Home Repairs
There’s no getting around it. If you own a home, there will be repairs - a steady stream of them. It doesn’t matter if it’s a new home, an old home, or something in between. You will be dealing with home repairs on a regular basis. They’re ongoing, nonstop, and unrelenting; so if you just bought a home, get used to it. Make sure you’ve got a good selection of tools on hand and begin assembling a list of good, reliable, competent repairmen. You’ll need them.
I have over the years made numerous attempts at home repairs myself, most of them unsuccessful. In a nutshell, if it can’t be done with a screwdriver or duct tape or a combination of the two, I’ll probably blow it. The only true success I can recall was that time I did manage to install a light switch. I went to the hardware store, purchased the correct device, and got all kinds of extremely detailed instructions. I then went home and quickly did the job before I forgot anything, and would you believe it? It worked! I did not electrocute myself in the process, and the house has not yet burst into flame, so I count that as a win, a big one. I’ve also hung a few curtain rods, but that’s about all. I have learned to leave repairs to the professionals, and unless you’ve had some training, I would advise you to do the same.
Speaking of professional repairmen and women (I’ve never had a repairwoman, but I’m sure they’re out there so I want to be fair), the last time I had one here at the house, he wrapped up the job, found me, and with some hesitancy said, “Ma’am?” I froze. There was no mistaking that tone of voice. I had heard it before. I knew he was about to tell me that he had discovered the need for a major repair the cost of which would dwarf the one I was about to pay for. I’d been through this any number of times. It could be a plumbing leak under the house, a foundation issue, the urgent necessity of a roof replacement, or something else along that line. One way or the other, my bank account was about to take a hit. So if your repairman/woman completes the job with no mention of the need for any further repairs, pay him or her happily and count your lucky stars. It could have been a lot worse.