 4, and 5 outsource about 0% (other than tax accounting) business #6 is probably about the same as 3, 4, 5, but I have not seen the books yet (new enterprise)
I am about to get a personal assistant. that would mean that I will PERSONALLY outsource about 10%.
|
|