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Handyman Training and the Impact it Has

...or how does handyman training change a person

Handyman training does change a person. How you may ask? Well, primarily by changing one's perspective on problems. Ordinary people see problems as problems, handymen see problems as potential profit. Fixing problems is how we earn a living. Sure you say, solving home repair problems, maybe, but what about real problems? Real problems? You mean like flooded basements, or living in the dark because your power doesn't work, or sweltering in a mobile home that reaches 130 degrees inside during a typical August day in Arizona problems? Or are we talking about problems like which shade of mint goes best with my eye color problems? Actually, given a Sherwin Williams fan deck and a little patience, the typical handyman could solve that problem for you too.

Handyman training lets you see the whole problem in terms of how to solve it, rather than how it interferes. This change in perspective can carry over into almost every aspect of your life. If you see your Master's degree dissertation as a problem rather than as a challenge to be beaten, how do you face it? Facing problems in terms of their solution rather than in terms of the obstacle they represent can be a hugely beneficial paradigm shift.

In addition to changing your everyday perspective on the bulk of problems you face, handyman training can also save you a ton of money even if you still hire a contractor to do all the work. Knowing what's involved in a repair or construction project can greatly affect how a contractor treats you, and charges you. Being self sufficient also gives you greater latitude in solving the problem yourself partially or in its entirety.

Handyman training also breeds greater self confidence, because it helps to eliminate the unknown, the mysterious "how do you fix that" that many homeowners face every day. It is precisely that "Huh" factor that handyman training can eliminate from your life by giving you practical know-how and a new perspective on problems, which in addition to saving you money, can also save you embarrassment when the handyman you hire flips a switch and charges you $80 for doing it.

Here's to your independence,

Noah

How to Replace an Exterior Mobile Home Door

How to Replace an Exterior Mobile Home Door With Damaged Subfloor.

Before you begin the project, be sure you have a replacement door, prehung, the correct size for your mobile home...you will need to know: Wall frame thickness, ie: 2x4, 2x6, or old style 2x3. In some cases the original door was actually a standard door, but up until about 5 years ago mobile home doors were much shorter than normal doors because exterior wall height was lower.

Once you have the new prehung door on hand, look for the screws that hold the old door in: sometimes they are located behind the weather stripping where the door meets the frame, you also may have to remove the thirty or so screws from the exterior frame, usually concealed behind a plastic moulding.

Now that all the screws are removed, you can push the door out to the exterior side. Now you can remove the putty from the outside of the building where the metal frame was screwed in.

The sub floor is normally 5/8 particle board. You will have to locate the floor joists under the floor by finding the nail lines, then cut out the old subfloor in nice square lines. I have found it best to cut next to the joists, then tag in a piece of 2x6 on the old joists to hold up the replacement piece. This method is faster than trying to cut the old floor down the center of joists where the nails are.

Once your floor is repaired, you can install the new door. First you have to determine if the floor under the door is level, and the hinge side jamb is plumb. if so, you're lucky. Otherwise you are going to need a small mountain of door shims from the local hardware store.

Set the door in place and check to see that the space between the door and the frame, as viewed from inside, is equal top to bottom. This spacing is called the margin. When the margin is equal from top to bottom the door is square. You can shim the door square as needed, then apply a bead of clear silicone between the outside metal and the wall, in order to seal the door frame from further water leaking, then set the screws through the jamb behind the weather stripping. Do the hinge side first, then recheck your square.

Once you have installed all the screws, you can further seal the door by caulking around the bottom inside and out. Reattach the interior trim, caulk the interior with latex caulk, make sure there is no silicone on the exterior that will be visible or interfere with your touch up paint, and you're done...except for the painting of course = )

Noah

For text and video training guides on a variety of handyman skills for the homeowner or the handyman in training, pop over to http://www.thefixitteacher.com/residentialproducts.html