# Just (almost) finished custom house.



## futz (Sep 17, 2009)

I posted some pics of the rough-in of this house a while back. It's now about 99% finished.

The very busy mechanical room.



























Laundry (That QSL2225/12 sat in my shop for over 10 years. Finally sold the stupid thing, and for a nice fatty profit.)









Kitchen



























Living room (house backs on a golf course - it's green in winter here on the wet coast)









Powder room









Up bath


















Main bath









Master ensuite


















The carwash


----------



## ap plumbing (Nov 9, 2010)

nice work...:thumbup: show off:laughing:


----------



## MarkToo (Dec 17, 2011)

Nice job - looks good.

Love those comfort pumps!

What's the device with the black cap on it that looks kind of like a vacuum breaker teed off high on the domestic recirc line?


----------



## futz (Sep 17, 2009)

MarkToo said:


> Love those comfort pumps!


First time I've used one. They *are* nice!



> What's the device with the black cap on it that looks kind of like a vacuum breaker teed off high on the domestic recirc line?


Vac breaker for water tank inlet. It's not on the recirc line. Look closer.


----------



## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

Good looking stuff...:thumbsup: That mechanical room, is it in the basement? What size gas regulator is that? Looks like in pic gas drop enters basement, enters regulator, then feeds heater, then (2) feeds head back upstairs.

Nice to see black iron gas line. Is that code where you are?


----------



## MarkToo (Dec 17, 2011)

futz said:


> Vac breaker for water tank inlet. It's not on the recirc line. Look closer.


Ah ok. This is slab on grade/main floor mechanicals then?


----------



## Mississippiplum (Sep 30, 2011)

Looks damn good, I love copper.

sent from the jobsite porta-potty


----------



## futz (Sep 17, 2009)

MarkToo said:


> Ah ok. This is slab on grade/main floor mechanicals then?





Tommy plumber said:


> Good looking stuff...:thumbsup: That mechanical room, is it in the basement? What size gas regulator is that? Looks like in pic gas drop enters basement, enters regulator, then feeds heater, then (2) feeds head back upstairs.
> 
> Nice to see black iron gas line. Is that code where you are?


The mechanical (and most of the house) is slab on grade. We can't have basements around here - water table is like three feet down. :laughing: Upstairs has only one bedroom, one bathroom, a large family room sort of space and a storage room.

That reg is 3/4", I believe. I didn't do the gas. Black iron isn't required. Our code allows all the usual types of gas pipe - CSST, copper, black, whatever... This fitter does pretty good work, though he annoyed me by hogging half the back wall when I needed it all.  The gas comes through the garage ceiling, drops into the mech room to feed the boiler and pipes up again to go to the BBQ and fireplace.


----------



## Greenguy (Jan 22, 2011)

Looks good other then the hanging a pipe off another pipe, I might have have a hanger mate and a riser clamp. 

We have been moving away from the thermal expansion valve and just installing an expansion tank, less hassle from customers when they crap out.


----------



## futz (Sep 17, 2009)

Greenguy said:


> Looks good other then the hanging a pipe off another pipe, I might have have a hanger mate and a riser clamp.


Ya, that hanger isn't holding much weight. Just steadies it a bit and keeps it from sagging while I build it. I'm not worried about it at all.



> We have been moving away from the thermal expansion valve and just installing an expansion tank, less hassle from customers when they crap out.


I hate them both, but I've been dithering about maybe switching to expansion tanks. Maybe I'll try one out on the next mechanical room I do and see what I think. The thermal valves really are crap. :laughing:


----------



## AKdaplumba (Jan 12, 2010)

You should have your boiler room pics up besides Picasso's works


----------



## marc76075 (Nov 24, 2010)

That's some nice clean work. I wish we had mechanical rooms like that in Florida. Residential homes down here just have a plan old electric water heater.


----------



## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

Your sir are a craftsman. :notworthy:


----------



## GREENPLUM (Jul 27, 2008)

looks Professional, as expected from you

my quibb is the toilet isn't centered under the window, I'm sure there was some kinda beam, but still..

Great work sir


----------



## marc76075 (Nov 24, 2010)

That vessel sink looks like it was alot of fun to install in that piece of furniture / cabinet


----------



## highpoint (Mar 3, 2009)

http://www.radiantheatproducts.com/store/cart.php?m=product_list&c=46
Try out these web stone isolation valves.
You won't go back to those Cast iron ones.
Servicing is a breeze WHEN the pump fails


----------



## futz (Sep 17, 2009)

GREENPLUM said:


> looks Professional, as expected from you
> 
> my quibb is the toilet isn't centered under the window, I'm sure there was some kinda beam, but still..


I don't remember if I was avoiding a joist (probably) or if I was trying to give them a little extra room for tub access. I agree, centered on the window would have looked better, and I usually ask the builder or owner in cases like that. I'm almost positive it was a joist problem - builder didn't want to move it (VERY difficult). Anyway, she who must be obeyed is totally happy with her new house.


marc76075 said:


> That vessel sink looks like it was alot of fun to install in that piece of furniture / cabinet


I was expecting a total nightmare, but it went very smoothly. Took less time than the other lavs. Part of the reason it went well is that I caught the cabinet guy before he nailed the top front cover on and asked him to use those snap-in latchy things instead. Without access to the top bay I'd have had a *very* difficult time.


highpoint said:


> http://www.radiantheatproducts.com/store/cart.php?m=product_list&c=46
> Try out these web stone isolation valves.
> You won't go back to those Cast iron ones.
> Servicing is a breeze WHEN the pump fails


I've used them on and off on various jobs. I'm not terribly thrilled with their quality (handle nuts falling off of garbage threads). But I still occasionally use them when I need to save space.


----------



## Pipe Rat (Apr 5, 2009)

Absolutely fabulous craftmanship. Good Job brother. :thumbup:


----------



## GREENPLUM (Jul 27, 2008)

futz said:


> I don't remember if I was avoiding a joist (probably) or if I was trying to give them a little extra room for tub access. I agree, centered on the window would have looked better, and I usually ask the builder or owner in cases like that. I'm almost positive it was a joist problem - builder didn't want to move it (VERY difficult). Anyway, she who must be obeyed is totally happy with her new house.
> 
> .


 

Been there, done that, and thats why i noticed it wasn't centered.

Ive told a builder " hey this joist has got to be headered or this toilet aint gonna be centered under the window" ,so we use an offset flange or move the toilet off center as instructed by the builder.

Then he complained about it later, acting like we never talked about it before. 


Why did they cheap out on the tub?:laughing:


----------



## futz (Sep 17, 2009)

GREENPLUM said:


> Why did they cheap out on the tub?:laughing:


Kid's bathroom, easy to clean, etc. I guess? I don't ask why. I just take the list and order and install what they picked out at the showroom.  

I really love the supplier's showrooms. Takes almost all the time consuming fixture picking bullcrap off my plate, and I still make my markup. Also, the showrooms show mostly "real" fixtures/faucets rather than the crappy DIY **** depot type junk. All I have to do is go over the lists carefully and look for errors or bad selections that won't work together or whatever. Generally the girls there do a pretty good job.


----------



## Widdershins (Feb 5, 2011)

futz said:


> Kid's bathroom, easy to clean, etc. I guess? I don't ask why. I just take the list and order and install what they picked out at the showroom.
> 
> I really love the supplier's showrooms. Takes almost all the time consuming fixture picking bullcrap off my plate, and I still make my markup. Also, the showrooms show mostly "real" fixtures/faucets rather than the crappy DIY **** depot type junk. All I have to do is go over the lists carefully and look for errors or bad selections that won't work together or whatever. Generally the girls there do a pretty good job.


 Showrooms are great -- I send the HO down to pick their fixtures out and the showroom staff emails or fax's me the fixture list and cut sheets a few days later.

My only real complaint is that they've been pushing California Faucets a lot lately -- I really dislike that whole line of fixtures.


----------



## futz (Sep 17, 2009)

Widdershins said:


> My only real complaint is that they've been pushing California Faucets a lot lately -- I really dislike that whole line of fixtures.


When they start pushing something I *REALLY* don't want to be installing I just go have a chat with them and tell them to avoid those products with my customers.


----------



## Widdershins (Feb 5, 2011)

futz said:


> When they start pushing something I *REALLY* don't want to be installing I just go have a chat with them and tell them to avoid those products with my customers.


 The reality is my showroom pushes what is most profitable for the business.

Right now it's California Faucets offering them the deep discounts -- In a few months it may be Dornbracht or Cifial.

Realizing this, I stay out of the selection process.


----------



## mccmech (Jul 6, 2011)

marc76075 said:


> That vessel sink looks like it was alot of fun to install in that piece of furniture / cabinet



Did you have to customize the shelving for your trap/trap arm or did manufacturer allow for that on your install. I love the vessel bowl look but the plumbing can be a pita on cabinetry with shelving or drawers.


----------



## futz (Sep 17, 2009)

mccmech said:


> Did you have to customize the shelving for your trap/trap arm or did manufacturer allow for that on your install. I love the vessel bowl look but the plumbing can be a pita on cabinetry with shelving or drawers.


Cabinet guy was very nice and had the top shelf cut out neatly before I got there or the granite top went on. And he'd left the top front cover off for me. So my job was really super simple. Didn't have to cut a single thing. I just installed and connected it - done. :thumbup:


----------



## MarkToo (Dec 17, 2011)

Did you track your hours on this one?

I did one a couple winters back that took the month of February to rough (2 guys) and the better part of a week to finish...


----------



## futz (Sep 17, 2009)

MarkToo said:


> Did you track your hours on this one?
> 
> I did one a couple winters back that took the month of February to rough (2 guys) and the better part of a week to finish...


Yes, but I'm too lazy right now to add it up for you. There's lots of hours in it for sure. It was technically a renovation - they saved a little bit of foundation and a couple pieces of lumber. :laughing: A large part of the underground RI had the old crawlspace skim coat concrete still in the ground. It all had to be busted out and removed before I could finish the ditches and lay pipe. Lots of long 100%-sleeved UG WLs were very time consuming to install.

If you really want to know I could add it up in a few minutes...


----------



## bobbyhutchinson (Jan 10, 2012)

i notice the watercloset is not center of the window


----------



## AWWGH (May 2, 2011)

Nice work!


----------



## Widdershins (Feb 5, 2011)

bobbyhutchinson said:


> i notice the watercloset is not center of the window


 I noticed you haven't posted an introduction yet.

http://www.plumbingzone.com/f3/


----------



## JenkPlbg (Nov 27, 2011)

Looks great. I'm not sure if i understand why a residential house would need that much going on in their mechanical room though. Here the most you will see is a manifold system, and a recirc pump or two. Every-now and then a geothermal setup as well.


----------



## futz (Sep 17, 2009)

JenkPlbg said:


> Looks great. I'm not sure if i understand why a residential house would need that much going on in their mechanical room though. Here the most you will see is a manifold system, and a recirc pump or two. Every-now and then a geothermal setup as well.


Heh. :laughing: Hot water heating, especially with 7 zones of radiant and 2 zones of baseboard and an indirect-fired tank, takes a LOT of pipes.


----------



## JenkPlbg (Nov 27, 2011)

Yeah, that is quite a bit. You don't see that much around here. I've done one house with radiant heat, but it hooked up to a small manifold system. And it was heated from an outside wood stove.


----------



## Tim`s Plumbing (Jan 17, 2012)

The copper piping looks great I haven`t soildered that much in at least 6 years now with the Pro Press it saves so much time .


----------



## SPH (Nov 4, 2008)

Looks really good. I'd hate to be the guy who has to re/re any of those pumps though, no isolation valves that I could see.


----------



## Plumbdog (Jan 27, 2009)

Grat work. It's always so much nicer when they actually give you enough room to fit your equipment in.


----------



## futz (Sep 17, 2009)

SPH said:


> Looks really good. I'd hate to be the guy who has to re/re any of those pumps though, no isolation valves that I could see.


They're not at all difficult to change out. Each sub-section has isolation ball valves (boiler, baseboards, radiant, DHW). I don't understand why so many of the posters here want to constantly add more and more hardware to supposedly make something "easier to service", when it's already easy to service. Adding more and more unnecessary hardware is just more and more potential future problems. If it isn't absolutely necessary (or "necessary" to the whiny inspectors) I say leave it out.

The baseboard pump has the iso valve upstream of the pump and the zone valves serve as downstream valves. Shut off the return iso valve to prevent water sneaking back through the bypass. Most of the small bubble left in there after replacing will come out of the air vent at the top of the zone valve manifold, so purging at the baseboards will almost certainly not be necessary. Nothin to it. 

Radiant pump will be the same as above.

Boiler pump is trivial too. Valve off the baseboard, radiant and DHW (and even the boiler if you want), drain out the low-loss header and change the pump. Then refill and purge that loop thoroughly before turning all the outboard loops back on.

DHW pump is easiest of all. Valve it off and change pump. Open valves again and quickly purge the coil - just takes a few bounces before it flushes the air out. Worst case, I'd have to loosen the top pump flange to get rid of the worst of the air - but it wasn't necessary when I started it up first time. Simple.

I do heating service for a living, along with plumbing, new heating and all the rest. I've been servicing hot water systems for over twenty years. If I didn't think I could service that thing easily I wouldn't hesitate to put in the extra hardware, because I'll almost certainly be the guy servicing that system.

*EDIT:* Maybe you aren't seeing the iso valves because they're Kitz valves, with yellow handles. They don't really stand out against copper in the photos.


----------



## switch045 (Jan 25, 2012)

holy nuts batman


----------



## PlumberG (Jan 25, 2012)

Looks really good!!I'm newly licensed and was wondering how many hour that took you (literally from start to finish) and how many years experience you have ?!?!


Thanks for posting ..... Good job!!


----------



## walker426 (Oct 17, 2011)

futz said:


> I posted some pics of the rough-in of this house a while back. It's now about 99% finished.
> 
> The very busy mechanical room.
> 
> ...


U heard of unistrut i use it for busy rooms like that


----------



## WHTEVO (Mar 16, 2011)

Looks good, although i would have put some s/o valves on the lines going into the slab, and on opposite sides of the zone valve.

Aaron


----------

