The cost of getting old

[TheOldHokie]

With the onset of health problems I suddenly find myself having to pay people to fix things I used to fix myself. I never realized how much money I was saving.

Just recently the commercial torsion spring garage door opener in the shop hiccuped and the cable jumped off the drum. My $25 / hour handyman tried to put it back on and failed. He refused to even consider my request to retensio the springs because it was "too dangerous".

I was forced to call a local commercial door company - all the residential guys refused to come out.

Commercial guy was great - showed up on time and inspected the door,. Then he told me it would be $875 to fix it!!! I already had a $400/hour service truck phone quote from a different company so I agreed.

Less than an hour later it was fixed. He simply used two winding bars to release the tension on the two springs, put the cable back over the drum, and rewound the springs. Total time on the job 1.5 hours. GRRRR.....

Dan

 

[marrmanu]

I hear you my friend. I dread as time slips on we will have to move off or beloved acreage.

 

[DustyRusty]

I found a local garage door guy that fixed the same problem as you had, and he charged me $100 to fix it. Found him on a local website called Nextdoor. https://nextdoor.com/

 

[Mitjam]

With the onset of health problems I suddenly find myself having to pay people to fix things I used to fix myself. I never realized how much money I was saving.

Just recently the commercial torsion spring garage door opener in the shop hiccuped and the cable jumped off the drum. My $25 / hour handyman tried to put it back on and failed. He refused to even consider my request to retensio the springs because it was "too dangerous".

I was forced to call a local commercial door company - all the residential guys refused to come out.

Commercial guy was great - showed up on time and inspected the door,. Then he told me it would be $875 to fix it!!! I already had a $400/hour service truck phone quote from a different company so I agreed.

Less than an hour later it was fixed. He simply used two winding bars to release the tension on the two springs, put the cable back over the drum, and rewound the springs. Total time on the job 1.5 hours. GRRRR.....

Dan

It’s the unfortunate part of life sir our minds think we can but our body does t let us. My dad was working right up to about 3 years ago at age 72. He cut his finger in the shop lost a finger to diabetes. Thought he had a handle on it stubbed his toe on the table now he is in the wheel chair with his leg knee down missing. He said more than anything he misses working and fixing stuff it gives him purpose. He said basically went from walking to 3months later never walking on your own again pretty dark days. The point of my reply is your not alone my friend.

 

[PoTreeBoy]

The issue I've always had, they don't fix it correctly, leave a mess for me to clean up, or break something else. Plumber fixes a pipe in the wall, leaves a hole. Have to call a dry wall guy, then a painter. Each one operates on their schedule, leaves a bill and a mess.

I have a tile floor replacement coming up. I won't tackle that myself.

 

[Trimley]

With the onset of health problems I suddenly find myself having to pay people to fix things I used to fix myself. I never realized how much money I was saving.

Just recently the commercial torsion spring garage door opener in the shop hiccuped and the cable jumped off the drum. My $25 / hour handyman tried to put it back on and failed. He refused to even consider my request to retensio the springs because it was "too dangerous".

I was forced to call a local commercial door company - all the residential guys refused to come out.

Commercial guy was great - showed up on time and inspected the door,. Then he told me it would be $875 to fix it!!! I already had a $400/hour service truck phone quote from a different company so I agreed.

Less than an hour later it was fixed. He simply used two winding bars to release the tension on the two springs, put the cable back over the drum, and rewound the springs. Total time on the job 1.5 hours. GRRRR.....

Dan

I use to install roll-up doors. I learned a lot. How to do it right, and how to do it wrong. The springs, I've done hundreds of windings...on residential. On commercial, and after several installs, I'll pass.

If you don't have the "correct" tools, you could be found "mamed in a meme" and SERIOUSLY messed up an/or dead.

On the getting old part, I'm right there with you. I learned how to do things to take care of my own...and save money. Since my hand injury back in 2015, my abilities went from 85% DIY to about 35%. I've got tools and skills to fix about anything necessary, without the abilities to do it by myself.

 

[TheOldHokie]

I use to install roll-up doors. I learned a lot. How to do it right, and how to do it wrong. The springs, I've done hundreds of windings...on residential. On commercial, and after several installs, I'll pass.

If you don't have the "correct" tools, you could be found "mamed in a meme" and SERIOUSLY messed up an/or dead.

On the getting old part, I'm right there with you. I learned how to do things to take care of my own...and save money. Since my hand injury back in 2015, my abilities went from 85% DIY to about 35%. I've got tools and skills to fix about anything necessary, without the abilities to do it by myself.

I feel differently. I hung both of the shop doors myself - 12 x 10 and 20 x 10. Both are insulated and have one full width insulated glass panel. This was the smaller one and I have zero concern with winding the springs on either one then or now. The only tools needed are a socket, two 1/2" x 18" steel bars, and the ability to count to 42. I can still climb a ladder and in retrospect I should have done it myself.

Dan

 

[Trimley]

I feel differently. I hung both of the shop doors myself - 12 x 10 and 20 x 10. Both are insulated and have one full width insulated glass panel. This was the smaller one and I have zero concern with winding the springs on either one then or now. The only tools needed are a socket, two 1/2" x 18" steel bars, and the ability to count to 42. I can still climb a ladder and in retrospect I should have done it myself.

Dan

 

[Tarmy]

I don’t climb up big trees with a chainsaw, do roof repairs near the edge, do the tranny/top end engine work anymore either. I figure with the amount of money I saved doing basically everything myself (including the roll up garage door spring/hardware update)…I can pay someone to do certain high risk or pain in the ass jobs these days.

 

[Henro]

I am in the same boat I think. BUT more due to age than physical ability, I would like to think. Yea, right...

I need to change the rear brake pads on my Subaru. But of course, the technology today makes a simple chore more complicated that it should be, or needs to be.

After seeing what was involved, I decided why not offer my son in law some bucks to do the job for me? Keep the money in the family, and making a contribution to the kids doesn't hurt either, especially if they contribute back!

Still...putting up 40' ladders on the back of the house seems like it is out of the question now. Especially since I changed to fiberglass ladders, that weigh more...

Takes some time to realize that we are not what we once were...

Still able to lift a beer glass when I feel like it though!

 

[skeets]

Man aint that the truth,, I started to clean the gutter on the garage. Mine says, why sure you can do it , you have done it a zillion times before. I got the ladder and climbed up and started,, and thats where it ended !
You cant do much when you are hanging on for dear life with one hand and trying to get crap out with the other. And if you ask for help from friends and family,, they always seem to have something else going on, even if you ask a week in advance....... OLD SUCKS !!!

 

[The Evil Twin]

Man aint that the truth,, I started to clean the gutter on the garage. Mine says, why sure you can do it , you have done it a zillion times before. I got the ladder and climbed up and started,, and thats where it ended !
You cant do much when you are hanging on for dear life with one hand and trying to get crap out with the other. And if you ask for help from friends and family,, they always seem to have something else going on, even if you ask a week in advance....... OLD SUCKS !!!

That's why I put gutter screens on last year. I used to walk around the roof like a spider monkey on a pile of poop. Actually, I still can. It's the ladder part that gets me. I didn't want to become the typical headline " 40 something year old man falls off ladder".

 

[Mark_BX25D]

He cut his finger in the shop lost a finger to diabetes. Thought he had a handle on it stubbed his toe on the table now he is in the wheel chair with his leg knee down missing.

That hurts. It especially hurts because it didn't have to be that way. The American medical establishment is still peddling nonsense that has long been debunked. If you are dealing with diabetes, the worst thing you can do is to listen to your doctor.

 

[Mitjam]

That hurts. It especially hurts because it didn't have to be that way. The American medical establishment is still peddling nonsense that has long been debunked. If you are dealing with diabetes, the worst thing you can do is to listen to your doctor.

That hurts. It especially hurts because it didn't have to be that way. The American medical establishment is still peddling nonsense that has long been debunked. If you are dealing with diabetes, the worst thing you can do is to listen to your doctor.

Yes some of that I agree with forsure. Not knowing that it’s that bad/ serious is the real problem.

 

[Old Machinist]

I hear ya to a point but I don't think I will ever get so old I let someone rip me off like that.

I did pay a shop to put an evaporator in my F150 this year but it was $1400 for a day and a half's work. It would have probably taken me 3 days to do the same job. The whole steering column, dash, and center console had to come out to get at it.

I'm coming up on my 73rd birthday and so far my health is hanging in there.

 

[PoTreeBoy]

Still...putting up 40' ladders on the back of the house seems like it is out of the question now. Especially since I changed to fiberglass ladders, that weigh more...

I sold a guy a 40' ladder (aluminum) last week while working for my BIL. As I was taking his money, I thought how fortunate I was that he would be climbing it instead of me.

 

[Mark_BX25D]

Yes some of that I agree with forsure. Not knowing that it’s that bad/ serious is the real problem.

He can't go back, but he has choices from here. If he listens to his doctor, it will get worse, fast.

 

[Moose7060]

I see no issue. Just double them up to make it safer!

 

[RCW]

I’m not as old as some of you guys, but I’m getting up there.

Ladders and chainsaws are two things I approach with much more caution than I did years ago.

Never liked ladders. Was reasonably adept with a chainsaw.

 

[Mitjam]

He can't go back, but he has choices from here. If he listens to his doctor, it will get worse, fast.

I will pass this video on to him. Thank you