Do such programs exist? As a homeowner who has no background in plumbing, residential construction, electrical work, carpentry, etc. I would love to find some kind of “Vo-Tech” training program where I could learn the basics. I’ve figured out some things on my own over the years, but I still completely suck at anything carpentry related and most things plumbing. All of my friends or relatives who are pretty handy live far enough away that I can’t lean on them for teaching.
I checked the local community college, and a couple of the local maker spaces, but didn’t see anything. Am I searching for something that just doesn’t exist, or do I just not know how to search for such things? Anyone got any ideas?
YouTube is your friend? I’ve been in construction my whole career so carpentry is my strength, but what I will tackle in electrical and plumbing is pretty limited, mainly because of the consequences of error. Your local Vo-tech, if there is one, is probably going to be trade-oriented, so way too much of a commitment for the level of skill you are interested in.
Actually not kidding about YouTube–want to learn how to weld? YouTube (and books). Solder a joint? YouTube (and practice).
Right, I was going to say, you sure can learn a lot on youtube, but are you really sure you want to try amateur electrical work or amateur plumbing or welding etc.? At least at the local maker space you may be able to learn from genuine certified professionals, assuming they are giving those workshops.
It might be tough to find classes aimed at homeowners for things like electrical, plumbing or construction. At least not ones that don’t have path towards becoming a tradesman. Between safety issues and many jurisdictions not allowing homeowners to do that kind of work, people might not want to risk teaching it.
Woodworking, OTOH, I’ll bet there’s a local maker group that does exactly that.
Even when I was teaching myself to weld, I’d check out the local tech school’s welding classes from time to time. They don’t offer any classes along the lines of ‘we’ll teach you to weld well enough to fix something non-structural’. All their classes are designed to turn you into a professional welder with a job in the next 2 years.
But check out your local maker space. They may offer exactly what you’re looking for.
That’s how I taught myself to weld…I’m not every good.
I’ve watched countless hours of welding videos, but part of my issue is that I’ve never had a teacher over my shoulder telling me exactly what I’m doing right or wrong.
YouTube is good but beware of “prank” how-tos. Once I had a hard drive that was sticking, so I YTed a clip and the clown said to get some kind of green silicon gel and jam it all over the inside of the drive. He even demonstrated with a big handful of glop which he stuffed into the HD casing. What a mess!
I follow the Home Improvement and DIY sub-Reddits on Reddit and it’s amazing the kind of stuff people do after studying up on YouTube. They’re rebuilding bathrooms, transforming basements, turning vans into campers, wiring up and plumbing all sorts of stuff.
I’d think an education via YouTube would actually be quite rounded, as you’re getting the perspective of as many tradespeople as possible. And you can read comments or even leave a comment to ask a question. And you can look for scenarios that more precisely match your scenario, rather than getting a general gist of how things are done via a class.
You definitely have to watch a lot of videos to make sure you are grasping the concepts properly and getting decent advice. But the info is out there.
Also, hate to say it, but the quality of your tools makes a big difference. You don’t need Festool (although I have lots), but carpentry, for instance, takes a decent miter saw, an ok table saw, a good jigsaw, at least one router, and a compressor and some nail guns (IMHO) at a minimum.
Are there really jurisdictions out there which forbid a homeowner from replacing a faucet or a light switch? Yes, there are serious dangers, but it’s hard for me to imagine that a legislator would prohibit such work in a person’s own home. A course in such stuff would be wonderful!
Here’s a heartwarming story of a single Mom and her kids who bought some land and quite literally built their own beautiful house, with the exception of only a few items like electrical, HVAC, and bricklaying, which they contracted out. They claim they learned pretty much everything from YouTube videos (I read Clara Brookins’ book about the adventure, and she also got good advice from knowledgeable employees at big hardware stores). There are also good how-to books for those looking for old-fashioned sources of info. I tend to mostly do fairly minor stuff myself, but I did manage without too much difficulty to lay hardwood floors in the living and dining rooms of a previous house, and also to build a fairly large multi-level deck.
Here’s the short magazine story. There’s also an Amazon link to the book at the end: Rise: How a House Built a Family. It’s an amazing story of drive and perseverance.
You’d be surprised how much you can learn being a laborer, though. I didn’t do Habitat but I was a laborer on a church build project and I learned a lot, from what tools are for what job, how to properly use a hammer, how to cut and hang drywall, ladder safety, and most importantly the importance of hydration on a hot day! I learned a lot on that job site that my dad had never bothered/needed to teach me, and that he didn’t know himself.
But oof, being a laborer in construction is not for everyone. I was in my 20s and it was one summer. I couldn’t imagine stepping into it fresh in my 40s!
No, not if that’s really all you do. One trouble is that you, the homeowner, probably don’t know where to draw the line between what you can safely and legally DIY and what jobs require a license and maybe a permit.
If all the homeowner is doing is replacing a faucet or a light switch, the jurisdiction has no way of knowing the work was done at all, let alone if it is up to code. I can say from experience, though, that if you have an inspector in your home for any reason (e.g. you are doing a bigger project that requires a permit) your DIY work – and any and all other amateur work that may have been done in the past – may fall under their eyes and be subject to testing for code compliance.
Sure–you have to meet code, and you will be extra-scrutinized. But you can be the general contractor for your house and there are usually special homeowner permits for electrical and plumbing. Probably not in a condo or a high-rise, but definitely for single family homes.
If you do it and it’s going to be inspected (and you’re the homeowner), it had better be gnat’s ass tight.
Both Lowe’s and Home Depot offer DIY workshops (they’re hoping you’ll buy the materials and tools for the project while you’re there, of course). Although looking at what Lowe’s is offering they might be a little more specific that what OP is looking for, eg. “How to install vinyl plank flooring” as opposed to “Carpentry basics”.
Ha! I just sat down for a little relaxation after spending an hour plunging (and unclogging) a stopped-up two-sided kitchen sink! This is pretty much the extent of my plumbing abilities, unclogging kitchen and bathroom drains.
I’m not handy, at all. My cardinal rule is, if it involves water or electricity, I call an expert. Anything else I’ll take a stab at. I’ve found YouTube videos to be very helpful in most cases. You just have to be careful and not get in over your head. Lots of reputable businesses have “how to” videos available to guide you through simple home repairs.
I will say that a major aspect of hiring someone, rather than doing it yourself, is that the person you hire has the tools.
I might be handy enough to handle a lot of work around the house, but you quickly learn that anything you do requires some tool you would have to purchase, and how often are you going to do that repair or installation again? Something to think about.
I think Home Depot and Lowes rent some tools. Others you can borrow. (Like when we were laying floor tile, we borrowed a manual tile cutter from the tile store.) And then there are tool rental shops as well.