DIY or get someone else to change a bulb?

[Kronos]

'Don't do-it-yourself generation' can't even change a light bulb.'

Article here. http://www.confused.com/press/releases/dont-do-it-yourself-generation-cant-even-change-a-lightbulb

I have not met anyone unable to do the above but I have certainly come across people who could not change a plug.

I have noticed that with my quite limited PC modding experience I tend to look at minor problems elsewhere as a opportunity rather than a excuse to chuck out and buy new. Small example bought a new watch recently and the retaining loop for the excess strap was to big, a thimble, decent thread and a needle soon sorted that out and rather neatly I might add.

Going to the other extreme how many of these are you competent in doing?

http://www.marcandangel.com/2008/06/02/50-things-everyone-should-know-how-to-do/

 

[Kamerad]

Since most of the younger generation have been priced out of the housing market it's not really surprising that they aren't learning DIY.

 

[kinobestew123]

The Halfords We Fit service drives me mad and must be partly responsible. It brainwashes people into thinking they have to pay for simple services.

1 It's really expensive and I bet any proper garage would change the bulb/wipers/battery for less if really needed.

2 They claim to be experts. I'm not sure how they get away with this given it's usually the store staff with absolutely no knowledge of cars doing it and they regularly break something or cause other problems. They also refuse to do certain models of cars knowing they're too difficult.

3 The adverts make out that it is a really difficult task and things can go wrong/you can hurt yourself by using faked 'home tutorials'. They're not a fair representation of changing a bulb at all and make it seem much harder than it actually is.

 

[malachi]

Well that's what you get when kids in schools are trained to pass exams and not taught life skills.

Anyway, want to know how do anything? That's what youtube is there for

 

[Kronos]

Since most of the younger generation have been priced out of the housing market it's not really surprising that they aren't learning DIY.

I would expect people to have learnt basic DIY long before buying a house, from their parents perhaps?

 

[Kamerad]

I would expect people to have learnt basic DIY long before buying a house, from their parents perhaps?

Yes it's also down to parenting as many from the last two decades have smothered their children not allowing them to do anything for themselves which is why we have so many manchilds now.

One positive though is that if you do want to learn how to do things you can find out how to do pretty much anything from youtube if nobody is willing to show you.

 

[Cosimo]

Going to the other extreme how many of these are you competent in doing?

http://www.marcandangel.com/2008/06/02/50-things-everyone-should-know-how-to-do/

All of them but then I'm just a normal guy who did woodwork /metalwork at school, built model kits, stuck his hand into the back of a tv and lived to tell the tale. I wouldn't expect everyone to know all of those because many of them are only picked up through experience but a third should be in everyone's armoury.

I forgot to add that I do sing the Lumberjack song.

 

[Minstadave]

It's worse in other countries, a lot of the Indian guys I work with think it's hilarious I am decorating my own house as back home labour is so cheap that they would always get people in to do basic things.

 

[Mr Jack]

So 10% of Brits 18-35 calling someone to change a bulb means that the entire generation can't change a bulb? That's interesting extrapolation. Top that off with a layer of incomparable numbers (shouldn't you be asking whether the other 50s could do these tasks when they were 18-35?) and you've got a ludicrous article even before you consider possible explanations for why this might happen - e.g. inaccessible light fittings, shared access areas in rented accommodation, etc.

 

[benjii]

I know basic DIY, changing plugs etc. However, what I don't know I'd be willing to attempt with a guide off of the internet. It seems a bit silly people pay above the odds to get things like decorating done and what not when there's a near infinite library at our finger tips.

 

[mattyg]

I know basic DIY, changing plugs etc. However, what I don't know I'd be willing to attempt with a guide off of the internet. It seems a bit silly people pay above the odds to get things like decorating done and what not when there's a near infinite library at our finger tips.

TIME

Some people just don't have enough.

Im surprised, Actually no I'm not. About the amount of people who seem to live in their own little bubble and can't see how anybody else could be doing things different from them.

I have a mate who is jealous of the amount of money we earn. He works 9-5 I work at least 8-midnight. I earn twice as much as him....Well I work twice the hours

 

[Richie]

Since most of the younger generation have been priced out of the housing market it's not really surprising that they aren't learning DIY.

Hmmm... thats 2 threads in the last 5 mins that have had something like this in it... The other one slating the older generation burdening the young with their pension schemes....

Is this kind of thing going to be the go-to-excuse whenever younger generations cant/wont do stuff i.e. blame the older generations?

 

[Lumeycom]

TIME

Some people just don't have enough.

/snip

I'd say priorities over time. Everyone has time to do just about anything should they choose to make the time.


Using the OP's original point about changing a lamp surely its quicker to do it yourself? and rather cheaper too I'd say.


I do agree for the most part that we are getting lazy and sucked in by the big service industry machine. I loathe it. Assuming you have a decent will to learn then anything DIY (thats not going to kill you or others like gas) is possible.

I just redid our living room including hacking a wall off, insulating and boarding it. Full redecorate and flooring too. The only thing I paid someone to do was the plastering as it is a skill (art?) that I don't seem to be able to learn past the odd patching in job. It meant I could do it at my pace and not have to take days off work to babysit trades (and deal with them not turning up).

I was brought up to not waste and make do and mend. If we are talking about 'the younger generation' then I'd point the finger at the parents not instilling worthwhile life skills in their children.

 

[Gammawolf]

I just want to point out that a lot of workplaces don't allow you to change a lightbulb due to insurance purposes, which is drilled heavily into staff. So its not surprising that people that don't think for themselves carry this on into their personal lives

 

[mattyg]

I'd say priorities over time. Everyone has time to do just about anything should they choose to make the time./snip

I have a mate who thinks the same. I keep asking him "How do you make time?" I thought it was a constant.

In my world there are 24hrs in each day and even though I've tried to make more "time" I keep failing.

If you mean stop doing one thing to start doing another then you are correct "priorities".

However it just doesn't make sense for me to stop earning £200 so I can do a job that would only cost me £50 to get someone in to do.

There are also a large number of workers out there who work away from home during the week so only have 2 days off at the weekend. Who probably lose one of those days unpacking/cleaning and packing/preparing for the next week.

 

[Kamerad]

Hmmm... thats 2 threads in the last 5 mins that have had something like this in it... The other one slating the older generation burdening the young with their pension schemes....

Is this kind of thing going to be the go-to-excuse whenever younger generations cant/wont do stuff i.e. blame the older generations?

Is my statement not true?

 

[Kenai]

I think there may also be an element of diminished requirements.

I have literally never encountered a single situation in my adult life where I have needed to change a plug. I'm struggling to think of any where you would either. If the fuse has blown, you change that, if not it must be incredibly rare for a plug to actually break somehow and then at the same time not be a removable lead type that everyone has a dozen spares of.

Things like lightbulbs, I probably have to do this once every two years at most, they just don't blow these days, I can easily see how people hopping from rental to rental may not encounter a blown bulb.

 

[Caged]

Why would you need to change a plug these days anyway? Everything has one fitted by law. Most things have removable mains leads which are £2 so I'd just replace that rather than dealing with the plug.

I'm sure there were once stories going around carved into cave walls about how the youngsters of the day couldn't kill a boar with a spear any more.

 

[coolsurfer]

On the subject of rewiring, I am going to convert some MR16 fittings to GU10 by removing the transformers and rewiring GU10 holders. This is so I can use LED bulbs. How many would do this themselves or hire someone else?

 

[nutcase]

How many mice does it take to screw in a lightbulb?

Two. The hard part is getting them in there.

How many students does it take to change a lightbulb?

One, and a professor to take all the credit.

and so on