Does you significant other understand your manly needs?

[Zebedeewesty]

No, not those manly needs you mucky minded lot.

The need to have a garage/shop/man cave/fortress of solitude (call it what you will) that you can escape to for some peace and quiet and a place to work in the dry and warm.

My missus can't get her head around the idea why having a garage is so important to me even after me struggling working outside dodging rain showers for years.

 

[Burb]

Yes, and believe it or not, she's the one who pushed me to get it built. I had planned on waiting another couple years to get the house paid off, but she got tired of having nice stuff all covered in grime from our crappy dirt floored barn.

Now if she'd only take care of the other manly needs more often

 

[canuckian]

Yep. Mine actually helped design my new shop and convinced me to go bigger than I had originally planned. She understands that both spouses need a place where they can relax and do their own thing. Who am I to argue???

 

[santagary]

5/8ths has her barn, cows and horses....loves to move 2000# round and 1000# suare bales around with her Kubota 60/40 tractor and I (3/8ths) have my garage and geodesic dome greenhouse. My garage has a separate woodworking area, fully insulated and a wrenching parking area for two cars and all my tools, mostly displayed on white pegboard.

 

[artrem]

LOL, I hear you. Like most things I do or purchase, my wife grudgingly accepts it, but she has never understood. From her perspective, such "manly needs" are just childish self-indulgence.

On the other hand, she never complains when I fix stuff.

 

[Jlbc212]

When my son-in-law suggested that we needed a detached garage, my wife gladly agreed. She wanted all my stuff out of her garage and she knows I need a place to "keep busy."

 

[jmarkwolf]

My new detached 28ft x 30ft was her idea!

We have a 23ft x 25ft attached garage with a natural gas ventless heater.

Every time I spray paint something, the fumes from the common rattle can paint will interact with the nearly non-existant fumes from the ventless heater and get into the house when I walk in and out, making her nauseous. I can smell it too, but it doesn't give me any trouble.

Don't know how this happens but thank God it does!

She suggested building a detached garage to avoid the fumes situation.

Well, OK honey, if you insist!

 

[Leaflessshadetree]

I can usually find peace and quiet in my house or garage. Other times I'll choose wet and cold.

 

[creativecars]

I can't say she understand them as needs, but she does appreciate what I can do. Her father paid to have everything fixed when she was growing up, but also some other family members were shade tree mechanics an tinkerers that would screw up way more than then could fix, so in her world it was best to pay someone than to try to fix something yourself.

She does understand I can fix/build stuff in the garage/house/barn/property. She is not sure why I need 4 tool boxes though...

 

[8man]

Mine decided my 36 x 36 wasn't big enough, so now it's going to be 36 x 40! So yeah, she gets it!!

 

[GN4WHLN]

My wife gets it. She understands most of the tools and equipment have paid for themselves over and over. Her Dad is also a fix it and build it kind of guy so it makes sense to her. She did ask me once if I work in the garage to get away from her like her dad did to get away from her mom. I don't need to do that. My wife does like to find new signs and plates for the garage which is fun. She not much for men whose only tool is a credit card.

 

[Steevo]

I am fortunate to have married a woman whose dad and grandpa both had shops and did a lot of work in them. She just assumed I'd need a shop.

 

[BrewFabInd.]

Mine does get it she sacrificed her in door parking for me to have a place to build my jeep, powdercoating equipment, wood and metal working, etc.. She is aware that she will be getting plenty of things for the house done in there as well

 

[creativecars]

Mine decided my 36 x 36 wasn't big enough, so now it's going to be 36 x 40! So yeah, she gets it!!

She said IT wasn't big enough... Ouch man

 

[Trey T]

When we bought our first home together (my second), our first project was the garage. The home needed some update up but we focused on the 2-car detached garage. None of our family have a background in garage/tool, just me. Naturally, everything I do to the garage is acceptable to her, but it DOES TAKE WORK.

 

[Lippyp]

Yes she does BUt doesn't seem to understand that I actually need the time to do anything in it!

 

[MushCreek]

My wife is amazing. Three years ago, I quit my job and headed up to SC to build our house and barn. She works and pays the bills while I build stuff! It was HER idea to build the barn first! I then lived in the barn while building the house, and we currently have all of our stuff stored in the barn until the house is done. She gets a bonus, though. The house has an attached garage that is all hers, just for her beloved Olds to live in.

My wife's attitude has always been that if I'm in the shop, at least she knows where I am! Remember, if women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy.

 

[Tossin]

Mine understands that I need the garage and the time. We're in the process of building a new house and I had free reign (within our overall budget) to do what I wanted in the garage. She didn't flinch when I added length to the third stall, started talking about flooring, paint, and counter top/cabinet storage.

She came from families that didn't do much shop/garage work, but she understands that since I stay home with the kids, I need time alone. She may not totally understand my attachment to my father's Corvette, but she knows I'm happier when I've ben able to get out in the garage and work on it after the kids have been difficult.

It also helps that by having these tools in the garage, I can do things that save us a ton of money on remodeling, repairing, and maintenance of the house and cars.

 

[Zebedeewesty]

LOL, I hear you. Like most things I do or purchase, my wife grudgingly accepts it, but she has never understood. From her perspective, such "manly needs" are just childish self-indulgence.

On the other hand, she never complains when I fix stuff.

Ain't that always the way?

I am fortunate to have married a woman whose dad and grandpa both had shops and did a lot of work in them. She just assumed I'd need a shop.

My wife's grandad ran a repair shop for years then unfortuantely had to sell it due to bad health. He really wanted to keep it in the family but no-one wanted it. That was just 10 months before i met her.

Yes she does BUt doesn't seem to understand that I actually need the time to do anything in it!

Time. Nope, i don't get much of that either. Not without complaints along the lines of "why has that taken you so long. You only said it was a quick job."

My wife's attitude has always been that if I'm in the shop, at least she knows where I am! Remember, if women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy.

 

[fsae0607]

Yes! I told her she can have the rest of the house, except for my shop and one bedroom to use as my "music room" where I have my instruments. I like it when she comes to hang out for a bit, keeping me company while I work out there. She'll have a cider, hang out a bit and leave me be. Good arrangement, since she never has to worry about car maintenance. Plus, anything that breaks gets fixed in my shop.

When my seven month old son gets older, he'll get my music room. My instruments will have to live in the living room until my stepdaughter moves away to college in five years

 

[Jarhead0408]

Yes she does BUt doesn't seem to understand that I actually need the time to do anything in it!

Bingo!

 

[BillK]

Absolutely, same as I understand she needs a crafts/sewing room for the same reason

 

[cactiki]

When I told her I needed to replace the roof on my garage, she said " wouldn't it be easier to just tear it down?" I don't think she ever saw that look on my face before.....
I am almost done with the roof.

 

[bwringer]

Honestly, I'd be quite happy if my wife came out to the garage to hang out a lot more often when I'm doing stuff.

It's very strange, I know, but we actually enjoy being around each other and don't ever seem to have enough time to ourselves.

My wife grew up with a useless drunk dad and three brothers who tinkered and made gawdawful messes, but never seemed to actually get anything done.

It took her quite a while to adjust to someone who mostly succeeds at putting things back together... "Why did you take it apart already?"

 

[Heavymetalmechanic]

I can usually find peace and quiet in my house or garage. Other times I'll choose wet and cold.

So much truth in this statement.

 

[Pack Rat]

No, my wife makes no effort to understand anything. If she's not interested in it it doesn't exist.
She is cheap, cheap, cheap. When I told her I wanted to get into woodworking
she bought me a jackknife and a book on whittling.

 

[PatStroud]

Yep ...... in fact when I suggest the we retire somewhere down south and I'd sell off all my woodworking tools she put a "NO!!!!!" to that suggestion. Instead she said build a shop of your dreams (within $$$ reason). So I'm going from a 18x24 to a 24x65 plus 24x40 (boat/vehicle shed)......... and she let me get two boats to boot ......... but it's been that way for 35 years + . Wouldn't want to live without her!

 

[killahog]

My Wife appreciates the fact I can usually get things fixed and or remodeled and I think she enjoys the time I spend out of the house and in the Shop. In fact she bought me a Bendpak 2 post for christmas. I haven't been able to get her to understand why I enjoy shooting cats but we can just disagree on that.

 

[Dan_inthewind]

My wife is fully supportive of my garage and she understands the how and why of my keeping it cleaned and organized.

For those upon you complaining of your significant other,,,,,, you picked her!

Dan

 

[freekwonder]

Wife definitely understands. When we were looking for a new house our two main requirements was room for her to garden and either a shop or space to build one. She found a few houses that she liked, but since they didn't have a shop or have room for a shop she passed on it. Luckily we ended up finding a house with a enough space for her to grow food, has her own garden room, and a 24x40 shop in the back for me.

 

[Hobbit]

The first & only set of heads that I dissembled on the breakfast room table pretty much determined her need for me to have a garage.

 

[MushCreek]

My Wife appreciates the fact I can usually get things fixed and or remodeled and I think she enjoys the time I spend out of the house and in the Shop. In fact she bought me a Bendpak 2 post for christmas. I haven't been able to get her to understand why I enjoy shooting cats but we can just disagree on that.

I've learned that you shouldn't shoot cats while she's holdin' 'em.

 

[toplessHO]

ex neighbor had a bumper sticker that said I LOVE CATS,,,they taste just like chicken.
His SO had 3 of them and 1 came up missing. Boy did we have fun with that.

 

[matth8346]

Honestly, I'd be quite happy if my wife came out to the garage to hang out a lot more often when I'm doing stuff.

It's very strange, I know, but we actually enjoy being around each other and don't ever seem to have enough time to ourselves.

My wife grew up with a useless drunk dad and three brothers who tinkered and made gawdawful messes, but never seemed to actually get anything done.

It took her quite a while to adjust to someone who mostly succeeds at putting things back together... "Why did you take it apart already?"

I understand this. My detached garage is connected to our house by a breezeway and good size patio area. We turn on some tunes, have a beer, she sits on the patio with the dogs and I work on things in the shop. It's definitely relaxing to us.

 

[rburke65]

Recently put up a 32x56' with a lift.... a shop for my retirement ..... which she called an unnecessary expense. Of course the first car on the lift was hers and she continues to park her SUV under the porch when she is using her convertible. Not complaining now!

 

[theoldwizard1]

I have the "man cave", sort of (family room, lower level of our tri-level). Recliner, beer fridge, LCD TV, computers. What I don't have is a place to "putter" around, except the unheated garage.

I would love some place that was heated and cooled, had some "clean" bench space for electronics, dirty bench space for lawn mowers and small engines. I would definitely get a band saw (portaband with stand ?) and a 6x48 belt and 9" disc sander. Over the top would be a larger compressor, decent table saw, router table, welder, and mill. The biggest problem is I don't have enough space on my "postage stamp" lot to even build a shed to store some of the stuff in the garage (bikes, grills, outdoor power equipment, etc.) I winter store my boat at a friends. Summer it sits in the driveway.


Sadly, every year that goes buy, the dream fades.

 

[Askme42]

LOL, I hear you. Like most things I do or purchase, my wife grudgingly accepts it, but she has never understood. From her perspective, such "manly needs" are just childish self-indulgence.

On the other hand, she never complains when I fix stuff.

When mine understands it means she either just made a large purchase or wants to.

She's a bright woman but she just can't wrap her head around the fact that I buy tools instead of clothes and shoes and purses. She sees those as necessities.

The difference I try to point out (to no avail) is while her $400 purse will be at goodwill in a year or two. My grandkids will be able to use my tools.

 

[66354dream]

YES !!! I was blessed with a woman that really doesn't mind what I buy for my manly needs (tools,car parts, garage equipment) and LOVES going to NHRA events with me to boot

 

[countryroad82]

Built mine waaaaaayyyy before I was ever married, wife likes the fact the shop makes extra money, and it pretty well pays for itself!!

 

[Pluribus]

Understand? Shoot, she's an enabler!