# Repairs you haven't had done because you don't know who to have do them **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 6, 2019, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repairs-you-havent-had-done-because-you-dont-know-who-to-have-do-them/839819 "2019-09-06T23:26:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2019, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repairs-you-havent-had-done-because-you-dont-know-who-to-have-do-them/839819/21 "2019-09-08T00:47:12Z")
> [@markn\_1](#): > > Cover them with “except”? > > If it were me, I would move the rack slightly so I could drill new holes and install the rack with Tapcon screws. You just need a masonry drill bit, which will cost a few bucks. > > ETA: oh, you probably also need a hammer drill. Good investment if you work with concrete often, otherwise maybe borrow or rent one. Sorry for the swypo. I just did it, I covered them with epoxy, and shoved them into the same holes. I don’t have a masonry bit, I don’t have a hammer drill, and there really isn’t room to move the rack far enough to really have full strength. I used the JB weld stuff that’s rated strongest. I’ve had excellent luck with it. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2019, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repairs-you-havent-had-done-because-you-dont-know-who-to-have-do-them/839819/22 "2019-09-08T05:26:16Z")
I have one I haven’t had done because I needed the time, but I only know who to call thanks to my insurance covering it. Like many people in Spain I’ve got a second kitchen which is not part of my house, a “meet with people” place. The sink’s drain gets pumped out, only… the pump hasn’t been used in years and right now it needs to be put back into function. If my insurance didn’t have a “handyman service” where they figure out and send the right person I wouldn’t even know where to begin. My brother would probably know who the right person is but alas! If I ask him, he’ll say “oh, I’ll do it” and that means it will get done at about the time his children graduate college… the Nephews are in HS right now. Would that be a plumber or an electrician? ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2019, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repairs-you-havent-had-done-because-you-dont-know-who-to-have-do-them/839819/23 "2019-09-08T06:58:14Z")
My personal, in-house handyman (Mr.Wrekker) is hard to pin down on small repairs since his retirement. I have found the ‘I’ll call Joe the expensive plumber’ statement will get him into action, quick like. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2019, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repairs-you-havent-had-done-because-you-dont-know-who-to-have-do-them/839819/24 "2019-09-08T13:56:58Z")
> [@romansperson](#): > > Our local Home Depot maintains a job board for small jobs. I remember those. I checked a few years ago at ours. They don’t do that anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Translucent\_Daydream](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/translucent_daydream/32/16170_2.png) [@Translucent\_Daydream](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Translucent_Daydream)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2019, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repairs-you-havent-had-done-because-you-dont-know-who-to-have-do-them/839819/25 "2019-09-08T14:13:06Z")
I need to fix the pinion gear seal in the rear end of my 81 Chevy Silverado, and it needs paint. I don’t know how to do either of those well. I did redo the power steering system on Friday though. The pulley was so stuck on the pump that I kinda pulled my mid 30s bicep using the puller to remove it. When it finally came off it popped off so hard it almost hit the cat that was helping me in my garage. Watch out buddy! Also, does anyone k ow a good way of getting transmission fluid off of a cat? ---
**Author:** ![Renee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/renee/32/287_2.png) [@Renee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renee)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2019, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repairs-you-havent-had-done-because-you-dont-know-who-to-have-do-them/839819/26 "2019-09-08T16:18:08Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > We have some depressions in the yard that need some fill and bobcatting. > > Easy, right? Call some landscape companies, call a fill dirt place, go to the local fill and other materials place, put an ad online at the usual places. > > Nada. Landscape companies either are into mowing lawns or big renewal jobs that are a minimum $2k. Fill dirt places are for filling BIG holes. And on and on. > > Dozens of calls, emails, etc. And haven’t found a single place that does this. Not one. > > I can’t imagine I’m using the wrong terms, am I? I’d search for the phrase “dirt work” and either Skidsteer or Bobcat on your local craigslist. You might also contact a few local plumbers, and see if they know anyone who could do it for you. Plumbers often have to dig up yards and fix the resulting mess. ---
**Author:** ![BubbaDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bubbadog/32/333_2.png) [@BubbaDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BubbaDog)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2019, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repairs-you-havent-had-done-because-you-dont-know-who-to-have-do-them/839819/27 "2019-09-09T19:33:22Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > I can’t quote thse who’ve responded to me for some reason. > I’ve already begun the dismantling process. Last summer I drilled holes in the tub to try and allieviate the collection of rainwater. Wasps have made a home in the cover, the dials and knobs are crumbling away- it’s in bad shape. I have removed all of the wiring, anything electrical, and it is disconnected from yhe main electric supply. I have 2 of the side panels removed, and am digging away at all of the insulation in there, to get a good look at what I’ll be cutting with the sawsall. I have torn out and thrown away the stereo, and I have given away the 2 large pump motors that I’m pretty sure still work (and move A LOT of water). > I’m in for a penny, in for a pound at this point. One of these days I am going to complete the cutting up into little pieces of this thing. You look like you are on the same path that I was. I tore down my hot tub until all that was left was the fiberglass shell. I really wanted to avoid the sawsall part as fiberglass dust is pretty dangerous stuff to breath and can itch like crazy if it gets on your skin. It just so happened that I had a lot of junk to get rid of at the same time so I hired one of those local junk haulers (I think mine was 1-800-got-junk). The fiberglass frame was small enough to squeeze through the gate and light enough for the haulers to carry out. Since the haulers charged by volume over weight they were able to toss a lot of my other junk into the well of the shell so that my overall cost to get rid of it wasn’t much more than the other junk itself. Still cost me $200 to get rid of ALL of the junk but worht that much just to not have to carry any of it out of my steep sloped back yard. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2019, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repairs-you-havent-had-done-because-you-dont-know-who-to-have-do-them/839819/28 "2019-09-09T19:37:18Z")
> [@Translucent\_Daydream](#): > > Also, does anyone k ow a good way of getting transmission fluid off of a cat? Brake Cleaner? Or maybe some of that orange pumice soap all the auto places sell. ---
**Author:** ![BrickBat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac91a4/32.png) [@BrickBat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrickBat)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2019, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repairs-you-havent-had-done-because-you-dont-know-who-to-have-do-them/839819/29 "2019-09-09T19:45:00Z")
The ceiling of my “junk room” has buckled/bulged down in a 3’ by 3’ section due to the A/C air handler in the attic had a leak in its condensation drain line. Way too much of a job to fix myself, and since it’s a popcorn ceiling, the whole ceiling will likely need to be refinished/de-popcorned. Since it’s an unused bedroom, it ended up becoming a de-facto storage room for stuff I can’t put elsewhere since I have no basement or storage-friendly attic. In turn, the ceiling has been like that for 10+ years. It would take a change in my life situation, one that would require me to need that extra room, to light a fire under my ass. ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2019, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repairs-you-havent-had-done-because-you-dont-know-who-to-have-do-them/839819/30 "2019-09-09T21:08:32Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Know a good realtor? That’s how we contract most of our small stuff. She is a contractor herself, and has a list of reliable people she uses and recommends. Or a property manager. There have been small repairs at my place that I’ve been willing to pay for but just didn’t know who to call/where to start, and my property manager always has “a guy.” ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2019, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repairs-you-havent-had-done-because-you-dont-know-who-to-have-do-them/839819/31 "2019-09-09T21:39:13Z")
We’ve had surprisingly good luck with just asking contractors if they can take care of something else while they’re at the house. Sort of a “While your guys are here doing demo work, can they…?” kind of thing. We got it at the standard hourly rate, so we got a deal on it- no additional project charges, etc… involved, and we’d already rented the dumpster. Or, in one case, we just flat out asked- “Hey, do you guys work on chimneys or know someone who does?”. That’s how we got our slanty shanty (rickety storage shed) removed (part of kitchen renovations), the nasty-assed hot tub that the previous owners had put in (part of fence/deck rebuilding) and how we’re getting our chimney fixed(part of new roof). ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2019, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repairs-you-havent-had-done-because-you-dont-know-who-to-have-do-them/839819/32 "2019-09-09T22:05:56Z")
Have Dopers used people advertised as “home handymen” (on Angie’s List etc.) and how did that turn out? ---
**Author:** ![Cub\_Mistress](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea666f/32.png) [@Cub\_Mistress](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cub_Mistress)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2019, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repairs-you-havent-had-done-because-you-dont-know-who-to-have-do-them/839819/33 "2019-09-10T02:14:33Z")
I’m interested in getting gas logs installed in my fireplace but have no idea where to start. My natural gas company does not sell/install gas appliances. Do I want vented/ventfree? what size, as in do they need to pretty much fill up my fireplace opening? ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Gay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ab097/32.png) [@Enola\_Gay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Gay)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2019, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repairs-you-havent-had-done-because-you-dont-know-who-to-have-do-them/839819/34 "2019-09-10T07:04:37Z")
We own an old house and it has this door in the wall in one of the bedrooms (not the master) that looks like an oven door with very intricate wood carvings & is about at eye level (a little lower–more like eye level if you are 4’ 11"-but not on floor level as most safes are, and not at all discreet). When you open it, there is a hollowed out square (maybe rectangle) that looks like it had something screwed into it on all four interior walls. I have no idea what it was or what it was used for. I’d love to know, but have no idea who to call! ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Gay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ab097/32.png) [@Enola\_Gay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Gay)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2019, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repairs-you-havent-had-done-because-you-dont-know-who-to-have-do-them/839819/35 "2019-09-10T07:54:32Z")
Ugh I misread the OP (I’m a little buzzed). Our mystery cubbyhole doesn’t need any repairs, so doesn’t qualify for this thread. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2019, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repairs-you-havent-had-done-because-you-dont-know-who-to-have-do-them/839819/36 "2019-09-10T11:30:42Z")
Our Kubota lawn tractor has a piece of metal that covers the belt&pulley that powers the blades. The little metal stub that the plate snapped onto broke off, so I’ve been mowing with the belt exposed. Dangerous, but I cannot weld. Also, the tractor is too big to fit on my utility trailer. I need to find a welder who makes house calls for 5 minute jobs, or (more likely) I need to remove the mower deck and trailer that to someone who does 5 minute welding jobs. And I need to fix it before I lose toes. ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2019, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repairs-you-havent-had-done-because-you-dont-know-who-to-have-do-them/839819/37 "2019-09-10T13:17:43Z")
I’ve used the “Home Advisor” web site twice with good results. Once to have two ceiling light fixtures removed and replaced. I already had the replacements. The other time was for some simple plumbing repairs such as toilet replacement. List your task and I get a call within a day or so. There’s also “[Task Rabbit](https://www.taskrabbit.com/)”, but I don;t think it’s for repairs. More for “Go to this place and pick up my item”. They assemble furniture and stuff like that. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2019, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repairs-you-havent-had-done-because-you-dont-know-who-to-have-do-them/839819/38 "2019-09-10T13:47:45Z")
> [@Cub\_Mistress](#): > > I’m interested in getting gas logs installed in my fireplace but have no idea where to start. My natural gas company does not sell/install gas appliances. Do I want vented/ventfree? what size, as in do they need to pretty much fill up my fireplace opening? My ex-wife used to sell gas logs, gas grills, and patio furniture. I’d look for places that sell the last of those, which will usually sell the others as well. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2019, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repairs-you-havent-had-done-because-you-dont-know-who-to-have-do-them/839819/39 "2019-09-10T14:02:02Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > Have Dopers used people advertised as “home handymen” (on Angie’s List etc.) and how did that turn out? Not from Angie’s List, but a handyman who was recommended by a friend of my wife’s. We engaged him because there was part of getting a specific ceiling fan installed that I was having a lot of trouble with (I can handle a basic install, but this was on a ceiling beam and had other issues), and we hoped that a pro could figure it out better than my rank amateurism. He got it figured out and installed in an hour or two- well worth the money! ---
**Author:** ![BubbaDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bubbadog/32/333_2.png) [@BubbaDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BubbaDog)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2019, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repairs-you-havent-had-done-because-you-dont-know-who-to-have-do-them/839819/40 "2019-09-10T14:28:14Z")
> [@Cub\_Mistress](#): > > I’m interested in getting gas logs installed in my fireplace but have no idea where to start. My natural gas company does not sell/install gas appliances. Do I want vented/ventfree? what size, as in do they need to pretty much fill up my fireplace opening? Heating and cooling contractors run gas pipe and could probably set you up with the connections. They may even have fixtures. Plumbers also install gas pipe. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repairs-you-havent-had-done-because-you-dont-know-who-to-have-do-them/839819.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repairs-you-havent-had-done-because-you-dont-know-who-to-have-do-them/839819.md?page=3)