What is a day worth?

[Juanito]

So...I just spent an entire day yesterday replacing the power sliding door cables on the Toyota Sienna my wife drives. It wasn't a hard job from a technical, mechanical, knowledge, or tool standpoint, just very involved--I think it took a 10mm socket and about three screwdrivers; but in the middle of the tedium of the job it got me thinking:

What is a day worth?

The estimates I got on the job ranged from $1,200 from the independent mechanic using aftermarket parts to $2,100 for the Toyota dealership with genuine Toyota parts. That seemed insane to me considering the genuine Toyota parts totaled about $380 shipped to my door. I suppose, part of it the reason for me doing it was the cost savings--so is my day worth anywhere from $820 to $1,720?

Secondarily, it wasn't something I couldn't do myself, and I guess that's why I have a shop full of tools.

What I will say, is that I certainly do not get that "rewarding" feeling of a job well done, accomplishment, etc. that some claim from doing something like this--it is just work, a foregone conclusion that yes it will get done, it will just take time.

What is a day worth to you and what defines that? Is there a monetary value on that or something else?

 

[tonyb]

I am far from wealthy (by Western standards, anyway), but I’ve taken to farming out certain tasks I used to tackle (or attempt to tackle) myself. It might take me all weekend to do a passable job of certain domestic tasks that pros with pro equipment might knock out in a couple hours. I’d rather have the weekend, if I can afford it.

In the case you cited, well, to save that kinda scratch, I’d do it myself, too, provided I had the tools (as you do) and the know-how (as you do). If I were knocking down a couple-three or four hundred G’s or more per year, I might feel otherwise. But I don’t, so I don’t.

 

[LizzieMaine]

I do everything I can possibly do for myself because I don't have the money to throw around paying people to do things I can do for myself. But I could win the lottery tomorrow, and I wouldn't do anything different. I am acutely uncomfortable with being "waited on" or "served" by anyone.

How much is a day worth? For me, a day is worth precisely $139.45.

 

[sheeplady]

I decided my time was worth $20 an hour several years ago.

If I enjoy something, cost doesn't matter. But if I dislike something and I can hire it for less than $20 an hour (and can afford it) I hire it. I also really carefully consider my time investment. There are things that might cost me $50 to hire an hour of work... but it might take me three hours to do it myself.

There are certain tasks that I cannot do since I had cancer. I can't do heavy yard work (like clearing brush or heavy weeding) as I have lymphadema. So I have to break yard work up or hire it. I can't pull the cord to start a lawn mower, so I spent $300 and bought a battery operated push mower, which I love because it's so quiet. Basically I can't do any "repetitive" physical work without paying for it by having to do a lot of therapy on my arm for several weeks... so I am careful.

Neither myself or my husband will do second story roofs (we will roof a shed); nor do we install breaker boxes or main lines into the house. Our last breaker box was $800 and two days work. Worth every penny. We redid all the internal wiring within the house, but the breaker box was two 12-hour days and that man worked much harder than I'm willing to. I also won't take down a tree taller than 50 feet.

 

[GHT]

What is a day worth to you and what defines that? Is there a monetary value on that or something else?

A day is unique and priceless. You can replace something that breaks, you can earn more money but you can never have yesterday back. People squander their days as though they will live forever.
The gist of what you are asking I take to mean the rate that you would charge, or pay. Well my dentist charged me £80 for fifteen minutes work, to repair a chipped tooth, not something that I would do myself, so I paid the professional. It would take a tradesman ay least half a day to earn £80.
Time as a commodity, is so valuable that I prefer to farm out most things. I employ a painter & decorator when the need arises, likewise any of the trades people, like carpenters, electricians, plumbers, car mechanic and so on. We also have an ironing fairy and a gardening fairy. If my wife wanted it she could have a domestic fairy too, we both hate cleaning dusting and polishing but as we are like many, from humble stock, she feels letting someone clean up after us just so wrong.
Help with the garden & ironing came about many years ago because my job involved a lot of travelling and my wife had to work shifts around the clock. She was in the ambulance service before retiring. We had so little precious time together we didn't want to spend what we had doing domestic chores. After so many years it's something that we have got used to.

 

[ChiTownScion]

When my wife and I are finally "fully retired" in two years, the plan upon relocation is a townhouse with minimal maintenance and no yard work. And although we can both knock out a full house cleanup within an hour (if we work together) I don't rule out a housekeeper once a fortnight to tidy the place up "professionally."

We have a lady come in now on an irregular basis, and the cost is worth the morale boost it gives my better half. But I've noticed a phenomena and I wonder if others share it: my wife will "clean the house for the housekeeper," so that the pro can concentrate on finer points.

 

[LizzieMaine]

I find myself that the older I get and the more my vision deteriorates the less I worry about housework. If I can't see the dirt, it isn't there.

 

[tonyb]

...

Neither myself or my husband will do second story roofs (we will roof a shed); nor do we install breaker boxes or main lines into the house. Our last breaker box was $800 and two days work. Worth every penny. We redid all the internal wiring within the house, but the breaker box was two 12-hour days and that man worked much harder than I'm willing to. I also won't take down a tree taller than 50 feet.

The previous owners here were avid DIYers. And, alas, it shows.

I could bore you by listing their “improvements” we have had to remove, replace or repair in the nearly three years we’ve been here, as well as the ones still awaiting our attention.

Couple weeks ago I hired an electrician to diagnose and repair an ongoing problem. Yup, you guessed it. He had to undo and then make right the amateur efforts of the previous owners.

I’m confident that learning the basics of household electrical systems is well within my capabilities. But I have only so much time and only so much interest. Lots of other things more intrigue me. The $129 the electrician charged was money very well spent.

BTW, the electrician is a real straight shooter whose rates are well within reason. Greater Denverites are welcome to PM me for contact info.

 

[tonyb]

When my wife and I are finally "fully retired" in two years, the plan upon relocation is a townhouse with minimal maintenance and no yard work. And although we can both knock out a full house cleanup within an hour (if we work together) I don't rule out a housekeeper once a fortnight to tidy the place up "professionally."

We have a lady come in now on an irregular basis, and the cost is worth the morale boost it gives my better half. But I've noticed a phenomena and I wonder if others share it: my wife will "clean the house for the housekeeper," so that the pro can concentrate on finer points.

Those of us so fortunate as to have a couple nickels to rub together after we’ve covered the expenses are doing a service to ourselves and our communities by paying honest people to do honest work. I’ve known people who depended on income from cleaning houses. With few exceptions they were happy for the work that came their way.

 

[ChiTownScion]

Those of us so fortunate as to have a couple nickels to rub together after we’ve covered the expenses are doing a service to ourselves and our communities by paying honest people to do honest work. I’ve known people who depended on income from cleaning houses. With few exceptions they were happy for the work that came their way.

It's kind of something that we've always done. We both work full time, and while we're not neatness freaks, it is a morale booster to have the place spotless once in a while.

I do remember when my now 29 year old was just past his toddler stage and was upset because the housekeeper had put his toys away and he couldn't find them. His reaction? "Just FIRE her!!" (We didn't.)

 

[scottyrocks]

I do as much as I can around the house and to my cars.

I do get that feeling of satisfaction when I can get a job done well and within a reasonable amount of time.

I enjoy working on vehicles more than houses, but it's all good.

 

[sheeplady]

The previous owners here were avid DIYers. And, alas, it shows.

I could bore you by listing their “improvements” we have had to remove, replace or repair in the nearly three years we’ve been here, as well as the ones still awaiting our attention.

Couple weeks ago I hired an electrician to diagnose and repair an ongoing problem. Yup, you guessed it. He had to undo and then make right the amateur efforts of the previous owners.

I’m confident that learning the basics of household electrical systems is well within my capabilities. But I have only so much time and only so much interest. Lots of other things more intrigue me. The $129 the electrician charged was money very well spent.

BTW, the electrician is a real straight shooter whose rates are well within reason. Greater Denverites are welcome to PM me for contact info.

I once demoed a house that (to this day) I am amazed didn't burn down. A stove rigged into a two-prong extension cord, a propane heater vented into the basement, and about 50% of junction boxes missing.

Come to find out the previous owner who had DYIed the house was a certified electrician.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Come to find out the previous owner who had DYIed the house was a certified electrician.

"The shoemaker's children go barefoot."

 

[MisterCairo]

We bought our current home from a general contractor. He and his team built the addition to the original house (constructed 1900). The overall engineering was excellent, as were the materials used. So it was oddly frustrating that there were no transition pieces installed between the hardwood and tiled areas, the passage from the kitchen (1900 house) to addition (2007) retained, for reasons unknown, the original house's door framing and lock hardware. Ring. Ring. "Mitch, our handyman? Can you come by to give us a quote...".

Oh, and we had to ask for doors to be installed into the master bedroom and master en suite.

I am not a gear head. My older brother is a gear head, and he cannot fathom why I pay money to pros I can sue if they go wrong, instead of buying expensive tools I'll never use again, parts from gawdknowswhere, and spend time on youtube learning how to do something I'll never do again, and spend five times as much time doing the work as the pro would, and all the while my car is sitting useless in my driveway. My brother is retired, and even when working, lives in Hamilton, Ontario, and so had access to transit (we are rural - no car, no horse, no go) while he spent weeks researching the right parts for the right price. My car is worked on for a couple of hours, I pay, I'm mobile and happy.

I painted every room in our house, doing the master BR last. Vaulted ceiling and tons of trim to work around. I was the typical home owner painter, in terms of quality. I told my wife, cost no barrier, I would never paint a room again. Our painter (who is the same Mitch as above, no longer a carpenter) charges $36 CAD an hour, we buy the paint. WORTH. EVERY. PENNY.

My day's worth the things I would rather be doing while paying someone else money for value and convenience. Like spending time with my family. Sleeping. Reading. Watching films. Gardening.

Opportunity cost, the cost of opportunity.

 

[tonyb]

We bought our current home from a general contractor. He and his team built the addition to the original house (constructed 1900). The overall engineering was excellent, as were the materials used. So it was oddly frustrating that there were no transition pieces installed between the hardwood and tiled areas, the passage from the kitchen (1900 house) to addition (2007) retained, for reasons unknown, the original house's door framing and lock hardware. Ring. Ring. "Mitch, our handyman? Can you come by to give us a quote...".

Oh, and we had to ask for doors to be installed into the master bedroom and master en suite.

I am not a gear head. My older brother is a gear head, and he cannot fathom why I pay money to pros I can sue if they go wrong, instead of buying expensive tools I'll never use again, parts from gawdknowswhere, and spend time on youtube learning how to do something I'll never do again, and spend five times as much time doing the work as the pro would, and all the while my car is sitting useless in my driveway. My brother is retired, and even when working, lives in Hamilton, Ontario, and so had access to transit (we are rural - no car, no horse, no go) while he spent weeks researching the right parts for the right price. My car is worked on for a couple of hours, I pay, I'm mobile and happy.

I painted every room in our house, doing the master BR last. Vaulted ceiling and tons of trim to work around. I was the typical home owner painter, in terms of quality. I told my wife, cost no barrier, I would never paint a room again. Our painter (who is the same Mitch as above, no longer a carpenter) charges $36 CAD an hour, we buy the paint. WORTH. EVERY. PENNY.

My day's worth the things I would rather be doing while paying someone else money for value and convenience. Like spending time with my family. Sleeping. Reading. Watching films. Gardening.

Opportunity cost, the cost of opportunity.

Reasonable calculations, all.

I don’t recall a time I didn’t paint. Seriously, I’ve been painting longer than I can remember. So my paint work is nearly professional quality. I got the ladders, the brushes, the rollers. Hell, I even have an airless sprayer.

With the exception of the kitchen (and floors), I’ve painted every interior surface in this place since we moved in. Tending to that was to be last winter’s project, but ...

I may hire that out. I wish to paint the cabinets as well, which involves removing the doors and the hardware. And prepping the surfaces so that the new paint actually sticks. I could do it myself. I have the tools (sanders, etc.) and the know-how. As to the gumption? Well ...

We’ve also replaced all the flooring on the main floor, again with the exception of the kitchen. Oak in the living room and hallway, commercial grade carpeting (low pile, glued down, no pad) in the bedrooms, ceramic tile in the bathroom. That was last summer. I moved the furniture out and then got out of the way of the guys who knew what they were doing. And then I moved the furniture back in.

 

[Lean'n'mean]

A day is worth more than the previous but less than the following & vice versa.

 

[tonyb]

A day is worth more than the previous but less than the following & vice versa.

And you can take that to the bank.

 

[ChiTownScion]

f

I once demoed a house that (to this day) I am amazed didn't burn down. A stove rigged into a two-prong extension cord, a propane heater vented into the basement, and about 50% of junction boxes missing.

Come to find out the previous owner who had DYIed the house was a certified electrician.

In our first home, an old Victorian, we restored a fireplace that had been covered over for decades. Got a beautiful old mantle and winter screen (which we also restored to mint) and had some really nice tile work done on the hearth.

Joy turned to tragedy on Super Bowl Sunday 1989: as the fire died down our home filled with smoke. Called Chicago's Bravest, and they axed the hearth and power sawed the oak flooring to get to the flames: the subflooring had caught fire. The genius who installed our new brickwork neglected to put in fire brick on the bottom to protect our floor studs.


Guy who installed our brickwork was an off- duty Chicago firefighter, moonlighting as a stone mason. Had my dad not been a retired Chicago firefighter I would have sued the ba***rd myself... but our insurance covered the loss-- and I figured that was why the good Lord created subrogation actions.

 

[Fading Fast]

f

In our first home, an old Victorian, we restored a fireplace that had been covered over for decades. Got a beautiful old mantle and winter screen (which we also restored to mint) and had some really nice tile work done on the hearth.

Joy turned to tragedy on Super Bowl Sunday 1989: as the fire died down our home filled with smoke. Called Chicago's Bravest, and they axed the hearth and power sawed the oak flooring to get to the flames: the subflooring had caught fire. The genius who installed our new brickwork neglected to put in fire brick on the bottom to protect our floor studs.


Guy who installed our brickwork was an off- duty Chicago firefighter, moonlighting as a stone mason. Had my dad not been a retired Chicago firefighter I would have sued the ba***rd myself... but our insurance covered the loss-- and I figured that was why the good Lord created subrogation actions.

Holy cow, glad you were okay - that could have been much, much uglier. I assume you contacted the moonlighting firefighter though so that he at least knew what he did wrong and didn't keep creating fire hazards in other people's houses.

 

[ChiTownScion]

Holy cow, glad you were okay - that could have been much, much uglier. I assume you contacted the moonlighting firefighter though so that he at least knew what he did wrong and didn't keep creating fire hazards in other people's houses.

The word did go out through a mutual acquaintance: a fire fighter / real estate broker who found the guy for me in the first place. And as I said, I am certain that my insurance carrier contacted him as well.