Notes on DIY
Koontz - Jodi gets really revved up talking about Do-It-Yourselfing and she has some legitimate points. I appreciate that she has a protective attitude toward tradespeople and crafts men and women and that she recognizes the sweat equity they put in to perfect their trade. I want people like Jodi around to argue all the fine points that I'm not willing to hassle with...BUT...I disagree with Jodi regarding experience being the end all and the be all.
I don't believe that unions, education, apprenticeships, wages, licenses, or experience have anything to do with quality work. I believe that there is a difference between a tradesperson and a craftsman, (and I use those terms asexually, thank-you very much). I believe that there are many, many tradespeople who do shitty, passable, or fine work. I believe that a craftsperson concentrates on doing excellent work. I believe that it is an attitude of the mind, not something won through longevity.
I once watched a 60 year old carpenter, who had been plying his "trade" for 42 years, set a gorgeous piece of cherry trim wood with an 8 penny nail. I thought I was hallucinating! I turned to my partner in disbelief and watched my partner walk out of the room, shaking his head in disgust.
That "carpenter", was what my partner and I call a "shack bandit", and he had no business being on that job. Longevity obviously didn't do shit for his capabilities.
You don't learn craftsmanship by apprenticing-the person you're apprenticing under might well be that shack bandit. You learn craftsmanship because you care. This is where a DIY'er has it all over help for hire. You're working on your home. The biggest monetary investment you'll probably ever make. The place you want to spend the next ten, twenty, fifty years. You care about this place and with a thirty, (or even a fifteen), year mortgage, you have the time to learn how to do something the right way. You don't need to do it fast it enough to make a profit-you just need to do it right.
The guild system Jodi speaks about turned out work that was desired not simply because the craftmen had been trained well, but because what they did reflected on who they were. It had to do with pride and ego. We have a psychology now that tells us we can "instill" self-esteem in our children-what a crock! You can't be given self-esteem. You develop self-esteem by doing something and doing it as well as you can-and the next time, doing it even better.
As to the perspective test-I pretty much laugh aloud. I wouldn't be a teacher on a bet, with the system they have to work with and in. Do I think I could better educate my children than that system? Hell yes. Do I know enough about the law to represent myself? Probably not, but isn't that the fault of the damn lawyers who want to make such a complicated system of law that even most of them don't understand it? In a business dispute many years ago my partner and I went to find an attorney. I made the appointments with lawyers who "specialized" in real-estate law-each attorney kept telling us we had a solid case, just give them a deposit and they'd take it on for us. I was thrilled, but my partner, for reasons I still don't know and he claims were just instinctive on his part, kept telling me to make the next appointment. The seventh attorney we saw listened to our story, turned from his desk and picked out a book behind him, opened it and turning to us, flipped it on the table and said, "you're screwed". So the other attorneys either were shysters, or they didn't know their field-which was it? Being a "specialist" is no guarantee that you're any good. If anything, specializing limits your knowledge.
Now having gone on and on about this-do I then think everyone should do their own remodel or design? No, in fact I don't. I think everyone should do what they love to do and what they're good at. I think if you have a passion to do your own house remodel, that passion starts you off on the right track. Now you have to educate yourself-alot! But if you don't have a passion, you are far better off hiring someone who does.
My big bitch about the DIY shows we all see is that they tell my clients that the savings in money is the primary goal and worth everything they will go through by doing a job themselves. That is a fallacy-because you haven't saved a thing if you don't end up with a finished product you are happy with and can be proud of. So if you have the time AND the inclination, by all means, do it yourself. If you spend some time doing the right research, you can turn out a stellar job-but if cost savings is the ultimate goal, be aware that you get what you pay for-and don't call me-I don't bid jobs to be the lowest bidder-I bid jobs to do them right.
I don't believe that unions, education, apprenticeships, wages, licenses, or experience have anything to do with quality work. I believe that there is a difference between a tradesperson and a craftsman, (and I use those terms asexually, thank-you very much). I believe that there are many, many tradespeople who do shitty, passable, or fine work. I believe that a craftsperson concentrates on doing excellent work. I believe that it is an attitude of the mind, not something won through longevity.
I once watched a 60 year old carpenter, who had been plying his "trade" for 42 years, set a gorgeous piece of cherry trim wood with an 8 penny nail. I thought I was hallucinating! I turned to my partner in disbelief and watched my partner walk out of the room, shaking his head in disgust.
That "carpenter", was what my partner and I call a "shack bandit", and he had no business being on that job. Longevity obviously didn't do shit for his capabilities.
You don't learn craftsmanship by apprenticing-the person you're apprenticing under might well be that shack bandit. You learn craftsmanship because you care. This is where a DIY'er has it all over help for hire. You're working on your home. The biggest monetary investment you'll probably ever make. The place you want to spend the next ten, twenty, fifty years. You care about this place and with a thirty, (or even a fifteen), year mortgage, you have the time to learn how to do something the right way. You don't need to do it fast it enough to make a profit-you just need to do it right.
The guild system Jodi speaks about turned out work that was desired not simply because the craftmen had been trained well, but because what they did reflected on who they were. It had to do with pride and ego. We have a psychology now that tells us we can "instill" self-esteem in our children-what a crock! You can't be given self-esteem. You develop self-esteem by doing something and doing it as well as you can-and the next time, doing it even better.
As to the perspective test-I pretty much laugh aloud. I wouldn't be a teacher on a bet, with the system they have to work with and in. Do I think I could better educate my children than that system? Hell yes. Do I know enough about the law to represent myself? Probably not, but isn't that the fault of the damn lawyers who want to make such a complicated system of law that even most of them don't understand it? In a business dispute many years ago my partner and I went to find an attorney. I made the appointments with lawyers who "specialized" in real-estate law-each attorney kept telling us we had a solid case, just give them a deposit and they'd take it on for us. I was thrilled, but my partner, for reasons I still don't know and he claims were just instinctive on his part, kept telling me to make the next appointment. The seventh attorney we saw listened to our story, turned from his desk and picked out a book behind him, opened it and turning to us, flipped it on the table and said, "you're screwed". So the other attorneys either were shysters, or they didn't know their field-which was it? Being a "specialist" is no guarantee that you're any good. If anything, specializing limits your knowledge.
Now having gone on and on about this-do I then think everyone should do their own remodel or design? No, in fact I don't. I think everyone should do what they love to do and what they're good at. I think if you have a passion to do your own house remodel, that passion starts you off on the right track. Now you have to educate yourself-alot! But if you don't have a passion, you are far better off hiring someone who does.
My big bitch about the DIY shows we all see is that they tell my clients that the savings in money is the primary goal and worth everything they will go through by doing a job themselves. That is a fallacy-because you haven't saved a thing if you don't end up with a finished product you are happy with and can be proud of. So if you have the time AND the inclination, by all means, do it yourself. If you spend some time doing the right research, you can turn out a stellar job-but if cost savings is the ultimate goal, be aware that you get what you pay for-and don't call me-I don't bid jobs to be the lowest bidder-I bid jobs to do them right.
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