Comment on How rental ‘libraries of things’ have become the new way to save money

• supersquirrel@sopuli.xyz ⁨9⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

  It’s a for-profit service that people use to rent-out, and rent-in their tools

  So yes this is the same old shit as labeling Uber or Lyft a “ridesharing app” instead of calling it what it is, a taxi service.

  The correct name for this type of entity would be a consignment & rental store.

  This kind of thing has NOTHING to do with libraries whatsoever in structure but more importantly in intended function and community impact.

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  • model_tar_gz@lemmy.world ⁨9⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

    Agreed.

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• Aatube@kbin.melroy.org ⁨9⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

  Note that the featured rate in the article is "Another rented a planer at £11 a day to fix two doors in her flat after being quoted £245 for a handyman to come in and do the three hour job".

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  • model_tar_gz@lemmy.world ⁨9⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

    It’s not a fair comparison then is it? $80/hr is an expensive but outrageously so handyman, plus they have their own tools to purchase and maintain and other business operating overhead (fuel and transportation maintenance) etc.

    DIY—if you’re able—is always less expensive.

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  • supersquirrel@sopuli.xyz ⁨9⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago

    quoted £245 for a handyman to come in and do the three hour job

    Power tools, hand tools, clothes, batteries, heavy painters cothes, gloves etc… do not make the job.

    The skill of the handyman who can quickly and efficiently deduce an effective solution to a carpentry/handyman repair and do it within 3 hours is what makes the job.

    People often make the point about learning home repair as a way to save money, and true it definitely is a necessary skill to some degree as a home owner unless you have a lotttt of money… but *learning to do your own home repair really isn’t “saving money” so much as simultaneously devaluing your free time AND labor time to the point that all of the incurred debt is inscribed into your body and lost time with your family or friendds rather than in invoices for repairman.

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