Quote Originally Posted by mruffruff
Logan, I have always had reservations about getting someone else to do work on my house. When I have had no choice, I've always been disappointed. So I've learned to do a lot of things myself. I don't think shoddy workmanship is limited to Lowes or Home Depot. I think it's a general attitude among all people to do the minimum necessary to get the job done. Craftsmanship is no longer valued as it used to be. A good job costs a little more, takes a little more time and lasts longer.
I have to agree here..we had a new water heater installed by "professionals", even paid extra because we're on propane. 3 month later it stops working...very long nightmare story later come to find out they installed a natural gas one and it pretty much burned the whole unit. According to the warrenty repairman we were lucky, had it we actually been able relight the pilot and keep it on the thing would have probably exploded!

We also installed laminate flooring in the kitchen (the locking kind). It wasn't hard, but I have to agree knee pads will be extremely useful (I didn't have any and...ouch!!). I confess to being a complete idiot when it comes to tools, but I do know my roomate used a table saw to cut ours and didn't have a problem. When we were done it looks great and much easier to maintain. I have 4 large dogs & 3 cats. Bear (he has arthritis in his back legs) has problems getting up on it sometimes, and the others have wiped out into the water bowl, but no harm done and it definately hasn't stopped them. I was a little afraid what their nails would do, but it's been in almost a year and a half and looks as good as when we installed it. I'd like to say the same about the carpet.