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Hello, everyone. And welcome back to America Under the Microscope, advanced episode. Hi, Lulu.
Hi, James.
Let's go ahead and continue our talk we were having about Americans and DIY.
Last time you said DIY is partly because of money, because labor costs a lot.
Certainly does.
But also because people in America, you guys do find a sense of accomplishment from all these DIY projects.
So Americans really get very proud with their work. What comes with that is when we are really proud of our own work is a lack of trust in other people's work.
I could imagine, but bring that back a little bit. What happens when you actually have the money to hire professionals to do pretty much everything? Let's just say. You’re upper middle class, you've got the money to pay all of your contractors. Would people still do it themselves or would they consider outsourcing?
Once you're in that situation, it really becomes more of not so much of a money issue, but more of a prime issue. So they are... people who are still upper middle class and have money, they might still do honey do projects and still do things.
But they're gonna be focusing is like this project will take X amount of hours. This one will take two X amount of hours. So they might do the shorter project themselves but hire someone to do a longer project or hire someone who would do the project that goes well beyond their own skills.
I see.
So really just they're gonna do more of a cost benefit analysis and just timing and all those things. Whereas people who have lower income, they don't have that option.
That actually makes sense, for example, like when I'm thinking about hiring a cleaner to clean, this is what I think if I can, within the same amount of time, make more money, then I would out source that because it makes more financial sense.
Right?
What about you James? like let's say if you guys moved back to the States and you bought a house, what kind of things are you willing to do yourself? What kind of things, what kind of work would you out source?
Myself? any kind of painting I would do, I don't need to hire anyone to do that.
Anything that evolves simple like repairs, like if I need to put up the... like fix the molding, things like this, I can do whether it's like outdoor things, fixing the fence, fixing the garden type stuff. I have no problem doing that myself.
But no piping.
Piping no, I would hire a plumber for that. Or if it's things related to the wiring.
Electricity.
Yes, then I would definitely hire a contractor for that. I don't trust myself enough like I can replace a light socket, I know how to do that. I know how to install a new light switch, that I can do; beyond that, I don't...I can't do it.
Yeah, the thing is, just a side note, in my home it’s basically my dad who's doing all of that. My dad actually does not trust other people to do that. But then again, he is an electrical engineer, sort of makes sense.
He has the skills.
Exactly.
But since last time you were talking about saying that if you go to an American's home, then they are going to talk your ear off about what they have done in terms of home improvement.