Know the value of your time
In my mid-30’s, I became obsessed with DIY projects. I loved figuring out how to build or repair anything I wanted to.
My journey started with building a few cigar box guitars but quickly escalated into larger-scale woodworking projects. Within a couple of years, I built numerous projects, including my first custom kitchen.
Never one to stay still, my obsession for building things progressed into guitar building, and then on to electronics, building guitar amplifiers and effects pedals. My most recent project was a complete outdoor patio and timber-framed pavilion roof.
These are just a few of the DIY projects I have done over the last 20 years.
I always justified it as saving money by doing things myself.
Sometimes it was the truth…
Looking back on it now, I know there were other forces driving me, lurking beneath the surface, pushing me to continue to take on bigger and bigger projects. While many of these forces were good for me, a few came from some dark places in my psyche. More on that in a minute.
Some of these projects saved me some money, but many of them cost me in other ways. Perhaps if I had spent some time evaluating my motives, I could have saved a little heartache.
Let’s take a look at some good questions to ask yourself if you’re considering DIY projects.
Can I Do It Legally?
If you are considering a DIY home project, you will need to find out if you can legally do the job yourself as a homeowner. You’ll need to check your local regulations, or possibly speak with a building inspector. You may also need permits and inspections.
Getting the proper permits may feel like a hassle, but you don’t want a problem to pop up down the road if you attempt to sell your home.
Can I Do It Safely?
This question requires some careful consideration. If you aren’t certain you can do your project safely then you should hire someone to do the work for you.
While building the pavilion roof I mentioned in the intro of this article, I was using an air nailer to install trim and shot a nail through the board into the tip of my finger, breaking the bone. The injury was only minor, but something much worse could have happened.
While building my first guitar amplifier, I knew I would be testing circuits containing lethal voltages, so I took my time to research exactly what I needed to do to be safe while building. I have no intention of riding the lightning with 600 volts coursing through my body.
Safety may go beyond working safely to ensuring your finished product is safe. For example, DIY tire repair could lead to an accident-causing blowout if done incorrectly.
Is It Worth My Time?
It’s a good idea to find out why you want to do a DIY project. There could be several reasons. Many will be valid, but some are probably not. Here are a few to consider.
Money
This was the main reason I started doing things myself. I couldn’t or didn’t want to spend the money to hire work done. But, saving money in this way can still cost you.
Let me explain.
Let’s say your car needs brakes. The shop estimates it will be 2 hours of labor at a rate of $65 an hour, so your total bill would be $130 plus parts. If you do the job yourself, you’ll save $130 on the labor.
Seems like a no-brainer if you’ve got the skills.
But, if you’re an entrepreneur who makes $85 an hour, you just cost yourself money. If you had spent the 2 hours working on your business, you would have made $170, or $40 more than the labor on your brake job.
Always know the value of your time.
Learning
Sometimes DIY projects are great learning opportunities. This can be a valid reason for taking on the project. If it will provide you with marketable skills or real-world experience you believe relevant, it’s worth going for it.
Enjoyment
You may be the type of person who truly enjoys learning new skills or honing a craft, such as woodworking. Tinker away, my friends!
Validation
The first kitchen cabinets I built were for the house I was living in with my (now) ex. Our current cabinets were falling apart. We desperately needed cabinets, but we were horrified to see how expensive they were.
Our budget was slightly more than nothing, and that quote was a whole lot of something. We couldn’t afford them.
With very limited experience and a can-do attitude, I stated I was confident I could build our cabinets for less than the quote.
The response?
Laughter
She straight up laughed at the thought. It seemed the very idea of me building cabinets was preposterous to her.
If there was any doubt in my mind as to whether I would be building cabinets, it was erased right there. Yes, I built an amazing kitchen to prove her wrong. To her specifications, no less.
My need to find validation and worth in my ability to do work I had never tried before drove me to put too much pressure on myself. I couldn’t fail. I wasn’t even willing to give myself grace for an occasional mistake.
Trust me, a spiteful perfectionist is no fun to be around.
Over the past couple of years, suffering from the impacts of the end of a lengthy marriage and a concurrent brain cancer battle, I took a lot of time to assess my life. The opportunity to do so has provided me with many learnings.
Recently, I learned my reasons for many of the projects I’ve taken on stemmed from someplace inside of me that was seeking validation. Yearning for the respect and admiration of others, I thought I would find it because of something I’d accomplished.
This is the wrong reason to do anything. If you’re approaching projects to grow or learn new valuable skills, or because you have a passion for the work, great. Get after it!
If you’re seeking validation or trying to define your worth in terms of what you can do, you need to take a step back and work through those issues.
You are enough, whether or not you choose to pick up a hammer, soldering iron, or a pen.
Thanks for reading,
Jon