4 ms·

I replaced my toilet by myself, after watching a few dozen youtube videos. I was so scared because I'm a germophobe but $250 was too much for me not to try. Th

I replaced my toilet by myself, after watching a few dozen youtube videos. I was so scared because I'm a germophobe but $250 was too much for me not to try. The internal warmth from the glow of saving that money instead of hiring a plumber lasted at least 3 days.

weaksauce 5y ago
> The internal warmth from the glow of saving that money instead of hiring a plumber lasted at least 3 days. the ikea effect in action... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IKEA_effect https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IKEA_effect
- czrnb 5y ago
  Thanks for the link! I don't think it applies in this case however. There is no explicit cognitive bias at play. There would be if he considered his job is as good or better than plumber's (although actually, unless he has a very particular toilet setup, doing a good job after meticulous research and preparation is not out of reach at all). In any case, even doing an OK job which is definitely worse than a plumber's but holds (and will presumably hold) is still a win if you're short on money but can spare the time/motivation.
- Animats 5y ago
  I never thought of assembling IKEA furniture as "do it yourself". Just part of the unpacking process.
  - drewzero1 5y ago
    Yeah, I've heard a lot of people say that putting together Ikea furniture is a PITA or strains their relationship or whatever, and I don't get it. I just read the instructions and put the pieces where they go like any other thing that comes in a box some assembly required. Then again, I used to work in a retail position where I assembled so many things with far inferior construction and instructions. All in a day's work. OTOH when people kitbash or modify Ikea furniture, I think that extends a bit into DIY. But putting it together out if the box doesn't count IMO.
    - c22 5y ago
      I used to feel this way. Then I started dating someone who, while otherwise reasonably successful and intelligent, had a house filled with incorrectly-assembled Ikea furniture. I think some people just have a mental block when it comes to this type of activity. Imagining how two parts will fit together in the physical world or perceiving an order of operations to assembly, even if laid out in an easily parsed instruction booklet, just causes their brain to disengage for some reason.
reader_mode 5y ago
See I have the opposite feeling - I don't like to clean so I hire a cleaning lady, I don't want to spend hours on YouTube and risk my toilet leaking through to the apartment blow. My main issue is that even when I hire someone/buy something it's really hard to know if it will actually be what I expect. If I need to spend time informing myself to make a good decision then the equation changes, and a lot of things these days don't deliver satisfying results by default.
- sys_64738 5y ago
  What makes you think anybody you hire will be competent and not cause it to leak? Do it yourself at least you can make sure it's done right.
  - rhodozelia 5y ago
    Because you would hire a professional plumber with insurance and if it leaks you use your home insurance to cover and damage and then they go after the plumbers insurance to recoup their cost so your premiums don’t go up.
    - reader_mode 5y ago
      See but the damage is only a small part of that story, time, effort and stress is far worse for me.
      - rhodozelia 5y ago
        You think you are better at installing toilets than the average professional plumber?
        reader_mode 5y ago
        No but if I have to watch over the guy and investigate what he's supposed to be doing I might as well do it myself, then it's not worth the money.

weaksauce 5y ago

> The internal warmth from the glow of saving that money instead of hiring a plumber lasted at least 3 days. the ikea effect in action... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IKEA_effect https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IKEA_effect

czrnb 5y ago
Thanks for the link! I don't think it applies in this case however. There is no explicit cognitive bias at play. There would be if he considered his job is as good or better than plumber's (although actually, unless he has a very particular toilet setup, doing a good job after meticulous research and preparation is not out of reach at all). In any case, even doing an OK job which is definitely worse than a plumber's but holds (and will presumably hold) is still a win if you're short on money but can spare the time/motivation.
Animats 5y ago
I never thought of assembling IKEA furniture as "do it yourself". Just part of the unpacking process.
- drewzero1 5y ago
  Yeah, I've heard a lot of people say that putting together Ikea furniture is a PITA or strains their relationship or whatever, and I don't get it. I just read the instructions and put the pieces where they go like any other thing that comes in a box some assembly required. Then again, I used to work in a retail position where I assembled so many things with far inferior construction and instructions. All in a day's work. OTOH when people kitbash or modify Ikea furniture, I think that extends a bit into DIY. But putting it together out if the box doesn't count IMO.
  - c22 5y ago
    I used to feel this way. Then I started dating someone who, while otherwise reasonably successful and intelligent, had a house filled with incorrectly-assembled Ikea furniture. I think some people just have a mental block when it comes to this type of activity. Imagining how two parts will fit together in the physical world or perceiving an order of operations to assembly, even if laid out in an easily parsed instruction booklet, just causes their brain to disengage for some reason.

reader_mode 5y ago

See I have the opposite feeling - I don't like to clean so I hire a cleaning lady, I don't want to spend hours on YouTube and risk my toilet leaking through to the apartment blow. My main issue is that even when I hire someone/buy something it's really hard to know if it will actually be what I expect. If I need to spend time informing myself to make a good decision then the equation changes, and a lot of things these days don't deliver satisfying results by default.

sys_64738 5y ago
What makes you think anybody you hire will be competent and not cause it to leak? Do it yourself at least you can make sure it's done right.
- rhodozelia 5y ago
  Because you would hire a professional plumber with insurance and if it leaks you use your home insurance to cover and damage and then they go after the plumbers insurance to recoup their cost so your premiums don’t go up.
  - reader_mode 5y ago
    See but the damage is only a small part of that story, time, effort and stress is far worse for me.
    - rhodozelia 5y ago
      You think you are better at installing toilets than the average professional plumber?
      - reader_mode 5y ago
        No but if I have to watch over the guy and investigate what he's supposed to be doing I might as well do it myself, then it's not worth the money.