Andy Hall wrote:
On 2008-04-09 19:28:49 +0100, "dennis@home"

Who said anything about going into business? There is a lot more
to a purchase than the initial outlay.

There's also your budget to consider, something you always seem to
forget - being a rich bloke I assume.

Actually not. One needs to take into account all of the factors
when considering a budget. That needs to include time taken when
doing work as well as time taken if items need to be serviced or
replaced. In other words it is the lifetime cost that matters, not
just the purchase price.

But those costs don't enter into the equation for DIY users.

Absolutely they do.

Absolutely they don't! A DIY guy buying, for example a cheap SDS is going
to increase his efficiency manyfold, but is unlikely to use the tool enough
for service & replacement to become an issue.


Diy enthusiasts don't cost out their time like tradesmen have to.

Certainly they do. Time is not free.

It is for most DIY people. The time is spent enjoying a hobby.

As to lifetime cost, thats relevant for trade users but not for DIY
users.

That's also not correct.

Of course it is! A mid range power tool will give a cost efficient lifetime
for a DIY user.

I remember reading that the first DIY electric drills from Black &
Decker and Stanley Bidges had a motor life of an hour. The theory
was that, for example, putting up a set of shelves would involve
drilling 24 holes, each taking maybe 10 seconds to drill, or 4 mins
out of a total motor life of 60 mins

For the average Barry Bucknell DIY guy that meant his drill would
last him 5 - 10 years.

That's really a put down of DIY that is not justified.

Not a put down at all. DIY use is light & occassional compared to trade
use. To return to the SDS/impact driver/biscuit joiner example they will be
used on average a dozen times a year, not every day.

SNIP


DIY time is 'free' in the mind of a DIY enthusiast.

No it isn't.

See above. The average DIY guy is enjoying a hobby. Thus the time spent
enjoying it is free.

A reasonably priced power tool that enables a DIY guy to do a job he
could not have done without it fufills a need. It may not be as
nice to use, be quite as accurate or last as long as a top brand,
but that doesn't matter.

Yes it does matter.

Step back for a moment and consider the motivations for DIY. There are
many, but I'll list a few:


a) To do work at a lower initial cash outlay than it would take to employ
professionals to do the jobs

Certainly my initial motivation. The cash outlay also applies to the
purchase of power tools of course. No saving if you spend more buying top
line power tools than the professional would charge.

b) To get the work done when professionals are not available either at all
or at suitable timescales or with other logistical factors

c) To achieve specific results that professionals may not be willing or
able to undertake - e.g. use of specific materials or techniques.

d) To achieve a better quality outcome than professionals are able or
willing to do.

True but hardly relevant to the discussion.

e) To be an alternative activity to the day job.

f) As a means to learn new skills

Exactly - its a hobby, thus time isn't the critical factor.

g) As part of something more specific - e.g. woodworking, furniture making
to give one example.

Top quality tools have their place in this example certainly.

This is quite a broad set of reasons and certainly goes beyond the simple
minded model of comparing the purchase of materials and tools vs.
employing a professional. Even for case (a), that is incorrect because
some material costs can be amortised over several jobs, and the cost of
tools certainly can, and even more so if they are of good quality with
long life expectancy.

That assumes you have the means to purchase the top quality tool in the
first place, many don't and the time taken to save for it would mean
projects would take forever.

BIG SNIP

My justification for buying it is based on customer service - I take
my boots off, my hop up rests on a dust sheet, I use a nice clean
drill with a nice clean cable, that doesn't look like a refugee from
a building site & doesnt leave a dirty mark on the carpet. Thats
worth £40 to me as I work regularly for a couple of up market
curtain desingers. Its a 'luxury' purchase.

A Bosch would have been better and would have been more impressive to the
designer's customers.

How 'better'? It wouldn't drill holes any faster in practice, given the
light use longevity isnt an issue. More impressive? That assumes non DIY
people are aware of power tool brand names - they aren't.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk
01634 717930
07850 597257