Comments on: Public Declaration http://www.milliondollarjourney.com/public-declaration.htm Building Wealth through Saving and Investing Sat, 20 Mar 2010 19:38:27 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: brip blap » I link the links that make the whole world link http://www.milliondollarjourney.com/public-declaration.htm/comment-page-1#comment-16777 brip blap » I link the links that make the whole world link Wed, 14 Nov 2007 10:49:32 +0000 http://www.milliondollarjourney.com/public-declaration.htm#comment-16777 [...] steam. But finally there are new declarations at Lazy Man and Money, Saving For A Home Of My Own, Million Dollar Journey, Canadian Dream: Free at 45 and Rather Be Shopping. I’m sure I’ve missed some but [...]

[...] steam. But finally there are new declarations at Lazy Man and Money, Saving For A Home Of My Own, Million Dollar Journey, Canadian Dream: Free at 45 and Rather Be Shopping. I’m sure I’ve missed some but [...]

]]> By: FrugalTrader http://www.milliondollarjourney.com/public-declaration.htm/comment-page-1#comment-16666 FrugalTrader Tue, 13 Nov 2007 14:10:40 +0000 http://www.milliondollarjourney.com/public-declaration.htm#comment-16666 Brip Blap, what a great idea about habitat for humanity. Although the title makes sense, I had no idea that Habitat for Humanity meant building houses. :) I'm going to look into what's involved with volunteering. Brip Blap, what a great idea about habitat for humanity. Although the title makes sense, I had no idea that Habitat for Humanity meant building houses. :) I’m going to look into what’s involved with volunteering.

]]> By: brip blap http://www.milliondollarjourney.com/public-declaration.htm/comment-page-1#comment-16613 brip blap Tue, 13 Nov 2007 01:35:27 +0000 http://www.milliondollarjourney.com/public-declaration.htm#comment-16613 That's actually a great goal - I need to get better at being handy around the house, too. Home Depot has some great resources, but Mike is right - most of that stuff is available for free on the internet (or at the library). It's not like, for example, carpentry has changed much in the last 5 years so even a dated library book could be helpful for getting started. I also remember someone suggesting volunteering for Habitat for Humanity - basically a good way to get free training... Thanks for participating in the meme! That’s actually a great goal – I need to get better at being handy around the house, too. Home Depot has some great resources, but Mike is right – most of that stuff is available for free on the internet (or at the library). It’s not like, for example, carpentry has changed much in the last 5 years so even a dated library book could be helpful for getting started.

I also remember someone suggesting volunteering for Habitat for Humanity – basically a good way to get free training…

Thanks for participating in the meme!

]]> By: nancy (aka money coach) http://www.milliondollarjourney.com/public-declaration.htm/comment-page-1#comment-15989 nancy (aka money coach) Tue, 06 Nov 2007 07:03:33 +0000 http://www.milliondollarjourney.com/public-declaration.htm#comment-15989 I still remember my major (and only) accomplishment: the garburator wasn't working, so in my Just-Bought-My-First-Home enthusiasm, i spent a whole saturday taking it apart, and putting it back together. To my own surprise, I in fact fixed the thing! Haven't tried anything since, and likely won't, but it's fun to tell myself I Could, if I Really Wanted to :) I still remember my major (and only) accomplishment: the garburator wasn’t working, so in my Just-Bought-My-First-Home enthusiasm, i spent a whole saturday taking it apart, and putting it back together. To my own surprise, I in fact fixed the thing! Haven’t tried anything since, and likely won’t, but it’s fun to tell myself I Could, if I Really Wanted to :)

]]> By: Telly http://www.milliondollarjourney.com/public-declaration.htm/comment-page-1#comment-15962 Telly Mon, 05 Nov 2007 18:01:56 +0000 http://www.milliondollarjourney.com/public-declaration.htm#comment-15962 Thanks Mike. He's still a geek at heart so he enjoys being an engineer but I think after an early (hopefully :)) retirement he might be interested in doing some of this stuff on the side. Yeah, we all got a really good laugh when we heard his timeline. He did have a bathroom of sorts in the basement but it was very primitive. In fact, his girlfriend decided she would move back to her parents place until he finished the project! In his defense, he ended up doing a great job. Thanks Mike. He’s still a geek at heart so he enjoys being an engineer but I think after an early (hopefully :)) retirement he might be interested in doing some of this stuff on the side.

Yeah, we all got a really good laugh when we heard his timeline. He did have a bathroom of sorts in the basement but it was very primitive. In fact, his girlfriend decided she would move back to her parents place until he finished the project!

In his defense, he ended up doing a great job.

]]> By: FourPillars http://www.milliondollarjourney.com/public-declaration.htm/comment-page-1#comment-15961 FourPillars Mon, 05 Nov 2007 17:31:23 +0000 http://www.milliondollarjourney.com/public-declaration.htm#comment-15961 Telly - your hubby sounds pretty talented. Sounds like he could do renos on the side if the main career isn't happening at some point and he wants to do something different. 1 week for a bathroom? Hilarious. I hope it wasn't the only bathroom in the house? FT - I found that HGTV had some not bad learning shows a couple of years ago ie weekend warriors, broken house chronicles but they don't seem to have them anymore. Holmes is ok but most of the show is him giving speeches and the odd time when he's actually talking about the reno, he talks so fast I can't keep up. Telly – your hubby sounds pretty talented. Sounds like he could do renos on the side if the main career isn’t happening at some point and he wants to do something different.

1 week for a bathroom? Hilarious. I hope it wasn’t the only bathroom in the house?

FT – I found that HGTV had some not bad learning shows a couple of years ago ie weekend warriors, broken house chronicles but they don’t seem to have them anymore. Holmes is ok but most of the show is him giving speeches and the odd time when he’s actually talking about the reno, he talks so fast I can’t keep up.

]]> By: Telly http://www.milliondollarjourney.com/public-declaration.htm/comment-page-1#comment-15957 Telly Mon, 05 Nov 2007 16:36:04 +0000 http://www.milliondollarjourney.com/public-declaration.htm#comment-15957 Mike, Good call on the timing thing. We have a friend that took a week off work thinking he could completely gut and rebuild his main bathroom (including taking down a wall to expand). It ended up taking 3 months! :) Mike, Good call on the timing thing. We have a friend that took a week off work thinking he could completely gut and rebuild his main bathroom (including taking down a wall to expand). It ended up taking 3 months! :)

]]> By: FrugalTrader http://www.milliondollarjourney.com/public-declaration.htm/comment-page-1#comment-15956 FrugalTrader Mon, 05 Nov 2007 15:50:45 +0000 http://www.milliondollarjourney.com/public-declaration.htm#comment-15956 Thanks for the suggestions guys! I do have that home depot hard cover book and find it pretty good. I've also been religiously watching the home flip and Holmes on Homes TV shows. :) Thanks for the suggestions guys! I do have that home depot hard cover book and find it pretty good. I’ve also been religiously watching the home flip and Holmes on Homes TV shows. :)

]]> By: FourPillars http://www.milliondollarjourney.com/public-declaration.htm/comment-page-1#comment-15953 FourPillars Mon, 05 Nov 2007 14:41:03 +0000 http://www.milliondollarjourney.com/public-declaration.htm#comment-15953 Forgot to mention that I bought some books that were quite useful. Home Depot series books for tiling and electrical were quite good, although the tiling stuff you can get from the internet pretty easily. Forgot to mention that I bought some books that were quite useful. Home Depot series books for tiling and electrical were quite good, although the tiling stuff you can get from the internet pretty easily.

]]> By: FourPillars http://www.milliondollarjourney.com/public-declaration.htm/comment-page-1#comment-15951 FourPillars Mon, 05 Nov 2007 14:15:05 +0000 http://www.milliondollarjourney.com/public-declaration.htm#comment-15951 FT - I think the internet plus experienced friends were the best sources for me. It also helps to just "do it" - experience is a pretty good teacher as well. What's the worst that can happen? :) Best advice I can give is: 1 - Have realistic expectations about how long a task will take. If you think a task will take four hours and it actually takes 14, that can be very frustrating. If you assume from the beginning that it will take 14 hours then you can plan accordingly and won't be as frustrated. Even a small job can take longer than you think when you consider the time for research, planning, multiple Home Depot trips, clean up, disposal of materials etc. 2 - For a big job don't be afraid to hire some cheap labour to help. Friends and family of course are good but if they are not available then try to hire students or whomever. By the way - you mentioned that you thought labour was the biggest portion of a reno? I would say that in my experience the split is about 50/50. This will vary with the job of course - for painting you are paying mostly labour whereas for getting new kitchen cabinets installed the cost is mostly material. FT – I think the internet plus experienced friends were the best sources for me. It also helps to just “do it” – experience is a pretty good teacher as well. What’s the worst that can happen? :)

Best advice I can give is:

1 – Have realistic expectations about how long a task will take. If you think a task will take four hours and it actually takes 14, that can be very frustrating. If you assume from the beginning that it will take 14 hours then you can plan accordingly and won’t be as frustrated. Even a small job can take longer than you think when you consider the time for research, planning, multiple Home Depot trips, clean up, disposal of materials etc.

2 – For a big job don’t be afraid to hire some cheap labour to help. Friends and family of course are good but if they are not available then try to hire students or whomever.

By the way – you mentioned that you thought labour was the biggest portion of a reno? I would say that in my experience the split is about 50/50. This will vary with the job of course – for painting you are paying mostly labour whereas for getting new kitchen cabinets installed the cost is mostly material.

]]> By: Credit Cards http://www.milliondollarjourney.com/public-declaration.htm/comment-page-1#comment-15946 Credit Cards Mon, 05 Nov 2007 13:48:14 +0000 http://www.milliondollarjourney.com/public-declaration.htm#comment-15946 Frugal trader, Thanks for the article. I guess we all live and learn don't we. Frugal trader,
Thanks for the article.
I guess we all live and learn don’t we.

]]> By: Telly http://www.milliondollarjourney.com/public-declaration.htm/comment-page-1#comment-15944 Telly Mon, 05 Nov 2007 13:22:31 +0000 http://www.milliondollarjourney.com/public-declaration.htm#comment-15944 Great goal FT! I'm sure you'll be a lot better at it than you think (you are an engineer after all ;)). I've actually become pretty handy myself but I'm amazed at the things my husband has learned over the years. He did a lot of "practice" work in his homes in the past (which are now our rental houses) and when he sees them now he laughs at how much of an "amatuer" he was, though I think they still look great. He calls his dad for advice sometimes but mostly he gets all his info via the net. He recently added a bathroom to our basement from start to finish (it wasn't roughed in), including a tiled shower and it looks like it was done professionally. Once you've learned something though, often times you'll find some things are worth paying to have done the next go round. For example, when we finish the rest of the basement, we plan to have someone come in to do the mudding and taping. It's such a tedious job for non-professionals imo (especially if you're a prfectionist)! Great goal FT! I’m sure you’ll be a lot better at it than you think (you are an engineer after all ;)).

I’ve actually become pretty handy myself but I’m amazed at the things my husband has learned over the years. He did a lot of “practice” work in his homes in the past (which are now our rental houses) and when he sees them now he laughs at how much of an “amatuer” he was, though I think they still look great.

He calls his dad for advice sometimes but mostly he gets all his info via the net. He recently added a bathroom to our basement from start to finish (it wasn’t roughed in), including a tiled shower and it looks like it was done professionally.

Once you’ve learned something though, often times you’ll find some things are worth paying to have done the next go round. For example, when we finish the rest of the basement, we plan to have someone come in to do the mudding and taping. It’s such a tedious job for non-professionals imo (especially if you’re a prfectionist)!

]]> By: Isabelle http://www.milliondollarjourney.com/public-declaration.htm/comment-page-1#comment-15942 Isabelle Mon, 05 Nov 2007 13:06:10 +0000 http://www.milliondollarjourney.com/public-declaration.htm#comment-15942 My Dad always refers to an old Reader's Digest book. http://www.amazon.ca/Complete-Do-Yourself-Manual-Completely/dp/0762105798/ref=sr_1_3/702-9414411-5647240?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1194267612&sr=8-3 here's a link to the updated version. Good luck, Oh, and befriend a neigbour who is more knowledgeable than yourself. You can borrow tools or consult with him or her. Maybe you can swap skills and give some financial advice in return. My Dad always refers to an old Reader’s Digest book.
http://www.amazon.ca/Complete-Do-Yourself-Manual-Completely/dp/0762105798/ref=sr_1_3/702-9414411-5647240?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1194267612&sr=8-3
here’s a link to the updated version.
Good luck,
Oh, and befriend a neigbour who is more knowledgeable than yourself. You can borrow tools or consult with him or her. Maybe you can swap skills and give some financial advice in return.

]]> By: My Public Declaration http://www.milliondollarjourney.com/public-declaration.htm/comment-page-1#comment-15939 My Public Declaration Mon, 05 Nov 2007 12:58:59 +0000 http://www.milliondollarjourney.com/public-declaration.htm#comment-15939 [...] Trader over at Million Dollar Journey tagged me about declaring a public goal. Since this a good meme I’ve decided to play along. [...]

[...] Trader over at Million Dollar Journey tagged me about declaring a public goal. Since this a good meme I’ve decided to play along. [...]

]]> By: FrugalTrader http://www.milliondollarjourney.com/public-declaration.htm/comment-page-1#comment-15935 FrugalTrader Mon, 05 Nov 2007 12:27:52 +0000 http://www.milliondollarjourney.com/public-declaration.htm#comment-15935 Mike, what sources did you use to help you learn about home renos? Did you get experienced friends to help you out? Or did you learn most of it on your own? Mike, what sources did you use to help you learn about home renos? Did you get experienced friends to help you out? Or did you learn most of it on your own?

]]> By: FourPillars http://www.milliondollarjourney.com/public-declaration.htm/comment-page-1#comment-15934 FourPillars Mon, 05 Nov 2007 12:12:25 +0000 http://www.milliondollarjourney.com/public-declaration.htm#comment-15934 Great goal! I was in the same situation as you when I bought my first house. It took a few years before I was interested in doing any of my own reno work but eventually I started doing & learning. Mike Great goal!

I was in the same situation as you when I bought my first house. It took a few years before I was interested in doing any of my own reno work but eventually I started doing & learning.

Mike

]]> By: The Financial Blogger http://www.milliondollarjourney.com/public-declaration.htm/comment-page-1#comment-15930 The Financial Blogger Mon, 05 Nov 2007 11:18:32 +0000 http://www.milliondollarjourney.com/public-declaration.htm#comment-15930 Nice goal FT! But be careful with hammers, you never know when they will it your fingers ;-) Nice goal FT! But be careful with hammers, you never know when they will it your fingers ;-)

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