Comment by Mario Giambanco on "If you were not a software developer what would you be?"

A general contractor or automotive mechanic.

I love brick work - have built a brick pizza oven on the back patio and a brick fireplace on the patio.

Recently helped dad build a 16x20 foot concrete patio. Tor out the old wooden deck, laid about 4 tons of crushed stone, built the forms, then about 4 tons of concrete, colored it and stamped.

We've remodeled our entire house over the years; room by room, new windows, doors, electrical, insulation, plumbing, tile, etc... Last major project was the bathroom last year - took about 2 months night and day working around a day job.

I've probably accomplished as many remodeling projects as I have programming projects, haha. This week will be installing 7 hard wired security cameras at my brothers house.

Bought a Ford Mustang a few months ago and already started modifying that - starting small - did the CAI (cold air intake) first and installed a Tuner.

Really want to take some classes and learn how to create my own tune files but blowing up a car engine can be expensive so this one needs classes first, haha. Next up will be installing an air lift suspension and exhaust myself.

Really nice work. I WISH I had construction skills. I'm a "measure five times, cut once and STILL get it wrong" kind of guy. That's why repairs in my house cost me lots of $$$.

It's nothing anyone can't learn - same as programming, just have to do it enough times and get good at it.

The first bedroom we did, my drywall finishing skills were crap. Took me a long time to get strait corners, no screw heads showing through, etc... Now, I'm pretty damn good.

And you really do save a lot of money DIYing it - That patio was all of $1800 in materials - with quotes from "pros" coming in around $8000. The bathroom... we went on the high end with finishes - the tile is Travertine and anyone that knows anything about tile knows, Travertine is very expensive (and high maintenance, haha). We spent around $14,000 on materials and fixtures for the bathroom. Interior remodeling labor is usually half the price so that was around a $30k job if we hired out for it.

Start small, take your time - get good tools - metal levels (not plastic), metal squares (not plastic), strong tools and you'll get it.

I, too, would choose to be a contractor. I find that "making" is the number one thing I love about being a programmer and DIY home repairs scratch that itch and are, in a lot of cases, much more rewarding.

At first, I assumed home repair was beyond me, then I was forced to re-tile a floor over a long weekend and I was hooked. The same rules for being a programmer seemed to apply. RTFM (Read the Flipping Manual) and do it right the first time. With Youtube and a billion resources online, you can learn to do just about anything.

While my carpentry/tile laying is not as nice or advanced as Mario Giambanco 's work, I think I'm getting the knack of it and have remodeled several rooms now.

Wow, I would choose a similar path. I'm looking at carpentry now.

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