Heard a client tell his buddy "anyone can frame a wall" while I was loading lumber in the rain

I was unloading a delivery last Tuesday at a new build in Madison and overheard this guy telling his friend how he's gonna save money by framing his own garage. He didn't even know the difference between a jack stud and a king stud. Made me think how many homeowners get in over their heads with structural walls and end up paying double to fix it. Has anyone else run into bad DIY framing that almost caused a collapse?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_wren18d ago

Ain't that the truth when cheap labor turns into expensive repairs?

mason.mary18d ago

Yeah, cheap labor turning into expensive repairs... that phrase hits close to home. A buddy of mine hired some guy off Craigslist to rewire his basement, thought he was saving a bundle. Three months later the breaker box caught fire, melted half the wall. Fire department said it was a miracle the house didn't burn down. Cost him five grand to get a real electrician to fix everything, plus the insurance deductible. @the_wren you're spot on, the cheap route always comes back to bite you.