What tasks, project or repairs are you tackle yourself vs hiring a contractor to do? Have you ever given up on a DIY (Do-It_Yourself) project and hired someone to finish it. Do you watch your contractors to see how to do it yourself the next time? Do you exchange services/skills with friends or neighbors?

I do very well with house painting, light electrical and auto maintenance. Me and plumbing don't play together well so I call a plumber for anything more complicated than replacing a faucet. Masonry/landscaping is another thing I will pay someone to do as I don't like heavy lifting and have minor back issues that I want to remain minor.

This is the reason I'm in hock up to my eye balls to home depot I love doing things myself as often as possible. I grew up with a handyman df and learned how to measure, level, hammer, screw, spackle and paint before I was a teenager (I've tried to use a saw but seldom get the cut straight so someone else does that).  Some of what I do I've know how to since I was a kid other things I've learned from either watching tv or talking to someone who has done it. Things like installing a vynil window are actually alot easier than people realize. If the window is an exact match then you just take out the old sashes and screw the new frame into place (if they're custom sized then you have to frame before installing first). The only things I hire out for are things that I know are my weak areas (eletrical and soddering pluming mostly). My big rule is that if a mistake can get you (or someone else) killed or will set the house on fire then call in a pro.

Oh we do both, depending on the complexity of the project. DH installed all our new ceiling fans (3) b/c he knew it was something he could handle. But adding a new outlet, we called a professional. Electricity really is something I would rather leave to a professional, anyway. Plumbing is the same thing. DH and his dad moved my washer in my basement laundry room to better configure our space--they just added and extended the water pipes along the same wall. But when we needed to hook up a new laundry sink and add a vent and tap into the drain, we hired a plumber. DH installed our new garage door openers himself but we did hire a contractor to install our new garage doors. DH put in our backyard fence himself but his dad helped with the digging and cementing the posts.

DH will help friends/family with projects but is reluctant to just do something by himself at another person's home as he is not an expert. So when our neighbor saw he installed our ceiling fans and asked if DH would mind doing that for his house, DH said "I will show you how and help you, yes." But he didn't just go over and do it all by himself.

We have saved money doing things ourselves but I also think we have saved money by hiring a professional. It took the plumber a few hours for the laundry room project but it may have taken DH days to figure out how to get everything just right.

Also, I am concerned about proper building and remodeling codes. Sometimes to get things to "code," a professional has to be involved.

 we have never hired a professional....but...  DH is an electrician, the nieghbor beside us a general contractor, the neighbor behind us a plumber, an my stepfather is a framing contractor.   We  have resources to tap for the price of a pizza and a case of beer/soda.

It depends on the project.  I taught myself to change light fixtures from the wiring diagram on the back of the box from the first fixture I bought.  I can change electrical fixtures and sockets, but putting new ones in I leave to professionals.  The same with plumbing - I can change fittings and empty p-traps, and I replaced the garbage disposal - but anything else and I'll call a plumber.   I do my own yard work, including mowing and landscaping, and my own painting, spackling, and smoothing (joint compound turned out to be messy, but surprisingly easy to use), but when it came time to hang drywall on the basement ceiling I hired my friend's son (I couldn't lift a sheet of drywall anyway, and he showed me a lot of stuff while he was doing the ceiling and the walls).

 We are hiring a professional to cut down 3 huge pine trees. To dangerous to DIY. DH does plumbing, a friend can do electri work.Car repairs....depends on what it is. A friend does our furnance, we pay him but less that the oil company. Babs

my DH and Boys do alot around the place they can do almost anything but there are things we leave to professionals .

Dh does everything as much as possible. He replaced tie rods and bearings on the front of my van, but didn't have the equipment to do a front end alignment so we took it to a tire shop for that. He can take out and put in transmissions but can't rebuild them himself. If there is a mechanic problem he can't quite figure out, he'll ask a friend in the business for help.

Dh does HVAC installation and service, so he's been around all facets of building construction for years, and gleans alot of information. He knows the aspects of building and would not hestitate to do those things for himself when needed.

What he doesn't know, he'll at least try. My dad was alot like that.

my dh can do alot of the basic stuff around the house, car repairs, electrical, plumbing, construction etc.   more difficult/tricky things like installing the hot water heater etc is left to professionals.