# Why I really, really, really don't miss residential



## 422 plumber (Jul 31, 2008)

I had to change this thing out. I ended up cutting holes in the side for handholds, and straining my back to lift it over the meter, disconnecting the gas to the furnace and then pushing the clothes washer out into the hallway. What a PITA. The only reason I did it is because the h/o is the sister of a customer I had when I had my own shop. There was a thread earlier about a water heater sling or somesuch, I really wished I had it Monday.


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## Epox (Sep 19, 2010)

Gut buster for sure, maybe if they tried harder they could have more crap in your way.


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## 130 PLUMBER (Oct 22, 2009)

Looks like more task are needed to that job $$$$$$$


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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

That's why they call it work. If it was easy, they'd have some service plumber doing it. :laughing:


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## Cal (Jun 17, 2008)

And ya wonder were the F**K the inspectors head was on THAT ONE ??? Or even the plumber running the job ??? 
Tough job ,,, nice work Big Man !! Hope ur back heals quick !


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## 422 plumber (Jul 31, 2008)

I started out doing residential and my partner, Carl, who was a Chicago plumber, kicked it into my head to always think about the next guy. Regardless of who it was. He wanted whoever came next to see his work and think, "that was a real mechanic." My dad and Carl showed me two great examples and it just pains me to see that, especially since it was done by union plumbers.


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## PlungerJockey (Feb 19, 2010)

Looks like they could have at least put the WH on a stand behind the meter, then you could just slide it off.


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## ckoch407 (Sep 30, 2009)

That was a pretty crummy thing of the original installer to do. Not very nice at all.


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

*its always that way*

if you are doing somethign for a relative for free
it always works out like that......

for anyone else, I cry foul and add on another 150 for 
my troubles.. 

the dead lift over the water meter ..is worth at least 150
 
I would certainly change out all the gas and use a flex connector on the gas , flex connectors on the water lines and put the new heater in a pan..

you want to make it as easy as possible for yourself 
for the next time she calls with a leaking water heater:laughing::laughing::laughing:.

.


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## Epox (Sep 19, 2010)

Very poor workmanship and a huge mess for ho to live with. Typically over time things get added and changed and a big mess of plumbing evolves. I do well and ho's are gratefull for " cleaning up the mess". Easy enough to do most of the time and they pay well. A great seller point when a repipe is being considered. :thumbsup:


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## greenscoutII (Aug 27, 2008)

Wow! That looks like it was fun!:no:

Funny how water heater change outs are either easy or a real PITA with no in between.

We had a similar situation last week. My boss called me and asked if I was done with my first call. He said he had run into a an ugly, complicated situation and wanted me to help him figure it out. He didn't say what the problem was over the phone, just that I should get over to where he was as soon as I was done with the job I was on.

Now, all the way over there I was feeling pretty proud of myself that my boss wanted my help with figuring something out. He has been plumbing for more than 40 years and is, bar none, the most knowledgeable master plumber I ever worked for.

Well, I get there and I ask what the situation is. He shows me an equally ugly water heater installation in a basement. At first, I was a little confused. Then I realized why I was there. The boss said, "Johnson, that's why I hired you." "You're a half-decent plumber, a reliable employee, and you're strong as a bull ox." "Now, yank that thing out of there!"

Sometimes it's good to be the boss I guess!:thumbup:

Afterwards, the boss tells me that when business picks up enough to allow him to hire a couple more guys (it's just him and me right now), he's going to hire an 18 year old kid, preferably a big farm boy for the heavy lifting and a midget with plumbing experience for crawlspaces & attics.

I think he's just teasing me.........


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## Phat Cat (Apr 1, 2009)

Sounds like he appreciates you. :yes: If he's as knowledgeable as you say and willing to teach, you are very fortunate. :thumbup:


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## user2090 (Sep 26, 2009)

Did an actual licensed plumbing outfit plumb that room in. Looks like someone had a real case of head up their rear end. That does look kinda familiar, quite a few "new" homes around here have areas that look like that. 

That kinda work is evidence that pot is a mind altering drug.


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## 422 plumber (Jul 31, 2008)

Indie said:


> Did an actual licensed plumbing outfit plumb that room in. Looks like someone had a real case of head up their rear end. That does look kinda familiar, quite a few "new" homes around here have areas that look like that.
> 
> That kinda work is evidence that pot is a mind altering drug.


That was done by Action Plumbing, from West Chicago. At one time they were largest employer for 3 different plumbing locals, and the biggest plumber in the state. They are just a shadow of themselves now. They would have a project in a neighboring local and they would have 3rd and 4th year apprentices from their home local as foreman, and green 1st years doing undergrounds, maybe a couple of j-men sprinkled in doing roughs and trims. It was the blind leading the blind. A lot of j-men would quit because they didn't want to bossed around by an arrogant apprentice who didn't know jack squat. The apprentices had to stay, because they can't quit. This type of workmanship is common for all the trades in these developments.


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## user4 (Jun 12, 2008)

jjbex said:


> That was done by Action Plumbing, from West Chicago. At one time they were largest employer for 3 different plumbing locals, and the biggest plumber in the state. They are just a shadow of themselves now. They would have a project in a neighboring local and they would have 3rd and 4th year apprentices from their home local as foreman, and green 1st years doing undergrounds, maybe a couple of j-men sprinkled in doing roughs and trims. It was the blind leading the blind. A lot of j-men would quit because they didn't want to bossed around by an arrogant apprentice who didn't know jack squat. The apprentices had to stay, because they can't quit. This type of workmanship is common for all the trades in these developments.


I don't think Action was ever as large as Planned Plumbing or Keystone Mechanical, but they were fairly large, and all of them are a shadow of their former selves. Back in the day when I was running high rise work I would tell 130 not to send me anyone that served their apprenticeship with those three or with Professional Plumbing.


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## jc60618 (Jan 24, 2010)

When I was in day school I was told that as soon as you got your journeyman's license action, keystone, professional and admiral plumbing would give you your walking papers. Like jjbex said it was pretty much apprentices running the show and then they would brag about rough in a house in a day or two.


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## 422 plumber (Jul 31, 2008)

jc60618 said:


> When I was in day school I was told that as soon as you got your journeyman's license action, keystone, professional and admiral plumbing would give you your walking papers. Like jjbex said it was pretty much apprentices running the show and then they would brag about rough in a house in a day or two.


That's pretty much the way it was. In our area, on the residential jobs, a lot of foreman would tell the crews they couldn't start to pick up till 3:30. Then the foreman would start driving the subdivisions, picking up the tools for 2, 3, or 4 crews. I would have the power tools, jennie and whatever out at the curb by 3:30. If the foreman wasn't there, oh well. Of course, I usually was the one of the first laid off. The suckups might last longer, but they are all gone now.


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## breid1903 (Feb 8, 2009)

i see stuff like that all the time. almost none of mine are easy. i have seen several that are behind the range with some brick brack built in front of it. same guy put them all in. how about behind the furnace and water softener. lol. i look at as job security. i love it when i give them a price and they tell that the other guy is a lot cheaper. i ask where is he at and they tell he never came back. i'm a smart azz i tell them i will do it for free, but i'm not coming back either. lol. breid..............:rockon:


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## iamzoner (Oct 29, 2009)

*Where's the AFTER pics?*

I see the mess that you had to start with. Where are your pics for how it looked when you left?


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## Kevan (Jul 5, 2010)

Seems like the original installer might have set the unit in a bed of Liquid Nails or Super Glue, just to finish it off in good style.


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## 422 plumber (Jul 31, 2008)

iamzoner said:


> I see the mess that you had to start with. Where are your pics for how it looked when you left?


It basically looked the same. H/O didn't want to pay for me to make it easy on the next guy. She doesn't have to break her back, the plumber does. By the way, the problem was caused by lint clogging the intake. The tank had no problems. It was impossible to change out the burner assembly, without yanking the heater, so I figured if I had to go thru the trouble, a new one was going back.


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## DownHill (Oct 15, 2010)

I just keep thinking Jar Jar Binx for some reason.


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## 422 plumber (Jul 31, 2008)

DownHill said:


> I just keep thinking Jar Jar Binx for some reason.


you mean jjbex reminds you of jar-jar? That's hilarious.


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## DownHill (Oct 15, 2010)

jjbex said:


> you mean jjbex reminds you of jar-jar? That's hilarious.


I don't know it it's really hilarious. Just when I see it, enters my mind every time. 

Could be the glue.


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## user4 (Jun 12, 2008)

DownHill said:


> Could be the glue.


You're not supposed to drink it.


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