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Fire the Guy: Fix Your Own Stuff

Fire the Guy:

How to Fix the Stuff You've Been Paying

Somebody Else to Fix

16 step-by-step playbooks for your house, your car and your computer. Written from the contractor's side of the quote, so you know what you're looking at before anybody hands you a bill. Plus the jobs you should never touch, and why.

You know the moment. The guy shows up, looks at it for thirty seconds, and you can tell he already knows you don't know what you're looking at.

Then the quote comes. And you pay it, because what are you going to do?

The toilet that runs all night. The disposal that hums but won't spin. The outlet that just stopped working. The battery the shop wants $280 to swap. Most of these are a cheap part and a few minutes of work. The trip charge alone is often $100 to $150 before anybody turns a screw.

Here's where you are: something breaks, you call somebody, you pay whatever they say.

Here's where you want to be: something breaks, you know in ten minutes whether it's a $12 part you can handle tonight or a real job for a licensed pro. And if you do hire somebody, you know enough to keep him honest.

Here's the truth. That gap is the whole business model for a certain kind of contractor. Not knowing what you're looking at is where the upsell lives. Close the gap and the upsell has nowhere to hide.

Why The Usual Fixes Don't Work

Most people think the answer is a YouTube video. Some are good. A lot of them skip the part where you shut the water off, never tell you when to stop, and nobody in the comments is checking your work.

The other answer is just call somebody. That's how a cheap fix turns into a big bill, every time.

Gen X didn't grow up calling someone for everything. We watched our dads fix things in the driveway. Somewhere along the way a lot of us stopped. This hands that back to you, the real version, with the safety lines drawn in.

The Fix: Freeze It. Check The Line. Run The Playbook. Prove It's Done.

Freeze it. Before you touch anything: photos, shutoffs, model numbers, every text and invoice. Ten minutes that keep a small problem from becoming a big one.

Check the line. Is this on the Never-DIY list? Do you need a permit where you live? Does it touch your insurance? The book walks you through all three.

Run the playbook. Tools, parts and steps in order, the common mistakes, and the exact point where you put the wrench down.

Prove it's done. A final check on every job, and a re-check the next day.

Who It's For

You own a house or a car and you're tired of paying a trip charge for a cheap part

You're willing to try, and you want somebody to tell you straight when not to

You want to know enough to keep a contractor honest when you do hire one

You're not handy, and you'd like to be a little more handy than you are now

Who It's Not For

Anybody who wants to do their own gas, electrical panel or structural work. The book tells you to call a licensed pro for those, no exceptions.

Anybody who won't shut the power or water off first

Anybody looking for a contractor's license in a PDF

What's Inside

The book (116 pages)

Freeze the Situation Before You Touch Anything: the five-step drill before any repair

The Take-It-Back-or-Leave-It-Alone Chart: which jobs are yours and which aren't, plus a flowchart for when you're not sure

Can You Legally Do This Yourself, and Will Insurance Still Cover You?: the homeowner exemption, permits, and the two phone calls that settle it

The Never-DIY List: 11 jobs where the only DIY task is picking up the phone

16 step-by-step playbooks, each with tools, parts and typical DIY cost:

The Toilet That Won't Shut Up

The Showerhead That Drips at the Threads

The Filter Nobody Remembers to Change

The Garbage Disposal That's Humming But Won't Spin

The Laptop Your Kid Swears Has a Virus

The Sink That Drains Like It's Thinking About It

The Car That Won't Start on a Cold Morning

The Outlet That Just Stopped Working

The Windshield You Can Barely See Through in the Rain

The Faucet That's Finally Worth Replacing

The Ceiling Fan That Replaces a Boring Light Fixture

The Outlet That Needs Replacing, Not Just Resetting

The Pinhole Leak That Doesn't Need a Plumber Yet

The Wobbly Toilet (Wax Ring Reseat)

Firing the Guy Without Losing Everything He Owes You: the clean exit sequence, plus a termination notice and a documentation request you can copy

Where to Actually Go When You're Not Sure: the free sources that don't sell you anything

Bonus: 12 Things That Cost a Fortune to Have Fixed

The express version. Dryer vents, door latches, washer hoses, weatherstripping and more, each with what people usually pay and how I'd handle it.

Bonus: The printable toolkit

The Fire the Guy Checklist (the whole book on one page, for inside the sink cabinet)

Home Maintenance Calendar and This Year's Log

Tool Inventory Checklist (every tool the playbooks call for, no 300-piece set required)

Contractor Quote Comparison sheet (seven questions, two quotes side by side)

Who's Behind It

I've been the guy. I learned the trades hands-on, ran my own construction company in Colorado, and worked hazmat. I've watched other contractors do to homeowners exactly what this book teaches you to stop.

I ran that company until I had to close it down. An injury put me in the hospital and ended my construction career for good.

Now I'm on your side of the quote. This is what the guy in your driveway already knows, written down.

Gen X Still Standing. Built by a Gen Xer with AI, for Gen Xers.

Straight Talk

This book won't turn you into a contractor. It's not supposed to.

Some jobs can burn your house down, shock you, or take your brakes out on the highway. I'm not going to pretend otherwise to sell you a book. Those are on the Never-DIY list, and the book tells you to call a licensed pro.

A lot of service calls cost $100 to $150 just for the guy to show up. Fire the Guy is $14.99. One avoided trip charge covers it several times over.

FAQ

I'm not handy. Is this for me?

Yes. Every playbook lists the tools, the parts and every step in order, plus the common mistakes to watch for.

What if I make it worse?

That's why there's a Freeze-the-Situation chapter before you touch anything, a stop point in every playbook, and a Never-DIY list.

Am I even allowed to do this myself?

There's a chapter on that: the homeowner exemption, permits, and insurance. Rules vary by where you live, and the book tells you exactly what to ask your local building department.

Is it just house stuff?

No. House, car and computer: oil changes, batteries, jump starts, wipers, and a slow laptop.

What format is it?

One PDF bundle: the 116-page book plus the printable toolkit. Instant download after checkout. Print the checklist and the calendar.

Do I need a garage full of tools?

No. The Tool Inventory Checklist lists only what the playbooks call for.

P.S. Something in your house is going to break this year. Read this before the next quote shows up, not while the guy is standing in your kitchen.

The fine print

Results vary and are not guaranteed.

Built by a Gen Xer with AI, for Gen Xers.

Know when to call a licensed pro. Electrical panels, gas and structural work are not DIY.

Educational only. Follow manufacturer instructions and local codes, and check your local permit rules before any job.

Gen X Still Standing is independent and not affiliated with any tool maker, brand or store.

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