Thread: Least Favorite Home DIY projects

So as the weather warms and the sun peeks back out it becomes time for the "Chores" well at least here it does

So I was thinking today after a hectic 4 days of sunshine trying to get outside stuff done before the rain hits, we have an entire month of rain in the forecast..

Today was Concrete work and Honestly this is my least favorite DIY project, followed closely by plumbing

I Hate Concrete !!!

Concrete just wears ya out, first you have to go get it, lift it off the shelf, load it on the cart, then wheel that cart out to the truck, lift it all a second time into the truck..
Now ya drive this stuff home, if yer lucky you can park the truck at least close to the new project, if not, yep un-load it again, and move it all to the right spot

Now every single time I do these projects I say to myself "I am going to buy a cement mixer" then I talk myself out of it because this "Will be the last time"

So now you have to lift the stupid bags into the wheelbarrow, open it, and lift it again to dump it, then spend the time mixing it, walk it over to the form and pour it...
Repeat multiple times.
Usually run back to town because of course you didn't figure the stupid size -vs-depth equation right
Now you get to level it, and texture it and hope everything sets correctly, you of course are thinking to yourself that you did something wrong and those forms are really never going to pop loose


I guess I forgot to mention all the work yesterday tearing out the old stairs and leveling out the area and building the forms etc etc etc LOL
This is the entrance to my shop, the original stairs were made from Natural logs, they finally rotted enough that I decided I better change them out before I managed to break and ankle or my damn fool neck... After looking it over I opted for a Cement base to set the stair risers on...



Did I mention I hate Concrete work


So what is your Nemesis DIY project ????

Plumbing
Electrical
Carpentry
Yard work
Fencing

What is it that you just hate to see on the 'To Do" list

Painting!
I Hate Painting...

By The Way... Concrete Sq Ft X .333/27= Yards

Where do I start?
I build for a living so around the house projects are my least . Oddly enough I dont mind concrete.
If you have a concrete company close by, have the form ready and call them, they have leftover concrete headed back to the plant on a lot of their runs. You will pay for a whole cubic yard but it beats the hell out of picking up, moving, mixing ect.
Eric

Not a bad looking job on the concrete.

The biggest lesson learned years ago about concrete is that when you invite you buddies over to pour your sidewalk Suply them with the free beer etc. on Saturday night after the work is done not Friday the night before. I have had to look at the crooked joints for over 20 years!

Probably Yard work is the worst for me. I can mow a 40 acre field of hay with no problem but mowing my yard is a big chore. I think dandelions are part of natures beauty and like them in my yard. I drove my neighbor nuts all last summer because I like Milkweed and let a random one grow in the middle of my yard.

Originally Posted by Chevhead

Painting!
I Hate Painting...

By The Way... Concrete Sq Ft X .333/27= Yards

Painting is a pain I agree. That formula is for a 4" slab. I always add an extra 10% when ordering.

I'm pretty sick of shoveling snow. Hopefully I missed the last of it while here in NM on vacation.

It's not on the list, but I'll go with painting too. It too is a job that is many jobs in one. Prep, usually a pain in the butt, scraping and such. Then, the paint. Not so bad with the water based stuff, but I'm still suffering flashbacks from the oil based trauma of past jobs, the thinner and clean up. Brushes, seems like even though you clean them, they will be curled up and unusable when you need them, but the cheap ones work OK. The clean up, nomatter what, it's gonna get where you don't want it. Crap, that reminds me, I need to do the trim on the house! I even have some dry rot to contend with, yippee.

I won't argue that concrete sucks!! I've been lucky enough to stay away from anything more than putting fence posts in.

donv

That is why I live in an apartment. I just have to contend with other things though.

Laundry>>>>>>>>>>

I would rather be fishing,target shooting,trapping, I will paint the walls a ceiling and rake the yard and will pay the plumber,electrician, roofer,tile guy...I learned along time ago...its cheaper to pay someone for their knowledge of products available to do the job right...instead of me going to home depot and taking some tards advise that ain't worth 2cents and wasting my time. Yes concrete is at the bottom of my list too...right next to cord wood.