When my wife and I purchased our first 1960’s era house in 2006 we embarked on some very small-scale renovations such as installing robes, repainting interior and exterior, updating the bathroom and remodelling the kitchen. While we attempted to do everything ourselves, there were some parts we could not, obviously plumbing and electrical.
In the beginning when we purchased the property and being inexperienced we didn’t know what we needed and relied heavily on tradesperson to help us. And while a lot of them were very good and we still use to this day, however there were a number that after fast forwarding five years you come to discover that their work now requires repairs, very expensive repairs.
Case in point, our plumber who installed new pipe work in the bathroom did everything for us. We just told him where we wanted the outlets and within a day it was all completed. Fantastic we thought. It was only in the last 12 months that I noticed a small hammer in the bathroom pipes that been getting progressively worst. Now when you turn off any tap sharply in the house the pipes hammer.
At first, I didn’t know it was coming from the bathroom, but after a bit of investigation I discovered it was the source. Luckily for me, I realised the importance of taking photos throughout the renovating process might come in handy and so when I went back through the photo’s I discovered that the pipes snaking their way through the stud walls were not anchored to anything and that there was no silicone around the pipe where it passed through a stud.
The plumber we engaged was not cheap, in fact his quote was the highest of the three we obtained. He seemed very experience and gave us confidence going with him was the best option. Maybe after the job was completed and I discovered the hot and cold in the shower was around the wrong way should have been a warning. But he dutifully returned the next day and made amends, so we thought nothing more of it until the water hammering began.
So now I am dealing with the prospect of ripping out half the bathroom to access the water pipe paths. Of course, before I get to that I’ll be experimenting with anti-hammer devices. It’s a very disappointing outcome really and I expected more from a trades person who specialises in plumbing.
The positive I can take from this experience is that when you do a job, do it correctly the first time. Never do a job for the money, always do a job like it is for yourself. Take your time, review your options, investigate, do your research and provide the best possible outcome for your customer. I’ve been in business for 9 years now and I doubt I’d be around today without this understanding.
You made it to this point? Thank you for your time reading this! I really appreciate it. If you have any comments or suggestions, please don’t hesitate to contact me. Had a similar experience? Why not leave a comment below?
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