# Another plumber making a mistake



## futz (Sep 17, 2009)

After reading Dunbar's mistake thread I've decided to come clean and admit that I made a fairly bad mistake last week. I was installing a freestanding bathtub on final. Had to move the drain a little to suit, as the manufacturer's drawings weren't the best. The tile man had tiled everything under the tub, even though I had marked out where he didn't need to. Guess whoever did the subfloor didn't transfer those marks to his subfloor when he nailed it down.  

So I've got the diamond blade on the grinder and I'm cutting and busting up tiles under the tub when I suddenly realize that I've cut through the Nuheat in two places - once through the leads and once in the mat. AAAAAARRRRGGGGHHHH!!!!   Oh! Bad!!! So very bad!  They ran Nuheat under the tub - also because nobody paid any attention to my marks on the floor.

Talked to the electrician and also consulted Nuheat's web-site. They make repair kits for both leads and for the mat. Yes! Got him to get those picked up and yesterday I did the repairs. The repair kits are *excellent*. They use heat-shrink sleeves with seals inside both ends and prefluxed lo-temp solder inside the middle. Just slip it over the overlapped wires (kits come with lots of extra wire) and hit it with the heat gun. Then do the same for the outer grounded braid (Nuheat is coaxial) with a bigger version of the heat-shrink thing. Easy, and a pretty good repair. 

The heat is back on and I'm VERY relieved.


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## MikeS (Oct 3, 2011)

I'm not familiar with Nuheat, but, I am familiar with mistakes, on occasion. When they happen, you own up to them, assure the customer you will correct them, and then correct them. You get an A+ in my book, you handled this like the pro you surely are. Good job.


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## Miguel (Aug 10, 2009)

Glad it worked out for you!
Did you read my entry in the "My Day" thread a while back? Back in the fall I was roughing in a slab and realised that the soaker tub was going to infringe on the WC so I made the executive decision (onsite with the GC's lead guy and the HO nowhere to be found) to rough the toilet in 6" over to allow space to make the tub fit but change out the lav to a 3' instead of a 4'.
Turns out the the lav had already been bought and this was unnacceptable. Spent considerable time with a jackhammer busting up the floor to move the waste and water (which also was roughed into the slab) to suit. Whilst doing this I cut right through a slab heat PEX line that I also had to repair. 

DoH! As Homer would say. My own language was somewhat more colourful than that.

The WC looks good centered under the window and the 4' lav is a peach. The 6' soaker tub looks like shiot all crowded up against the wall and off centre. Oh well...

If I can get pics I'll post 'em but it really looks as if the tub was an afterthought. I really wish the owner was there at RI time as the GC's #1 totally bailed on me when push came to shove. :wallbash:


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## Phat Cat (Apr 1, 2009)

So happy to meet fellow human beings. :yes:

What counts is NOT the mistake, it's what you do after that matters.


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## hroark2112 (Apr 16, 2011)

I'm pissed off at myself today. I ran the kitchen sink drain through the load bearing wall and had to pull it out & move it to the floor joists. The GC is going to back charge me to fix the wall, I'm sure. The real kick in the azz???

It was easier & faster to run it through the floor joists. It looks neater too.


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## Boomer! (Feb 24, 2012)

Sometimes we all learn valuable lessons by making big mistakes. I think everyone that is human has done something they wish they could take back. 

I drilled a 3" hole through a $10000  Micro-laminated main support, I was at fault because I did it and listened to my boss at the time that said to do it. 

I knew better but did what I was told. The company was fired from the project and two weeks later I was offered a position at the company that took the project over. The Project Super gave them my number, I was offered a larger salary, and a truck to drive. 

I am not perfect, I still make the occasional mistake by rushing or getting to far ahead of myself. It is all about learning to be a better plumber and general person.


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## Piper34 (Oct 10, 2011)

I heard from a smart guy once there is nothing wrong with making a mistake ,but defending it is another matter 😁


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## Plumbergeek (Aug 16, 2010)

I just dropped by to say I never make mistakes......well, except maybe my first wife.


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## RW Plumbing (Aug 16, 2010)

Boomer! said:


> Sometimes we all learn valuable lessons by making big mistakes. I think everyone that is human has done something they wish they could take back.
> 
> I drilled a 3" hole through a $10000  Micro-laminated main support, I was at fault because I did it and listened to my boss at the time that said to do it.
> 
> ...


Doesn't sound like a mistake to me. Your actions caused an idiot to lose his job, and net you a better one. It isn't a mistake when you're doing what you're told. I've done some pretty stupid stuff under orders as well. When you tell the boss it's stupid, and he says do what I say, do it. When it really sucks is when you do it, and he denies telling you to do it to his boss. Then he says he had no idea you were doing it. I hated that part of working for someone else.


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## damnplumber (Jan 22, 2012)

Like my grandfather once said..."never judge a man by his mistakes...it's how he handles them that you look at"


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## deerslayer (Mar 29, 2012)

A good friend of mines father was a great carpenter/builder in his day and i still remember him saying a good carpenter is the one who can hide his mistakes well enough you can't see them or starts over.
Mistakes will happen. I prefer to eat mine while fresh!


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## revenge (Jun 30, 2011)

A profesional would fix his mistake after he made it. A hack would hide it and act like nothing ever happened


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