This Old House
I'm hardcore DIY. Not because I have issues with relinquishing responsibility, but because I believe when it comes to home repair, an operating system, or just about anything electronic, I'm smart enough, damn't, to fix, modify, add-on, or repair anything a "professional" can do. Give me a book, a little time, and chances are I'll figure it out.
Of course not everyone has the time, patience, or confidence to tackle home improvement projects. Either that or you're a lucky sob with plenty of money to burn and don't mind shelling out hundreds of bucks to fix the most basic, mainstream household problems.
Not me.
Even if all the faucets in my house dripped crisp green bills, I'd still be strapping on my overalls and work belt. And yes, I actually do.
My house is in the architectural minority here in Atlanta - pre-twentieth century. High ceilings, crown molding, creaky hard wood floors, and the occasional draft through a closed window. Most Atlantans would gladly bulldoze a house like mine and build something brand-spankin' new.
I simply love the grit, the funk, the essence, of an old house. I enjoy the feeling of knowing a handful of generations lived, laughed, cut turkeys, made love, burned food, drank themselves silly and possibly died inside the same walls. There is a vibe, usually late at night, that old houses emit you simply can't duplicate in a new structure.
I've tackled my fair share of fix-up jobs in the past, but the one task I've never felt comfortable with is electricity. I'm deathly afraid of touching a hot wire, of connecting the black wire to the white, and blowing myself and the house to pieces.
That fear has kept one particularly ugly light fixture in my house hanging. When illuminated, it casts an awful, omnipresent light up to the ceiling and coats everything in the room with a banal, even spread. No contrast - no focal points - just a broad brush stroke of pale, deathly light. We never turn it on.
So instead of avoiding the light, I decided to rip it down. I purchased the Complete Do-It-Yourself Manual for a mere six bucks, used, from Amazon, and got busy.
I studied endless illustrations of the different types of wiring, mounting plates, ceiling boxes, studs, nipples, nuts, and straps (my my, how risqué). I cut the breaker, climbed a ladder, and got to work.
The fixture was so old the connecting wires were completely wrapped in cloth. I had to shave the cloth with a knife to figure out what color the wires were. Behind the ceiling box, interestingly, was an inactive gas pipe from the pre-Edison days of gloomy, yellow lanterns.
Holding the new fixture in one hand and standing way up high next to the ceiling, I stripped and connected the new to the old, married them together with a couple of red plastic connectors, and mounted the unit flush with the ceiling.
I descended the ladder, turned the breaker back on, flipped the light switch...presto.
There's an immense sense of satisfaction that comes from tackling jobs like these, and I don't believe it's a "guy thing" as some may label it. It's about seizing control of your environment, your day-to-day life, and making it better - even if the step is small, or as inconsequential as a stupid light fixture.
Comments
Not too many DIYers I know will readily admit to the love of playing with electricity. We just finished remodeling our master bath, including such little touches as removing the standard-issue beige outlets/covers and switches/covers and replacing them with palette-pleasing white ones. I must have checked the breaker four times before even removing the first outlet cover. I've seen grown men get knocked across a room by a live socket - not an experience I'm eager to share with them.
Posted by: Bob at August 15, 2002 2:30 PM
And then, there are those of us with NOT ENOUGH fear of electricity...
I can tell you from my experience of last night that you can take a little shock from an outlet you thought wasn't live and live to tell the tale. In fact, besides a bruised ego as my roommates dashed in to see what all the yelping was for, I suffered no lasting damage.
But I am now the proud owner of a shiny new voltage tester that tells me for sure whether that outlet is live. No more shocking experiences for me.
Posted by: Patrick at August 15, 2002 2:38 PM
Patrick, us simple people test live outlets with a lamp.
Posted by: Gonads at August 15, 2002 3:03 PM
Oh boy - I am right there with you on this one. I just bought a condo a few weeks back that was build back in the 70's and needed lots of work with the lighting. I've never been a DIY person, but I figured I'd give it a shot. So far this week I removed the old electric smoke alarm (it was HUGE...and yellow..not a nice warm yellow, more like a sick, brownish, dying kind of yellow) and replaced that with 2 new ones, replaced 2 light fixtures and replaced a broken dimmer switch.
The whole time I had my "little pen-like-beeping-red-light-electric-thing-that-tests-for-live-wires and stuff" in hand because I was sure I was going to kill myself. I kept running back and checking the breaker to make sure it was safely resting in the "off" position. I also kept thinking I was smelling smoke, it's crazy what your mind can do.
ANYWAY - I happy to say I'm still alive and kicking - although I did break a nail.
Posted by: dkr at August 15, 2002 3:06 PM
Quote:
"Iím smart enough, damnít, to fix, modify, add-on, or repair anything a ěprofessionalî can do."
End Quote --
Y'see, I used to have that attitude as well... until I realised that it was exactly the attitude I so loathed with potential clients who felt that their corporate ID, or website, designed in-house was every bit as good as some so-called "professional" designer.
I now pay other professionals for their expertise, just as I like to make a living from mine :)
Posted by: Stuart at August 15, 2002 3:23 PM
I can't agree more. If I was doing anything more that simple maintenance and fixes, I'd hire a professional for sure.
It's like my friends how want design work for free (or a six pack, whatever) - I used to do that work, you know, because they're my friends, now I cut them a deal...maybe, but they still pay - on principle.
Posted by: dkr at August 15, 2002 3:28 PM
I feel the same way. I have to get my hands dirty. Right now we're in the process of painting our house and my brother in law is helping out. Although I trust him and know he'll do a good job, I get really antsy not doing all the work myself.
Along with the paint job we're putting up new outside lights and I've putting it off due to my own hearty fear of electricity. This gives me hope!
Posted by: jonathan at August 15, 2002 3:32 PM
How many bloggers does it take to change a light bulb? :)
One. The rest just link to it.
Posted by: Robbie at August 15, 2002 3:42 PM
I'm all for the DIY attitude of grabbing a book, taking some time and getting it done. However when your contractor is leaving Time-Life electrical how-to-books lying around while he's finishing your basement, well it doesn't really instill a great deal of faith. Then I thought, we'll this is where the mother-in-law is going to live, she's paying for the job and is at present living with us...so eh. *shrugs
Posted by: Daejin at August 15, 2002 4:50 PM
I lived in Venezuela for a couple of years and I was always amazed by the carefree attitude towards electricity. Poeple would often plug wires directly into outlets -- just twist 'em up and stick 'em in!
I had an electric shower-head that heated the water as it came through, all the while making a horrifying buzzing sound.
The first time I used it I leaned way backwards and stuck my foot in the shower with the hope that, if it electrocuted me, I would fall backwards out of the stream of electro-water.
Posted by: Josh at August 15, 2002 5:23 PM
I grew up with a DIY dad, so I know nothing else. I feel that I've "inherited" some of DIY ability, although I've never been able to drop a transmission and replace it with a new one.
Posted by: Ryan at August 15, 2002 10:19 PM
I value my time too much. Remember "opportunity costs" from business class? They always say it's not how hard you work, but how smart.
Posted by: Woody at August 15, 2002 10:46 PM
The cloth insulation is prolly asbestos, Todd. Hope you had a facemask handy.
Otherwise, kudos on both the light and a nicely written entry ("damn't").
Posted by: mike at August 15, 2002 11:17 PM
I've gotten pretty comfortable (but still cautious) with electricity after replacing all of the outlets and light switches in my house with new white ones (good thing I did because I discovered almost all of the outlets were wired backwards by the previous people). I've also replaced or installed kitchen lights, bathroom vanity lights, patio ceiling lights, etc. When I was a kid, I stuck my finger into an outlet at least twice that I can remember so I know that unforgettable weird feeling only electricity can give you.
Posted by: Lauri at August 15, 2002 11:38 PM
yeah, I can see how it would be fun. You get the satisfaction of doing something that can make a difference in your life, and other peoples lives as well.
Just make sure the circut breakers are OFF, and if you still don't feal safe, turn off the house... haha. than wait a while, or get some ruber gloves...
Posted by: Scott Allison at August 18, 2002 3:34 PM
We've been doing a lot of cosmetic upgrades (paint and IKEA shelves, mostly) on our upper duplex here - about the same, 1920s, crown moldings, warped all to heck because it was designed by British architects with no concept of the Quebec 60-degree swing from frozen -30 C to +30 C with 80% humidity in summer. :)
Our lighting fixtures are so idiosyncratic, you can't purchase retail replacements at your local EnormoRenovationCentre. Luckily, there is one store, Beacon Lighting, on St-Laurent Blvd that specializes in old fittings. Still, we had to be careful as most older homes are only wired for 60w and modern fixtures tend to be 75w+ - you don't want to start a fire in the walls from wires overheating.
Posted by: AJ Kandy at August 19, 2002 10:46 AM
Years ago, when I had quite the same fear, I decided to do the same thing and change out a light fixture. Read all about it, cut the breaker, etc...
I felt very proud, and when I went to test the fixture, I flipped the switch, and at that exact moment, the shuttle re-entered the atmosphere over the San Fernando Valley on its way to Edwards AFB and emitted two loud sonic booms...
You can imagine my state-of-mind...but the light stayed on!
Posted by: Paul at August 19, 2002 1:22 PM
I've shocked myself a few times. You won't die, it just startles you and feels vaguely painful - like hitting your funnybone. I too am a DIY kind of guy. If anybody's gonna screw up my house or car it's gonna be me. And it's one more thing to know. But it does touch a larger question: jack of all trades, master of none vs. excellence. Do you settle for mediocre performance in return for breadth or concentrate and excel? Unfortunately I want excellence and self-sufficiency and I'm worried that I may be chasing my tail.
Posted by: fragglerock at August 20, 2002 9:39 AM
