Haha, your faucet story sounds painfully familiar. I'm currently knee-deep in my first renovation, and plumbing has been my nemesis so far. A few things I've learned the hard way:
- If YouTube tutorials start making me more confused instead of less, it's probably time to call someone who actually knows what they're doing.
- When the hardware store employees start recognizing me by name and giving me sympathetic looks, that's another sign.
- And honestly, if I find myself seriously considering duct tape as a long-term solution... yeah, that's my cue.
I think frustration is usually my tipping point. Complexity I can handle (or at least pretend to), but when I'm about to chuck a wrench across the room, it's probably smarter—and cheaper—to just call a pro. Hang in there, though; sounds like you're doing better than you think.
Haha, I feel your pain—plumbing can be deceptively tricky. One quick tip: always factor in the potential water damage costs when deciding DIY vs pro. Sometimes paying upfront saves a lot of headaches (and drywall repairs) down the line... learned that lesson myself!
Yeah, plumbing can turn into a nightmare pretty fast... I recently tackled a "simple" faucet replacement—ended up with water spraying everywhere and a surprise trip to the hardware store mid-project. Next time I'm definitely leaning towards hiring someone. DIY confidence is great, but sometimes peace of mind (and dry socks) are worth the extra cash.
Totally get where you're coming from—plumbing projects always seem straightforward until they're not, right? Did you end up figuring out what caused the spraying issue? I'm about to tackle my first bathroom renovation and now you've got me wondering if I should reconsider DIY-ing the plumbing part. Maybe hiring a pro for the tricky bits and handling simpler tasks myself could be a good compromise... Has anyone else tried splitting tasks like that?
Did exactly that for our old Victorian—handled fixtures and faucets myself, but called a plumber for rerouting pipes. Glad I did, because turns out historic homes have some quirky surprises hidden behind walls...like ancient pipes held together by sheer luck. DIY is rewarding, but knowing when to step back saved me headaches (and water damage). Splitting tasks can definitely work, just trust your gut on what's beyond your comfort zone.
