Earlier this week one of our toilets went out and being as I’m a little cheap I decided to try and fix it myself… so off to Home Depot I went. After arriving in the plumbing aisle I found a Home Depot employee, located a picture of the toilet guts and explained what our toilet was doing. He told me it was a “one click” job and sold me this…
So I leave Home Depot a little cocky thinking this job is easy-cheesy. However once I arrived home and opened the box I found this…
There were 15 steps on the directions sheet… 15 steps. It was not a “one click” job!! In fact there was one point where A LOT of water came out, but I was prepared.
In the end the toilet is fixed and it only cost me $7.98. It took me about an hour (most of that time was reading directions… okay, actually looking at the pictures), but the money we saved was worth it. And I have to admit I was a little giddy with excitement when I realized I’d corrected the problem all by myself for a lot less money than hiring a plumber. I find a lot of joy in home improvements!
Do you tackle home improvement jobs?
Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh!!! Kudos to you! What did your hubby think??? Mine would have probably killed over! lol!
By: Jenni on August 6, 2009
at 9:17 am
Wow. My husband won’t even let me paint a wall or hang a picture. I’m not ‘handy.’ At all. I am so impressed.
And around your toilet seems awfully clean to have three boys.
By: Karen on August 6, 2009
at 10:06 am
I use to unclog the drains in my apartment in college. That’s about it.
By: Sarah on August 6, 2009
at 10:24 am
Love the new header!!!!
Yes – I love to tackle them and am often better than my dear hubby at them. My favorite was a light switch that needed to be replaced and in the process of check it out, the switch came out of the wall into my hand – LIVE!! I called my dad on my cell, which was luckily in my pocket and I put in a new light switch LIVE! Only a few sparks flew and I was really quite impressed.
You go girl!!!
~kate
By: Katy on August 6, 2009
at 10:48 am
I’m impressed Mrs Wilson! Very nice.
I’m not at all handy around the house. I did relight our hot water heater while Jud was out of town this week. I thought I might ignite my whole arm … but I got it done without wounding myself.
By: Lori Wilhite on August 6, 2009
at 12:18 pm
Good job!
I was really annoyed with a plumber who was trying to rip off my 80 year old mother-in-law. She mentioned in one our weekly calls that two of her toilets would start running all by themselves. The plumber (jerk) told her he needed to replace everything in both tanks and that it would cost $400. I told her to wait till our next trip and we’d fix it. When I got there, I opened the tank, pressed my hand on the flapper and the running/leaking stopped. Ran to Lowes, purchased two new flaps for $12 and fixed the problem.
(My husband called the local BBB on the plumber).
By: Starwoodgal on August 6, 2009
at 12:40 pm
wow…I’m impressed…I’m all about the phone (calling for assistance I mean)
By: joyce on August 6, 2009
at 12:44 pm
Wow! You rock! I would have called my husband! I don’t like to fix things! But he LOVES it! Great job! Jen from Cali
By: Jen on August 6, 2009
at 2:05 pm
You go girl!! How great is that? I love to tackle home improvements also. It makes me feel so good when I can do it! And like you said, look at how much money you saved!!
What did hubby think?
By: Tonia on August 6, 2009
at 2:56 pm
Ah! A kindred spirit! I asked my brother (who is a home improvement contractor) how to do something yesterday and he gently suggested that I might want to give Keith a chance to do some man stuff around here. Uh…okay. But won’t that just complicate things? Hee hee. I love the thrill of doing something myself.
I’m proud of you Brandi. WOMAN! Roar.
By: Anita on August 6, 2009
at 3:18 pm
*high five*
I think that deserves Pete taking you out for a nice dinner….. (reason it out by how much money you saved him by not calling a plumber).
just sayin’
By: *~Michelle~* on August 6, 2009
at 3:19 pm
Hello Brandi,
This is my first comment to you….I just had to chime in to say I am impressed. You are everywoman!! The most I’ve ever done is hang a picture, but then again, my husband rehabs and builds homes. Although, if I ever attempted to “fix” something, I’d probably get him to faint! LoL.
Anyhow, take care. I enjoy reading both your blog and Pete’s. Love your new header….
Stacy
By: raising2sons on August 6, 2009
at 4:15 pm
You go girl!!!
By: holly on August 6, 2009
at 4:38 pm
Never! No one in my family is handy. We outsource.
By: lindseyreadenobles on August 6, 2009
at 4:41 pm
I love to try to fix things sometimes but if it is over the top i just want someone to help or do it for me! LOVE that you did it all alone!
By: Jessica on August 6, 2009
at 7:23 pm
Okay I’m soooo impressed, I’d have never figured it out!!
By: Org Junkie on August 6, 2009
at 9:00 pm
wow!!
i’m impressed — i hate reading directions!!!
you have inspired me to be mrs fix-it next time something goes ‘kaput’
By: Jenn Getts on August 6, 2009
at 9:15 pm
I just fixed our weed eater! And I’m not the one who takes care of the weed eating!
By: Stephanie on August 7, 2009
at 12:43 am
You rock! You’re my hero!
By: Robin on August 7, 2009
at 6:10 am
Way to go!! I definitely have the “I can do it” attitude. I’ve progressively tackled bigger jobs–both repair and remodel–as a single mom looking to save money. I’ve learned how to do electrical, flooring, landscaping, etc. Not only did it save money at the time, but when I bought a house this past spring, we were able to buy one that needed a little work at a much discounted price!! My teen sons have learned alongside and it’s been a great family bonding experience too!! Next project…finishing the basement into a rec room… it’s awesome–u go girl!!
By: Rindy Walton on August 7, 2009
at 6:13 am
very impressive!
my hubby usually tackles all the home improvement jobs…especially things involving the toilet.
By: Alison on August 7, 2009
at 9:08 am
Congrats on your accomplishment! I’m a 17 year Home Depot associate and LOVE THIS POST!!!
You should talk to someone at your local store about the ‘Do-It-Herself Workshops’. They are projects geared specifically toward teaching women to do what we typically, as women, get tired of waiting on the men in our lives to do for us!
By: Deb on August 7, 2009
at 12:51 pm
fantastic! very impressive
By: Brittany on August 7, 2009
at 1:49 pm
I’m impressed!
Toilets scare me. We tried to fix one once and nearly flooded the second story of our condo. Seriously, I still have nightmares. I love to fix things but I stay away from plumbing!
By: Jenni Catron on August 8, 2009
at 9:06 pm
um, yeah. I say, Honey, the toilet (washer, dog, curtain hangy thing, floor) is broke and then he fixes it. He can do anything. Me? I can fix my hair and even then it falls out or breaks occasionally. Dang.
By: kristiapplesauce on August 10, 2009
at 2:45 pm
Great Job! Very proud of you!
Getting ready to tackle some of these things myself, or try to anyway. Hopefully I’ll be as talented as you are. not:(
Blessings today and always,
Kaye
Matthew 21:22
By: Kaye on August 11, 2009
at 11:51 am
You are definitely Wonder Woman in my book! My husband would like a wife like that! I’m not a wilting flower; I just stay away from technical stuff!
By: bluecottonmemory on August 11, 2009
at 2:24 pm
I am with you, I quite like fixing things around the house, although I always ask my husband to fix things first and if he doesn’t do it in say… 5 seconds ha ha then I just do it myself.
By: Angela De Souza on August 12, 2009
at 2:58 am
Go you
I don’t think I could do it! I’d be worried I’d make the problem much worse!
By: Monica Hunt on August 14, 2009
at 7:29 am
Never…If my hubby is out of town, I call my dad or brother-in-law…but you have inspired me! The next time I may just try it myself
By: Kara on August 17, 2009
at 10:17 am