Present value calculation:
Most of my adult life I have done my own maintenance on my houses and saved whatever it would cost to have a landscaper/painter, etc do it for me. The dividend was some knowledge gained and the satisfaction of accomplishment.
Now I’m older and have a new calculation rational. I just discovered an underground leak in my bubbler system. It is about 103 degrees outside and I could dig it up, go to Home Depot for the $2 part I need to fix it, cover it back up and be done in about one hour. Or I can call my landscape guy who will send a $15/ hour laborer out and charge me $50 to fix it in about ten minutes, while I lay in the pool with a cold drink and a cigar.
If I do it myself, I get a bad back for maybe the next 4-5 days, walking around stooped over complaining, sweat my gonads off for one hour, take Alleve and listen to the wifey tisk, tisk me incessantly.
Guy should be here any minute.