Our first home was my training ground. I used it to learn. The first time I sweated copper pipe was about an hour before I tore out my plumbing system and replaced it. Gutting entire rooms down to studs is intimidating the first time. Kind of fun though.
Last week, I bought some Home Depot stuff for my cousin's wedding gift. One item was a Purdy paint brush for $15.00. It took me years to learn the value of a proper brush.
I have to commend these younger folks who are unafraid to try their own repairs.
LOL! Me too. Painters say, "don't skimp on the paint or your brush." I just painted our two-story house with two Purdy brushes. This time around I learned the value of a paint brush cleaning comb, a ladder stabilizer, and ladder equalizers.
I watch the pros and try to do what they do. They have a lot more experience than me.
I'm a baby-boomer. My father is a gifted handyman. He learned to work in a machine shop without formal training and did all his own repairs and projects himself. He built a cinderblock garage and had never laid block; it still stands over 35 years later. I watched him and he taught me things. When we bought our first house it was 84 years old, and I wouldn't have bought it except that I knew how to handle tools. I had never done a lot of things, but I had sufficient experience using tools that I learned new tasks like electrical, plumbing, carpentry, window repair, etc. As far as contractors go, there are just as many that are no talent assclowns as there are good ones. I repaired what many contractors fixed on that old house. You have to have guts, and mentality to try. Most that don't are just wussies who won't or are afraid to get their hands dirty. Some feels it's classy to have everything done, and they spend a fortune getting things done. Time is about the only reason for me to hire someone to do work at my house. BTW, I never took shop class in high school, I was on the college track.