It's even worse when the bomb defuser starts to bail too.
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It's even worse when the bomb defuser starts to bail too.
The plumbers helper?
We figured out that the guy was working 2 projects. Probably underestimated the work for the price he was charging me and figured wasnt worth all the effort juggling 2. Missed a day last week because his wifes truck broke down. Then had a Dr appt tuesday all day but on monday he asked to be paid for the materials and labor on wednesday when we next meet on my lunch hour to go over the progress and deal with any issues. Then Tuesday night I mentioned there is an issue with the distance between the toilet and shower and he loses hit sheit.
I figured he had planned on bailing on Monday and wanted to get some money and I would never see him again. Well I told him if he bails hes not getting paid as our agreement was to pay the materials as he buys them and the labor at the end of the job. So when he came that night to pick up his tools I paid him the $600 for materials and he didnt say a word about the $1,000 in labor he asked for on Monday. One just doesnt walk off a job a couple weeks before Christmas without some other job already in place.
Guess it works out as he was in over his head and did some crappy work. Shower water pipe was "notched" into the walls vertical 2x4 but so deep that there was only 1/2" of wood left. Damn stud is now compromised and has to be replaced. A few other issues like that so glad hes gone. Plus it gives me a break from all his last minute demands of needing materials and fixtures for the morning with only 1.5 hours before he store closes crap!
Anyways at least I saved $1,000 in labor. I have a hauling/disposal guy coming tomorrow to load up a massive truck load of debris for the dump.
I secured a guy who came previously for an estimate within an hour that same night this idiot bailed. This new guy does great work for decades but wasnt available when I needed him. The bathroom in question is an on-suite to the master bedroom which I have rented out to tenants. Needless to say I had to get the bathroom remodeled and functional asap. It is a total gut job, everything needed to be torn out leaving just the 2x4's and subflooring.
Once this new guy is done with the last bathroom Im going to have him remodel the kitchen. Then the house is basically solid for the renters. I already replaced the 17 year old water heater with a new tankless on demand system. Maybe by the summer I'll upgrade the original forced air heating system to central air heating and cooling.
That on-demand, is that gas or electric?
Its a gas setup with 3/4" incoming line. Its rated for a 3-4 bathroom house but mine is only a 2 bathroom. Didnt want any issues for the renters do be complaining about not enough hot water if they all used it at once. 15 year warranty and so far its been great!Quote:
Originally Posted by Shaggy Hiker
My hot water system is trapped by design. Basically, the house was built around a hot water tank. I can't even get the tank out of the space it's in without removing the door, and possibly the moulding around the door. Also, there is exactly ONE tank on the market that has the right dimensions to fit the space, which means that if it gets discontinued, I'm doomed. Therefore, I'm thinking of going to on demand, which takes up a whole lot less space, but it would have to be electric. Fortunately, the tank that is there is fairly new, so I don't have to worry about it for years.
My hot water heater went out and I considered going on-demand, but at the time I couldn't justify the cost. I'm kicking myself now, I really wish I would've spent the extra dollars.
I'm kind of feeling that way, too, but I have no choice other than electric, and I didn't find a good electric option until after I had the new tank. It barely matters, for me, as the cost difference is likely to be utterly trivial, but that could always change.
I cant wait to put in another tankless system at my "new" house (wifes house as I moved into hers). However it was build at the turn of the century (19th) and has so many freakin windows that it wont be up to code to install one. It needs 3 feet on both sides of wall space without windows. Im going to look into an electric system for this as the gas vents out the heat in force which I believe is where the code requirement comes in. Our water heater is ready to be replaced and is undersized too. Hopefully with tax refunds I can start in on some major renovations and remodeling for this house.
If you find an electric one that you like, and still like it after the install, then remember to post the info here, please. I don't expect to be looking for a good long time, but I do expect to be looking.
Will do!
So more renovation problems at the rental house. Went to install the gas line for the new dryer (washer installed the day before) and turns out the gas shut off value is decades old and needs to be replaced. Its of the old type which are prone to leak at the seal around the handle. Now replacing it isn't that easy. Its recessed into a pocket in the wall and have to bust the other side of the wall in order to unscrew it from he gas line. Never fails to be a simple upgrade and turn into a major and costly issue lol
Yeah, when it comes to house projects, you never really know what you're in for until it's too late.
A couple decades back, a buddy of mine decided to do a modest renovation to one room in his house before his son was born (it was on the way, and he knew it was a son, so you can see how long he thought this might take). By the time the project was over, he had replaced his entire house from the rafters to the foundation. The foundation and basement remained unchanged, as did the rafters and roof....EVERYTHING else had been replaced...and he was living in the barn for the first few months after the boy was born, since the house was in pieces.
When they took out part of a wall, they found that the guy who built the place had scrounged wood from various places. In fact, the guy doing the bulk of the work found his own name on some of the lumber. He remembered that the original builder had been his neighbor, and realized that the guy had been stealing wood from him to build the house. Other studs were burned most of the way through, and it was clear that the guy had swiped wood from a burned house. It went downhill from there.
Wow, just wow!
Ive replaced allot of the major components of my house already over the decades and have to remind myself is secondary now and I need to just get the basics done so I can move on to my primary house which needs everything! :(
So finally got the new washer and dryer installed last night. Washer I finished on Sunday but the dryer is gas and the valve at the wall was 60 years old. So the valve needed replacing. Had my plumber neighbor friend do it yesterday while I was at work but the flexible gas line to the dryer was the wrong size. Had to run to home depot and exchange it, go back and install it myself. Glad they now have a working washer and dryer as they had been broken for a couple months.
Looking forward to the weekend!
They must have been smelling a bit rank after that long without a washer.
This is California, not Idaho. ;) They have these things called Laundromats, often collocated with a bar and restaurant so doing laundry can be an entertaining social event.
Anyone seen the new star wars movie yet? No spoilers please.
We just wear our clothes until they smell so bad that a bear runs off with them. If we ever get them back....they're 'distressed', so we sell them all in designer boutiques to make extra cash for the holidays (bears are hibernating, so it's easier to get the clothes back).Quote:
Originally Posted by passel
It's got this big subplot where Chewie is taking bets on the outcome, while trying to get some action. It's just a bunch of hairy, bookie wookie nookie.Quote:
Originally Posted by RobDog888