# Plumbing Illustrated: Special Edition



## ckoch407 (Sep 30, 2009)

In todays issue we will be discussing the importance of hiring an experienced plumber, and what can happen if you forget the basic laws of modern consumerism. In this case the owner originally had a 5 year old ProFlo toilet that had a slight drip. While the "painter" was there upgrading some door knobs the conversation turned to a few other things that need to be done. Well one thing led to another and in the heat of the moment the hapless owner was easily seduced by the perceived convenience of not having the whole list done by the same familiar face, and too-good-to-be-true prices. Wow, what a nice guy. He has the best intentions. (Well, sorry to burst your bubble, but the road to hell is paved with good intentions.) As fate would have it, owner needs a few drains cleared out a week later and makes the wise decision to call a professional plumbing company out. It seems the "painter" does not have the wherewithal or knowledge to attempt such a feat. As a true professional should, the plumber does a complete system evaluation before making any assumptions and shares the results with some good/better/best options. Owner is completely wowed and has several slow draining lines cleared, and has a new professional grade stainless steel disposal installed because of a limited quantity special and the convenience of having it done instantly. After all the work is completed beyond owner's satisfaction, plumber offer's to do a complimentary plumbing/safety inspection. During the course of the free inspection plumber discovers the following, and a darn good thing he did too...


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## user2090 (Sep 26, 2009)

Well, you got to give it to the guy. He tried, failed miserably, but tried. I was in the Home Depot once browsing, when I heard an old lady, with her painter, talking about installing a shower. She said "Plumbers just charge to much money, my painter can install this shower for me." That is the God's honest truth. I just looked at the guy laughed and walked away.


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## KCplumber (Dec 31, 2009)

Maybe the painter/plumber didn't know what to do with the old wax ring:laughing:

Or... didn't know where to put the new one:whistling2:


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## Bayside500 (May 16, 2009)

wow, never seen that done before


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## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

:laughing:......Thanks, I needed that after a hard day.


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## jc60618 (Jan 24, 2010)

Pro-Flow nothing but the best.


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## ckoch407 (Sep 30, 2009)

Indie said:


> Well, you got to give it to the guy. He tried, failed miserably, but tried. I was in the Home Depot once browsing, when I heard an old lady, with her painter, talking about installing a shower. She said "Plumbers just charge to much money, my painter can install this shower for me." That is the God's honest truth. I just looked at the guy laughed and walked away.


I try my best not to go to hd. IF its a dire emergency I will but anyway, yeah I see that scenario almost every time I go into those places. I recently read a study about market share. It was pretty detailed but in a nutshell it said that 10 years ago the market represented $86 per person of population per year and independent plumbers controlled approx 74% of the market, retail stores and franchises the rest. When the study was concluded in 2006 the market had grown and each person represented $120. A 71% increase in dollars. Independent companies in 2006 controlled a meager 36%, franchises and box stores controll the rest. On any given day that a plumbers phone doesnt ring, you can visit a home center and watch thousands being spent on plumbing. A 48% decrease in market share.


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## service guy (Jun 26, 2008)

ckoch407 said:


> I try my best not to go to hd. IF its a dire emergency I will but anyway, yeah I see that scenario almost every time I go into those places. I recently read a study about market share. It was pretty detailed but in a nutshell it said that 10 years ago the market represented $86 per person of population per year and independent plumbers controlled approx 74% of the market, retail stores and franchises the rest. When the study was concluded in 2006 the market had grown and each person represented $120. A 71% increase in dollars. Independent companies in 2006 controlled a meager 36%, franchises and box stores controll the rest. On any given day that a plumbers phone doesnt ring, you can visit a home center and watch thousands being spent on plumbing. A 48% decrease in market share.


Yeah, but the upside to all the DIYers and Handyhacks, is most of their installations have to be redone in a short time.:laughing: I go on a lot of calls to make professional repairs to fairly new homes that are built like crap, or redoing stuff that was "fixed" by a DIYer.
But, I agree with your point, the box stores are basically an enemy to the trade.


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## 2010_Frontier (Mar 18, 2010)

Wow, simply wow!


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## ChrisConnor (Dec 31, 2009)

That was great, now the question is, 

Did he put the wax on the tank and set it on the bowl or did he set the wax on the bowl and then set the tank on top of it??

Did he use solid brass bolts or those brass coated bolts??


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## ckoch407 (Sep 30, 2009)

Seat bolts. Didnt get a pic of that one. PLASTIC.


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## RealLivePlumber (Jun 22, 2008)

ChrisConnor said:


> That was great, now the question is,
> 
> Did he put the wax on the tank and set it on the bowl or did he set the wax on the bowl and then set the tank on top of it??
> 
> Did he use solid brass bolts or those brass coated bolts??


 Betcha he used plastic:laughing:


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## njoy plumbing (May 19, 2009)

Indie said:


> Well, you got to give it to the guy. He tried, failed miserably, but tried. I was in the Home Depot once browsing, when I heard an old lady, with her painter, talking about installing a shower. She said "Plumbers just charge to much money, my painter can install this shower for me." That is the God's honest truth. I just looked at the guy laughed and walked away.


 Some of my greatest entertainment comes from the pluming isle at my local Home Hardware.:laughing:


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## KCplumber (Dec 31, 2009)

Did he use "close couple bolts" or tank to bowl bolts?


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## robthaplumber (Jan 27, 2010)

ChrisConnor said:


> That was great, now the question is,
> 
> Did he put the wax on the tank and set it on the bowl or did he set the wax on the bowl and then set the tank on top of it??
> 
> Did he use solid brass bolts or those brass coated bolts??


 I think they are toggle stove carriage bolts?:whistling2:


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## ROCKSTARPLUMBER (Dec 14, 2008)

this thead reminds me that i have not seen it all.:blink:


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## LEAD INGOT (Jul 15, 2009)

Did you pull the bowl to see if the missing tank to bowl gasket was on the collar.:whistling2:


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## ckoch407 (Sep 30, 2009)

Yeah the lady had me change it for a Gerber Viper.


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## TheSkinnyGuy (Sep 15, 2009)

dammit... I bought a wax ring... now where do I put it... can't get to UNDER the toilet... how about here...


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## Plasticman (Oct 14, 2008)

Who keeps digging up bones on here?


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## PlumbingTheCape (Mar 1, 2010)

Indie said:


> Well, you got to give it to the guy. He tried, failed miserably, but tried. I was in the Home Depot once browsing, when I heard an old lady, with her painter, talking about installing a shower. She said "Plumbers just charge to much money, my painter can install this shower for me." That is the God's honest truth. I just looked at the guy laughed and walked away.


Buying cheap means buying twice :whistling2: I don't mind, there always time to do it right the 2nd time round


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## abudgetplumb (Aug 22, 2011)

thats reason I don't like shark bite fittings, takes the craft out of the trade


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## DesertOkie (Jul 15, 2011)

I guess the guy didn't know to use a no-seep, what an idiot.


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