DH rant coming up...

I am absolutely hopeless at practical skills. Dh is very practical and doesn't mind doing a bit of wallpapering ext from time to time. However it really has to need doing before he gets going. I have been suggesting that our bedroom is ready for redoing for at least two years. However it is going to be done soon. What has finally motivated him? Me ringing friends for the telephone numbers of decorators they can recommend. I actually don't mind who does it - him or professional decorators so long as it's done and I have told him this several times so why is he suddenly motivated to do it himself now I've got around to doing something about it myself?

I'm jealous Buffybee. I'd love someone local that I could reliably call whenever. I've got a LIST of jobs right now. Someone could earn a fortune from me.

I DO have a great plumber. All round great guy, not too expensive and cleans up after himself.

I’ve got a lovely Handy Man, who will come and do any job, big or small, usually the same day.
Garden gate lock broke, so I went and got the same one and rang him. He told me with the Corona thing he wasn’t working. I told him I’d have a go myself but he told me he’d be round in ten minutes but couldn’t take any payment.
I’ll just add something to the bill next time he comes.

More shelves ...more excuse for clutter and knickknacks.

Thanks for all your replies. Most of them made me laugh.

In the past I’ve sometimes said, ‘Are you ever going to do that (whatever it was) or shall I get a man in?’

Not applicable now, I know, and to be fair dh is usually pretty good with his Black and Decker and toolbox.

I hope nobody’s going to ask why I don’t just do it myself - we do have a fair division of labour in this house. Dh wouldn’t know where to start to stitch a button on or almost invisibly mend a little moth hole ? in a favourite jumper.

I envy all if you with practical partners. My late MIL regarded DH as too clever to be asked and FiL as too useless so if I can I do, if it can wait dear son in law does it or if all else fails I get a man in. At least that way jobs are actually finished!

My OH is a builder but nothing in our house gets done usually. A bit like cobblers children wear no shoes! His excuse is always either I've been working all week or I dont get paid for doing that! Before anyone says do it yourself I used to and also labour on quite a few jobs for him, but now mobility and other health issues mean I cant. Lockdown has been great for getting all those jobs done, in fact he has almost run out of projects!

DH does all the handyman jobs around the house simply because he is much better at them than me! Over the years he must have saved us loads of money as hardly anything is beyond him. I do however always ask nicely and praise profusely,!! this can be a bit trying but works!

Another vote for paddyanne, why ask someone to do something you can do yourself.

My husband is the same. He's now been off work for 11 weeks (furloughed). In that time, he's mowed the lawn twice, made a garden table - he had all the stuff, it's metal - and hung out the washing a few times. On Monday, he announced he was going to re-do some of the garden path. He bought the sand and cement. He's got a concrete mixer, so he should have been able to do it, but NO, it was "too hot" all week. Today, it's been "too windy". By the time he gets around to doing it, he'll be called back to work! (I hope)

Everything is ”on the list” and ”i can do that for you” yes but I want it doing now, not when you get finally around to it and nor do I want you to discuss why I need it doing!

I am perfectly capable of many things with the exception of driving so if I'm happily doing a task don't feel the need to take over!

Inbetween what I call OHs play time ( re-building a super charged engine in his 1937 car) he asks me is there anything you want done at the moment, no.
This morning he's got the wood to build next door neighbour an outside bar in the garden. I don't mind, she throws great parties ?

I just say what I’d like done and Grampy does it .

I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t want it done. He wouldn’t say no unless I was asking for the Great Wall of China.

Sorted.

A friend once told me I was very lucky to have a non-handy DH, because we had no half-done projects around our house.
(I do them if they're easy, or we pay someone.)

Another friend would remind her DH a few times of his unfinished project (which was always HIS idea) then get someone in while he wasn't there. It would never be mentioned again.

grannyrebel7, I think it's unreasonable of you to rant about this, even just to us.
You made a request, pleasantly I hope, and your DH is free to decide whether to go along with it.

Love the guy (DH of one of our Netters) who replied to the question "When?" with "I don't like planning!" I've quoted it to my own DH who know replies the same!

You are all extremely lucky. I don't know why I looked at this thread.
We are both rubbish at DIY so unless I get someone in, things wait for years.
Currently we have a broken kitchen cutlery drawer, which is sitting out on the surface leaving little space anything else

I am just so glad we had the roof fixed before lockdown.

But I can appreciate the stresses and strains of being together all the time.

I thought all old wives knew that when a man, whether your husband, brother, etc. etc. says he will do something, the next question we should ask is, "When?"

We have his and her jobs. I am quite hopeless at anything involving nails, saws, hammers and screws.

On the other hand I clean, wash and iron and usually do the baking.

I’ve done most of the DIY myself for the last 50 odd years, DH has now (Almost) retired and suddenly I’m not allowed to even lift the hammer.
What’s that all about? I could get on and do stuff, while he’s thinking about what to buy to do it ( I don’t throw much away, it’s all in the shed)
apparently now he’s home it’s his job, if he thinks I’m going to be stuck indoors dusting and making cakes all day he’s got a shock coming.

I am extremely lucky that my DH has a carpentry qualification and in a previous life his training included a bit of plumbing, dry stone walling and almost everything else that I can think of.
This morning this is what we did. I helped of course, I always do. I’m given the easy bit and sometimes have to receive extra instructions because I occasionally forget how to read the ones that come with the product.
Now my salon is ready , with its new blind, to go back to work.

My DH wouldn’t have a clue but he is a very good cook. I know which side my bread is buttered on!

Your comment made me smile Paddyanne....DH buys to many bananas and carrots and when they’ve gone past their best he expects the cake fairy ?‍♀️ to get busy!

It’s an amusing little game isn’t Hither?

Seems I'm very lucky.
If I ask Himself to do some DIY I have to emphasise that I don't expect it done today. He loves nothing better than a project and most times things are completed within a week.
He is currently converting some ugly wall cupboards (think dark kitchen style) that were in DD's bedroom when she moved in into two bedside cabinets.

Another vote for paddyanne

Women and people can choose not to be devious and manipulative. It is not a good quality

Genuine conversation

My bloke: “You’re too independent. Why do you never ask me for help?”

Me: “OK. Can you help me with XXX?”

My bloke: “Not right now. Maybe next week.”