We're all in the wrong business.
Doug Kanter wrote:
"basskisser" wrote in message
oups.com...
Doug Kanter wrote:
"basskisser" wrote in message
ups.com...
Doug Kanter wrote:
I'm calling around for labor estimates to have my 3-knob bath faucet
replaced with a single handle Moen. I'm explaining that on the other
side
of
the wall, there's an access panel that was designed in heaven. 4'
wide,
runs
from floor to ceiling. It's as if you were looking at just the framing
in
a
half-built house. It's on the first floor. Pipes are also totally
accessible
from below. Matter of fact, there's a 6" x 4' slot in the floor. You
can
reach right up from the basement, if you needed to.
I've called three plumbers who live within 5-10 minutes of my home.
Take
a
guess at the estimates. Labor only.
I do all of my house maintenence, remodeling, etc myself! Here in the
Atlanta area, plumbers are around $125 for the first half hour, and
$125 per hour thereafter.
I do most of it, too. But, my pipe soldering skills aren't up to my own
high
standards. This faucet is leaking enough to be expensive. The valve
seat's
worn to the point where it's chewing up a new washer every week. The
internal surfaces were stripped by whoever removed it before, so the seat
removal tool's got nothing to grip. I figure that if the whole brass
thing
in the wall's gotta be replaced, I may as well get what I really want: A
single-handle Moen.
Have you seen the compression fittings that will go from copper, to
butyl, etc? I had a leak at the hot water tank one time at a copper
sweat fitting, went to get a new fitting to sweat in, and actually ran
into a Home Depot worker that showed me those. That was ten years ago,
and it hasn't leaked yet. So you could use a butyl piece into the the
faucet, cut the copper pipe where it's not corroded, etc., and use this
compressioin union to fasten the butyl to the copper. THAT is if you
don't want to solder. I'd solder it myself.....
Well, I *was* sort of wondering about the metal-clad flex hoses you use for
water supply under sinks, too. I could solder, since there's a wide opening
in the floor, right to a clear spot in the basement. Stick a trash can under
there....if it leaks, I'll know right away and no harm's done.
Yeah, that sounds like a winner!
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