We're all in the wrong business.
 

"Harry Krause" wrote in message
. ..
Dan J.S. wrote:
"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...
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.


Yeah, thats why if anyone one says economy is bad, I tell them about
stuff like this. I tried to get an electrician, took me months. Everyone
is doing commercial jobs. I also wanted my curb cut, and I can't get
anyone either. I am willing to pay, no one wants to bother with a small
job.


Hmmmm. I can get a plumber or electrician out here this afternoon or, at
the latest, tomorrow morning. Same with a tilesetter. The carpenter I use,
though, is not a retiree. Takes a week or two to schedule him.

Yeah, but what about a hooker?

We're all in the wrong business.
 

On Wed, 22 Feb 2006 12:19:01 -0500, Harry Krause
wrote:

The carpenter I
use, though, is not a retiree. Takes a week or two to schedule him.

Wow, Krause has his own carpenter...aren't we all impressed.
__

"It's just about going fast...that's all..."

http://home.columbus.rr.com/ckg/

We're all in the wrong business.
 

Doug Kanter wrote:
"Shortwave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 22 Feb 2006 15:52:14 GMT, "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.

Somewhere in the vicinity of $400 plus or minus $25.

Yep. Time estimate: 2 hours, barring any nasty surprises. They quote a labor
rate of $75-ish, and can't explain how two times 75 equals 400.

They're plumbers!

We're all in the wrong business.
 

"Shortwave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 22 Feb 2006 17:20:58 GMT, "Doug Kanter"
wrote:


"Dan J.S." wrote in message
...

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...
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.


Yeah, thats why if anyone one says economy is bad, I tell them about
stuff
like this. I tried to get an electrician, took me months. Everyone is
doing commercial jobs. I also wanted my curb cut, and I can't get anyone
either. I am willing to pay, no one wants to bother with a small job.

If I was flush right now, I'd take the cheapest quote (which has been
about
$350) and just do it. But, I simply can't part with money like it's water
right now. I'm still recovering from divorce proceedings, buying
furniture,
etc. Guess what's next? The roof. First quote, from a guy who came highly
recommended by 5 different people, was $8500.00, and this is a small
house.
It's a tear-off, and the guy's an unbelievable perfectionist, but
still....I
may blow a vacation week doing it myself.

Get another quote - that seems extreme to me.

And while roofing isn't rocket science, doing it yourself isn't a
great idea.

I did a gorgeous job on the freestanding garage at my previous house, and it
had some truly bizarre angles. But, that was also 17 years ago, which could
factor into how my knees will complain after a week on a roof.

We're all in the wrong business.
 

"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.

We're all in the wrong business.
 

Shortwave Sportfishing wrote:
On Wed, 22 Feb 2006 12:19:01 -0500, Harry Krause
wrote:

Dan J.S. wrote:
"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...
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.


Yeah, thats why if anyone one says economy is bad, I tell them about stuff
like this. I tried to get an electrician, took me months. Everyone is doing
commercial jobs. I also wanted my curb cut, and I can't get anyone either. I
am willing to pay, no one wants to bother with a small job.

Hmmmm. I can get a plumber or electrician out here this afternoon or, at
the latest, tomorrow morning. Same with a tilesetter. The carpenter I
use, though, is not a retiree. Takes a week or two to schedule him.

Harry, I like you and respect you even if we don't agree on some
things. So don't take this the wrong way.

There is no way in hell you can get a plumber or electrician on one
days notice.

Can do it here in Atlanta, a very busy metropolitan area.

We're all in the wrong business.
 

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...

"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.


Get a PVC riser removal tool. Is a tapered tool for removing broken risers.
May be too big for a seat, but look at one. They are about $5 at most
hardware stores. Looking at new handles for the PF 3 handle in the tub.
$11 each for plastic chunk they have been making for years? Found a remodel
set for the PF three handle. $70 at Home Depot. Includes new seats, stems,
and ceramic handles.

We're all in the wrong business.
 

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.....

We're all in the wrong business.
 

"Calif Bill" wrote in message
nk.net...

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...

"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.


Get a PVC riser removal tool. Is a tapered tool for removing broken
risers. May be too big for a seat, but look at one. They are about $5 at
most hardware stores. Looking at new handles for the PF 3 handle in the
tub. $11 each for plastic chunk they have been making for years? Found a
remodel set for the PF three handle. $70 at Home Depot. Includes new
seats, stems, and ceramic handles.


What's a PVC riser?

We're all in the wrong business.
 

"Harry Krause" wrote in message
. ..
Dan J.S. wrote:
"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...
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.


Yeah, thats why if anyone one says economy is bad, I tell them about
stuff like this. I tried to get an electrician, took me months. Everyone
is doing commercial jobs. I also wanted my curb cut, and I can't get
anyone either. I am willing to pay, no one wants to bother with a small
job.


Hmmmm. I can get a plumber or electrician out here this afternoon or, at
the latest, tomorrow morning. Same with a tilesetter. The carpenter I use,
though, is not a retiree. Takes a week or two to schedule him.

Northwest Chicago suburbs, and unless I call someone that's fresh off the
boat, I can't get anything done. There are a lot of new homes being built,
so most of the contractors have more profitable gigs. One contractor is
willing to do stuff only if there is at least $1000 worth of a job, he said
driving a truck to my house costs him at least $1000 in lost
business(opportunity cost) if he were to send it to another place. Customer
service in this country is almost gone, especially with the cocky
contractors. I mean, when my business is great, and I have to turn people
away, I at least try to come up with a solution for them. Local contractors
are peacocking, all proud when they tell me I am not worth it.

A clear example is my chandelier. I bought one online for $3,000 which was
$2,000 cheaper than my local mom and pop shop, free delivery and no tax. I
called a contractor because the ceiling where this chandelier is to be
installed is 48 feet high. I dont have the ladder this big. It took over 9
calls to get someone to come. Then, the only reason this guy came is because
I helped him restore his quickbooks pro financial records (he didnt know how
to recover from backup). He asked $200 for the install, and he didn't even
cashed the check. It has been 8 months now. And if someone says, if you
bought from mom and pop they would have installed. Nope - because I bought
something else there before and all they do is give you a list of local
contractors, and this is the list I was actually using for the chandelier
install.