Am I in the Wrong Business - A Different Type of Networking!

After weeks of some mildew-type smell emanating from the shower in our master bedroom, we had a plumber come out and take a look....

Turns out, the drain pipe that attaches to the shower pan has become detached and moved about 6 inches away from where it should be....This house is in Texas and is about 6 years old, and I bought it exactly 5 years ago. The mildew-type smell was actually gas from the sewer.

The estimate for the plumbing repair is $2400! This doesn't include all of the tile work in the bathroom that will have to be repaired, which should be another $1000 or so. I can't file this on my insurance, because the total amount is almost exactly the deductible on my homeowner's policy. I also had a 2nd opinion from a trusted relative who indicated that $2400 for this work was not unusual or exorbitant.

So, $2400 for less than 8 hours of work. But let's say 8 hours...that's $300 per hour! All for familiarity and expertise with an "ancient" type of network that everyone relies upon, plumbing...

If only someone wanted to pay me $300 per hour for that 3.1x Novell cert that I had back in the day.....

MS

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Comments

hypnotoad

Get a second quote possibly from another plumber?

dtlokee

The hous could have a new home warranty that should cover that type of repair, they are typically 10 years and are usually required on all new construction homes and should be transferable between owners, check into it.

Ahriakin

eMeS wrote:

... The mildew-type smell was actually gas from the sewer.
.... with an "ancient" type of network that everyone relies upon, plumbing...

Aye a different type of Network but still dealing with other people's s**t

supertechCETma

nobody appreciates a plumber until they need one.

eMeS

dtlokee wrote:

The hous could have a new home warranty that should cover that type of repair, they are typically 10 years and are usually required on all new construction homes and should be transferable between owners, check into it.

Trying to check on that now...thanks for that!

MS

eMeS

eMeS wrote:

dtlokee wrote:

The hous could have a new home warranty that should cover that type of repair, they are typically 10 years and are usually required on all new construction homes and should be transferable between owners, check into it.

Trying to check on that now...thanks for that!

MS

No good...2 years is the warranty term...

Good news is that the plumber has confirmed that the problem was caused by bad install during construction...so I don't have significant foundation or other problems with the house....

MS

sprkymrk

Yeah, I heard of a plumber who used to be a brain surgeon. He quit the surgery to become a plumber and make more money.

I remember when I was a kid, my dad was a chemist with a masters degree. The next door neighbor was a garbage man. Guess who made more money?

cisco_trooper

Business acumen is often more financially rewarding than ANY type of skill acquired through formal education. I would agree with a lot of what has been said here. Anyone and everyone can make more money than a doctor or lawyer once they identify that one thing they have within themselves, and then learn how to sell it.

Darthn3ss

sprkymrk wrote:

Yeah, I heard of a plumber who used to be a brain surgeon. He quit the surgery to become a plumber and make more money.

I remember when I was a kid, my dad was a chemist with a masters degree. The next door neighbor was a garbage man. Guess who made more money?

yeah garbage men get paid big bucks. i have an uncle in california that does that for like $20-$30 an hour.

Netstudent

Darthn3ss wrote:

sprkymrk wrote:

Yeah, I heard of a plumber who used to be a brain surgeon. He quit the surgery to become a plumber and make more money.

I remember when I was a kid, my dad was a chemist with a masters degree. The next door neighbor was a garbage man. Guess who made more money?

yeah garbage men get paid big bucks. i have an uncle in california that does that for like $20-$30 an hour.

dang! thats crazy.

I have some family that are welders. They work for the union and go out on the road running pipeline. They all make 90K + a year. No bull ****. That includes per diem though.

GT-Rob

Money's not the only important thing. You think the plumber gets to sit around in a comfy chair posting on here all day? :P

eMeS

GT-Rob wrote:

Money's not the only important thing. You think the plumber gets to sit around in a comfy chair posting on here all day? :P

I can attest to the fact that they don't....I sat in my comfy chair all day (except for leaving to take and ITIL Foundation bridge exam) while he labored in my bathroom busting up tile and fixing the shower. Can you see the mesh print on my a**?

$2460 later...the problem was caused by shoddy construction! The plumbing work is complete, and now I have to deal with the tile guy and probably a third guy that will install new shower glass....

Edging closer to the magic number which is the deductible on my insurance policy plus some....should exceed it by enough to file on my insurance IF they have to replace all of the tile in the bathroom and totally replace the shower glass...it's a big bathroom.

MS

sprkymrk

eMeS wrote:

GT-Rob wrote:

it's a big bathroom.

Everything in Texas is big.

supertechCETma

I was told once that you should never ask a man where he is from.
If he is from Texas, he'll let you know.
If not, you'll only embarrass him.

eMeS

sprkymrk wrote:

eMeS wrote:

GT-Rob wrote:

it's a big bathroom.

Everything in Texas is big.

I guess you can see the mesh print on my ass...

I own a house in Texas, but sadly spend most of my time in other cities, particularly Boston. In 2007 I spent 105 nights in a single hotel in Boston.

Judging by the work schedule this year, I won't be able to enjoy the repaired shower very much.

The tile guy came today...his estimate is $3221 for the whole bathroom, so I'm in for $5681 at this point, and have passed the threshold that I needed in order to feel comfortable filing on my insurance.

Up next, the insurance adjustor as well as whatever has to happen to get everything cleaned...there is a fine layer of small dust all over the bathroom and the bedroom...I think I get to file on loss of use too, because we have a 6 week old baby, and as soon as this problem started they went to stay with her mother....

Anyone care to guess what the total cost is going to end up being?

MS