# rotting copper.... what do you do??



## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

I get a call from someone yesterday asking me for an estimate to make repairs in a 20 story apartment building that was built in the late 50s... Its kind of a fancy place downtown and is still considered an elite condo for this town....

They claim that all the copper drain lines in the building are starting to split and corrode and many pin holes are beginning to happen throughout the whole buiilding.. he claims that the main trunk line going down 20 floors is HD copper .:surprise:

The owner states that the last plumber they had in the place made some repairs but shook the place up so much that new holes were beginning to happen ,, 
Of course I am sure that the plumber told this guy that it was a temporary repair and their will surely be more problems down the road.. 
Now this jerk owner is blaming the plumber for all the new problems...:vs_laugh:

He tells me that they have cut access holes here and there and he thinks somehow minor repairs can be made to this system

I told the fellow that this was gonna be a mess and it out of my league and started to give him names of places to call and he basically hangs up on me..

after he hung up I asked around and found out they dont pay for the work that gets done in the building, so he probably cheated the last plumber out of the dough.....


This is gonna be happenning more and more everywhere in the country and I wonder how things get repaired in New York city when things go rotten??

I am wondering if anyone has actually done something like this before in a 20 story apartment building and how in the hell would you go about it with people living in these condos??? 


Just throw on a full body haz mat suit ans let the crap fall where it wants to??? Their must be ways to divert the system but that is above my pay grade.....

good times


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## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

I have a story almost exactly like this. Only differences is it’s a 7 story, galvanized lines, and section 8.

The 1” mains ran in the hallway walls. If a repair clamp didn’t work we’d replace the whole section, which almost always started the domino effect.

We came up with a plan to run pex in a chase in the hallway and same inside the apartments. I think we gave him a $750k or something bid.

We had a falling out when we gave him a price for a job, he agreed, but when done he said “No, I’ll pay you this amount.”

A couple of weeks after we told him to pee up a rope, I got a call from the manager (who by the way was a sweetheart and even advocated on our behalf multiple times) saying she would pay before we do the job. Something small, like a kitchen drain.I was running the show at the time and was the decision maker with the exception of major stuff. 

So I called my Master. At first he said ok, a second later he said “You know what, no, F them!”


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## Tango (Jan 13, 2018)

When I was a second year apprentice I went to work in the other province where I didn't know there was non union work and I was hired. We had to install heating pipes in a 8 or 10 story apartment building. There was a chinese man(boss) and 3-4 other guys,Guess what I was the one who knew the most! :vs_OMG: By the way I knew practically nothing, the boss didn't even know how to read the plans!

Anyway they eventually they added a real plumber and I was so glad he could guide me. People still lived in the building and walls were ripped and a clean up crew would sweep it up. People's furniture were dirtied, students clothes in their bedrooms were stomped on etc. They didn't take much care while we had to bang on pipes while the tenants were trying to watch tv.


To answer your question Mark eventually people will move out because of the bad conditions and he will rent to bad people and once thats starts all the good people will run away, soon enough the city will probably condemn it leaving it abandoned. Or someone will try to buy the foreclosure and go bankrupt trying to fix it thinking he'll profit from it when it's done.


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

OpenSights said:


> I have a story almost exactly like this. Only differences is it’s a 7 story, galvanized lines, and section 8.
> 
> The 1” mains ran in the hallway walls. If a repair clamp didn’t work we’d replace the whole section, which almost always started the domino effect.
> 
> ...




Section 8 housing,  now that is really a sweet deal.... and very friendly people always patient and willing to be helpful... 

You turn around and somehow your toolbox has grown legs and vanished...lol and you need a guard down by the truck..

I would tell them to go fuc/ themselves too



just cut out about 8 feet of spoiled copper today in 2 inch....

THANK GOD for FERNCO fittings...


https://photos.app.goo.gl/eeGz9bjo2rr8E6TA9






.


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## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

Master Mark said:


> Section 8 housing, now that is really a sweet deal.... and very friendly people always patient and willing to be helpful...
> 
> You turn around and somehow your toolbox has grown legs and vanished...lol and you need a guard down by the truck..
> 
> ...


Link is blank.

Copper dwv is run it’s lifespan here too. The ones that are or were on a septic have been replaced. I remember the first time I was called for a sewer smell in a copper plumbed house. Opened up the drop ceiling to find a 3” trough.


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## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

Just noticed you’re op was about drain not potable.... I suck at multitasking!

Yeah, I’d run from that too!!!


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## canuck92 (Apr 1, 2016)

Been changing out sets of risers in a 15 story apartment building this past year. 
Somone goes a day or two befour cuts lots of drywall in all the units on that row. 
Then show up with 4 guys the day of shut down the section being worked on. 2 guys cut out pipe an rotate floors 1 guy starts piping in from top floor other guy cleans up mess behind. 
Pretty much like an assembly line we got it down pretty good now. Start at 7am an were done by 3pm


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## dhal22 (Jul 30, 2010)

Thats how you do it.


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## czplumbing (Nov 24, 2014)

I don't know what to say . this is a ****ed up situation. to do the job right every one has to be kicked out. Like that's going to happen. LOL . I guess the only thing you could do is small repairs and hope for the best, and you know the **** will happen again. pin hole leaks. luckily you found out the owner was a none paying ass hole before you got involved. but I hear you in this situation how the hell do you make the proper repairs and keeps all tenets in their apartments. I guess you start from the top and work your way down. and this will involve a major reno


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## Plumbus (Aug 4, 2008)

In a multifamily situation, Canuck92's crew is doing the job the best way I can see it being done, piecemeal.
Billing as you go to make sure of payment is the only way I would do it.


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## justme (Jul 4, 2012)

We do total repipes all the time on water,sewer and gas with affecting the customers as little as possible (commercial work). You have to come up with a plan, you run the new system beside the old system and then schedule to make crossovers in the middle of the night. It's not easy but it's a job and it can be done properly without kicking everybody out of the building.


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

justme said:


> We do total repipes all the time on water,sewer and gas with affecting the customers as little as possible (commercial work). You have to come up with a plan, you run the new system beside the old system and then schedule to make crossovers in the middle of the night. It's not easy but it's a job and it can be done properly without kicking everybody out of the building.




Thanks for all the information..... This kind of work you have to be really geared up to do.... on both the plumbing end and on the legal end too... cause you will probably never get all your money when its done.... 

The building has already changed hands a number of times over the past 20 years and it is legendary for being non-paying or slow.. The maintenance crew comes and goes like the wind.... that is according to things my salesman has told me....... 

Their is no pot of gold at the end of this rainbow but I am sure they will find some young upstart willing to take the bait.... and learn a hard lesson.


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## Tango (Jan 13, 2018)

Master Mark said:


> Their is no pot of gold at the end of this rainbow but I am sure they will find some young upstart willing to take the bait.... and learn a hard lesson.


For those who are planning to start their business take notes from this quote. You will be tested and promised treasure chests full of jewels. I was baited many times in the 1st year of my start-up. They get your name from magazines that publish all the new businesses. They will pounce on you just like they do to noobies in prison and steal your commissary.


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## ShtRnsdownhill (Jan 13, 2016)

Tango said:


> They will pounce on you just like they do to noobies in prison and steal your commissary.



hmmmm.personal experience?????:devil3::devil3: got your soap on the rope??:vs_laugh:


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## Tango (Jan 13, 2018)

ShtRnsdownhill said:


> hmmmm.personal experience?????:devil3::devil3: got your soap on the rope??:vs_laugh:


Nope! I watch the guy's Utube channel lockdown 23 and 1

And the fact you cannot get a contractor licence if you have a criminal record.

Sorry to shut down your fantasy. :wink:


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## justme (Jul 4, 2012)

Master Mark said:


> Thanks for all the information..... This kind of work you have to be really geared up to do.... on both the plumbing end and on the legal end too... cause you will probably never get all your money when its done....
> 
> The building has already changed hands a number of times over the past 20 years and it is legendary for being non-paying or slow.. The maintenance crew comes and goes like the wind.... that is according to things my salesman has told me.......
> 
> Their is no pot of gold at the end of this rainbow but I am sure they will find some young upstart willing to take the bait.... and learn a hard lesson.


 The one thing I avoid like the plague is landlords or management companies. We do have two we work for but other than that I turn them down every time. Not worth the 180 days of no payments and having to threaten them with legal action to get paid, get tired of feeling like we are their bank.


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