On Wed, 5 Aug 2020 16:36:08 +0100, GB
wrote:

On 05/08/2020 16:18, T i m wrote:

You might also take longer because you may not have the tools they do
or the familiarity of doing the job. Now you have fitted that tap, how
long would it take to do another?

A bit quicker. Maybe 3 hours. It's not my first tap, you know.

;-)

Just as an example, I decided to alter the pipework, so the flexible
hoses wouldn't be kinked.

I'm sure plenty of plumbers wouldn't have bothered to do that ...

But, there was a big dribble of solder,

Was that your doing?

just
where I need to put a compression fitting. So, I got the Dremel, plus
the P3 mask, so I didn't inhale the lead.

Can you get lead poisoning that way?

An experienced plumber might
have heated it up and wiped it off. I'll try that next time.

He's likely have a self-igniting gas blowlamp and heatproof mat to
hand so probably.

The more DIY work I do, the more I respect people with the skills to do
it for a living.

Maybe it's because I've been doing such things from a kid I respect
those people now (doing it for a living, not necessarily how they do
it).

I was reminded the other day that I ran some SWA underground for a
pond pump for a family friend when I was 15 and it's still going (63
now). ;-)

Not the same pump though.

Dad was a good carpenter but not good / inclined to do anything else
so I generally did it.

Bought this house 40+ years ago as a 'fixer upper' and the only jobs I
didn't do was replace the roof or build a new extension as it wasn't
worth me doing it on the grant we were all getting at the time to
improve the standard of these older houses (like getting an inside
toilet). ;-)

I have replaced all the windows and doors in a medium sized house with
/ for a friend and didn't lose one bit of render. ;-)

Fences, concrete floors slabs, brickwork, gas / water plumbing,
wiring, built a kitcar, built boats from plans etc, not always because
I wanted to, but because it was the only way I could afford to get it
done or what I wanted.

About the only exception would be plastering, especially ceilings as
that really is a 'craft' (especially at the speed some of these guys
work).

Still only 'Jack of all trades' of course. ;-)

Cheers, T i m