By Dimitra Kessenides
(Page 2 of 2)
6. "This looked so much easier in the diagram."
Hiring a licensed plumber assures a customer of a basic level of experience. But it doesn't guarantee that he or she can handle absolutely anything that comes up. Several years ago, a client hired Harvey Kreitenberg, a Los Angeles-based licensed plumber, to install new fixtures made by a German manufacturer. "I wasn't familiar with the products, so I asked him to give me one of each of the various fixtures to play around with," Kreitenberg says. The client agreed, and Kreitenberg spent a few days testing the fixtures before starting the job. "I admitted my ignorance, and they appreciated it," he says. Be aware that even the best-intentioned plumber can get flummoxed; it doesn't always mean that he or she isn't qualified. Recently, there have been a number of innovations and changes in water heaters, for example, and there are many more toilet varieties than there once were, with different kinds of flushing mechanisms. If you have a special problem, or have fixtures or plumbing that is somehow out of the ordinary, say so up front. That way, the plumber will know if he needs to bring another expert to the job or needs a little extra time to brush up.
7. "Emergency? You're tenth in line."
Robert Pedersen and his wife arrived at their summer home in East Marion, N.Y., one weekend several years ago to find a large puddle of water in front of their hot water heater. It took several weeks, numerous voice mail messages and a rising tideline in the basement before their plumber visited the house. But Pedersen, a retired pharmaceutical executive, was reluctant to call anyone else. The home, built around 1910, has intricate plumbing and piping issues, and "he knows the house really well," Pedersen says.
While an unresponsive plumber might seem a sign of a shoddy operation, it can also be the sign of someone in demand. Because so many plumbers are mediocre, good ones tend to be consistently booked. If you find someone you like, it may be worth sticking out the wait, especially if your home is old or complicated. Tell the plumber you don't mind waiting for a house call, but you'd like your phone calls returned promptly. He may be busy, but he'll appreciate the loyalty and will want to keep your business.
8. "Move your sink? Let's not and say we did."
A plumber may tell you that moving certain fixtures transferring a sink to a new spot in the bathroom, for example can't be done. But despite a few exceptions, such as moving a toilet, which is admittedly complicated, in most cases it's doable, says Beaufort, S.C.-based architect Jane Frederick. It just requires some extra parts and a willingness to spend a little more time and money on a job.
When faced with a reluctant plumber, spend a few more minutes asking him to explain why your wishes aren't possible; ask specifically about special parts that might be required. If, for example, the reason he cites against moving a bathtub is the distance between the tub's drain and a pipe, the problem may be fixed by rerouting the piping or relocating a fixture, Frederick says. If your plumber says specialized parts are necessary, offer to find and pick them up yourself, and offer to reschedule the appointment. A demonstrated willingness on your part to help out a plumber with a more involved task gives him the incentive to tackle the job; so will your willingness to pay a little extra for the additional steps required.
A general rule of thumb: If the room you're making changes to is on the first floor or in the basement, moving any appliance will likely be easier. First floors tend to have a crawl space underneath, offering easy access to the plumbing, and in basements pipes are often exposed, making work easier.
9. "Job's all done, and you're good to go theoretically speaking."
Last winter TV writer-producer James Percel wanted to convert the attic in his suburban New York home into an office. Since there were two pipes jutting up from the floorboards, he thought he'd be able to heat the room by attaching a radiator and tapping into his home's steam heating system. The owner of a plumbing company recommended by his real estate broker agreed and sent one of his employees to do the job. It was only after the rest of the room was finished that Percel discovered the heating system didn't work. It turns out the pipes weren't the right type for steam heat, but the plumber had never tested them to find out. "I'd just presumed he'd tested the pipes and checked for steam," Percel says. "That seems so basic that I wouldn't even think to ask."
But that's exactly what you have to do. It may seem illogical you've hired an expert to handle the problem, right? but many plumbers assume it's the client's responsibility to double-check that existing parts work before making changes. Another lesson here: Ask who's doing the work. Percel's plumber was not the owner of the company, whom he'd spoken to and whom he thought he was hiring.
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10. "I could've walked you through this repair over the phone. But, hey, there's no money in free advice."
There are many plumbing emergencies a homeowner can handle on his own, especially with a little advice from a pro. Silk, the Maryland plumber, says a good plumber should be willing to talk through a problem with a customer on the phone. Local plumbing-supply shops, he says, can also offer guidance and tips for simple repairs such as a leaky faucet or a shower-head replacement.
John Rendahl, a sales associate at R&D Plumbing Supplies near Seattle, says many customers visit the store solely to ask how to fix something themselves. "We'll coach our customers on how to repair a faucet or even a toilet," Rendahl says. He recalls one customer who recently came in wondering about a problem with a 35-year-old Kohler low-boy toilet that wouldn't stop running. Rendahl opened up a parts book, looked up the valve for that particular toilet and, based on the problem the customer described, recommended that he replace the tank ball. The customer bought the ball and went home to make the repair himself.
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