# Have you ever worked in a Hoarder's house



## OldSchool (Jan 30, 2010)

I sold a job the other day. A furnace change out and an instant hot water tank. I couldn't believe it when I got to the door. I could bearly get throught the door, it was full of boxes and junk. As she attempted to led me to the basement we had to step over boxes all the way down the stairs. She didn't have a clear path anywhere. we worked our way to the furnace room and there was boxes of junk stacked to the ceiling. How in the hell was I going to get this job done with all this junk. I had to tell her staight out " You are going to have to clean this up if you want us to work here". She agreed. It took her 3 weeks to move everything from the furnace room, stairwell and front door. When we went in to start the work that area was clear but she also wanted a new thermostat with fan control which was located upstairs. So when I got up there it was like what the hell. All the junk downstairs was placed upstairs LMAO. I had to step on top of everything just to get to the thermostat. The main floor had so much junk that there was no place to sit in the living room and the kitchen was completely filled with boxes. Never though I would have ever worked in such a house, it was like you see on TV. Next time I will double my price so I dont get the job.


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## user2090 (Sep 26, 2009)

I tell customers like that, "The longer it takes me to work the more its going to cost." This usually gets the point across. Why price it high and not get it? We have many people around here that live that way, it amazes me that some kind of health services don't ever intervene. The fire hazard alone is astounding. I think that show hoarders just gives people the excuse to be the way they are, "I can't help it, its a disease." B.S. if you want to change you can.


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## smythers1968 (Feb 4, 2009)

How did all the crap sitting on the registers affect the airflow/delta t and so on.

Let me guess, all the crap was stacked around the registers.

We do alot of work for landlords and the tenants are not the best house keepers. When we get there we tell the tenants to move the stuff if they ignore us we walk right over it.

One tenant called and complained to the landlord who called me while I was onsite. I told him I asked them to move it and I don't fit in a french maids uniform. He called the tenant .. crap got moved


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## smythers1968 (Feb 4, 2009)

Indiana Plumber said:


> I tell customers like that, "The longer it takes me to work the more its going to cost." This usually gets the point across. Why price it high and not get it? We have many people around here that live that way, it amazes me that some kind of health services don't ever intervene. The fire hazard alone is astounding. I think that show hoarders just gives people the excuse to be the way they are, "I can't help it, its a disease." B.S. if you want to change you can.


 
yea yea but really code inspector I submitted the change of occupancy paper work to go from R residential to S storage:thumbsup:


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## longplumb (Nov 15, 2009)

Should have told her you would recommend her for the new reality show on tv about the hoarders. :laughing:


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## futz (Sep 17, 2009)

Heh :laughing: I AM a hoarder, so I'm used to it. Too small a shop and house to properly unpack or store stuff or organize. Both are disaster areas, piled full of crap.

I have worked in peoples' houses that were crazier than me by far though.


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## TheMaster (Jun 12, 2009)

Sure many times....since i joined the zone I've taken a few pics of a couple houses totally ruined by the weight of the junk.....the homes are on a post and beam foundations and the foundations have sagged from the weight.


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## JK949 (Mar 18, 2009)

Yes, rerouted a slab leak. The house smelled so bad, I kept my respirator on when I left the attic. The hall bath hadn't been used in so long the toilet bowl dried out.


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## Cal (Jun 17, 2008)

Have worked for SEVERAL REAL Hoarders over the years ,,,, you CAN NOT describe it ,,, gotta been seen live !!! 

Sad ,,


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## OldSchool (Jan 30, 2010)

Indiana Plumber said:


> I tell customers like that, "The longer it takes me to work the more its going to cost." This usually gets the point across. Why price it high and not get it? We have many people around here that live that way, it amazes me that some kind of health services don't ever intervene. The fire hazard alone is astounding. I think that show hoarders just gives people the excuse to be the way they are, "I can't help it, its a disease." B.S. if you want to change you can.


There is enough work up here we are able to pick and choose. Better to price high and try not to get it. If I get it great... you never know maybe the last guy that went there walked out.


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## dankman (Nov 19, 2009)

I've worked in a few homes were the occupant could be considered a hoarder and it drives me totally insane while I'm there. I've been in two homes that will always stick out in my mind, one I wrote about on this forum; the saddest part about both places is that they were both in multi-dwelling buildings and were most likely the source of any pest problem either building had.


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## GREENPLUM (Jul 27, 2008)

i was in a house where the rats died tring to find a way out! I found them next to the witch hazel.


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## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

I have an uncle who is a hoarder. He's a conductor and has music sheets stacked to the ceiling in every room. Not just music though. Books and newspapers to. It's sad.


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## Bollinger plumber (Apr 3, 2009)

Went to a ladies house to unstop her sewer. I ask her if she had a cleanout. She took me into the basement and opened the closet door and pointed to the back and said its back there. The closet was full up to the ceiling with old newspaper and other junk. The closet was under the basement steps and about 8 ft deep. I told her I would just pull a toilet she said no I had to go through the cleanout she didn't want a mess upstairs. I considered going through roof stack but the roof was way to steep. So I went back downstairs and started moving crap taking my sweet old time while she sat on a barstool talking and asking stupid questions. I finally reached the stack and had the sewer opened in a matter of minutes. I took my machine back to the truck and got my invoice book and started writing out the invoice. She looke at me and asked, Are you going to put that stuff back? So went downstairs put all the stuff back in the closet again with her sitting on the barstool watching me. When I was done i went upstairs filled out the invoice for 5 and a half hrs. When I handed it to her she said "but it only took you a few minutes to get it open". I said yes maam but it took me 3 hrs to move and put all the stuff back. She said she was not going to pay that so I called the boss told him the situation and let him talk to her. She eventually gave me a check and said she would never call us again. I told her I would appreciate that got in my truck and left.


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## ChrisConnor (Dec 31, 2009)

I have a customer that was like that. He is an old widower who had books over knee high in every room with little pathways to get through. Some rooms could not be entered because of boxes from floor to ceiling. Years later he calls again, I am dreading the call the way to his house. This time, the house is clean, worn and old, but clean.

I asked him what happened to the books, he said that he realized that he didn't need them when he started dating again and his date came to his house one Saturday and told him that his house was a fire hazard and SHE called for a roll off container to be delivered the next Monday. He told me she paid the movers to take it out and everything. He said there were rats nests all over the house. 

Funny thing is he tells me that her house is a wreck full of clothes piled up in ever room. I could only imagine.


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## futz (Sep 17, 2009)

ChrisConnor said:


> his date came to his house one Saturday and told him that his house was a fire hazard and SHE called for a roll off container to be delivered the next Monday. He told me she paid the movers to take it out and everything. He said there were rats nests all over the house.
> 
> Funny thing is he tells me that her house is a wreck full of clothes piled up in ever room. I could only imagine.


Heh :laughing: It's always easy to throw someone else's stuff away.


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## TheMaster (Jun 12, 2009)

Notice the floor furnace and all the papers stacked up around. Notice in the last pic the crap piled in the bathroom...(the partially closed door with the tile floor) The entire house was like that or worse....some rooms you couldn't even walk into.


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## TheMaster (Jun 12, 2009)

Here is a different house,same issue. Both homes are ruined,the foundation has sagged.


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## pauliplumber (Feb 9, 2009)

I think most of these people are lazy pigs. Some however truly have a severe mental condition where simply throwing something away makes them sick and depressed. I've been in only one true hoarder house and I'll never forget it. I've been in a ton of messy, disgusting homes where the owners are just plain lazy slobs and don't care. There's definitely a difference between the two.


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## Jae (Jan 22, 2010)

*Charge for "Access"*

We charge if we provide time to make access. Landlords and property mgrs take care of it pronto. Home Owners usually reschedule or forget it. Either way they move their stuff and are responsible for remembering where they put things...or we charge for the labor and the statement they sign says, " Home Owner pays licensed plumber to clear personal property to provide access to work area. We are not responsible for damaged or lost property."

The pictures in this thread are right on! Contractors nightmare!


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## Jae (Jan 22, 2010)

A nice frozen frost free hose bib blowing a hole in the wall gets these places cleaned up.


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## CentralPlumbing (Jan 22, 2009)

*These were taken a few months back.*


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## UnclogNH (Mar 28, 2009)

I just tell the customer or land lord sorry I'm not your maid service.
Clean up before work is performed.


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

*Did you get paid????*



OldSchool said:


> I sold a job the other day. A furnace change out and an instant hot water tank. I couldn't believe it when I got to the door. I could bearly get throught the door, it was full of boxes and junk. As she attempted to led me to the basement we had to step over boxes all the way down the stairs.
> . Next time I will double my price so I dont get the job.


 
the biggest risk you take is getting paid

I wont touch one of them without asking how is this
work going to be paid for today???
... 
I guess you got your money???..


Nothing can describe being in one of these hell holes....
the junk is one thing but the SMELL is 
something that burns the hair right out of your nose...

there is just nothing better on a 95 degree day than the 
stale smell and taste.....of rotting garbage, body odors, and cat ****..... 
all closed up in a house with no ventilation


I have been there and lived to tell the tale.....


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