Dan_Musicant wrote:
- Posted and emailed -

On Thu, 28 Dec 2006 17:19:51 GMT, Wayne Whitney
wrote:

:On 2006-12-28, Dan_Musicant wrote:
:
: Anyway, he acknowledges that they MAY have broken it. Well, he didn't
: deny it when I said that... instead he said that they may have worsened
: an already existing leak. I'd conceded that the existing water main was
: undoubtedly in a quite fragile state.
:
:Tell them that replacing the service lateral with 1" copper K is about
:a $1000 job, and that since they are at least partially responsible
:you'd like them to do the job for half that, $500. If they squawk,
ffer to add a $100 for installing a house shut off where the new
:service connects to the existing house plumbing. If the house
lumbing is galvanized, make sure a 6" long brass nipple is used to
:connect the new copper to the old galvanized.
:
:Cheers, Wayne

The estimator wouldn't hear of them having responsibility for the pipe
breaking, it being so old. He said they could do it for $2500 and I
bargained them down to $2300. He said I could try to get better bids but
he told me it is impossible. I accepted.

His idea is to run a new 3/4" copper L line under the sidewalk after
going laterally to escape most of the affects of the roots of the large
tree which is right next to the meter. Then, under the sidewalk, through
the lawn (trench), and then UNDER the house (running 3/4" M copper at
this point) by virtue of going up and into a vent. I didn't like the
vent idea and asked if he could make a hole or go under the porch
foundation and he didn't like that, saying an earthquake could break my
water main in that case.

He also wants to put my outside front hose in front instead of at the
side like it is now. I don't like that either.

One of the crew says that they would trench on the side of the house
instead of going under, and I do like that. It's more work, but you
wouldn't see the water pipe entering the house from the front and the
hose spigot would be on the side. Also, they would beat the company's
price by $400-500, hopefully.

So, I'll cancel the contract I just signed (I believe I have 72 hours to
do that, however he said they'd start tomorrow, so I'll call today) and
I'll call the guy they tell me will foreman the crew who does it the way
I like it. Well, I guess that's the plan.

Dan

And did the crewman tell you that what he proposes is illegal in
California? Any work of this sort that is over $500 REQUIRES a licensed
contractor. So you have a guy who is doing the work illegally, not
insured, not bonded, certainly won't handle the permit if required, and
you will not get the one year labor guarantee that is required for
contractors in Calif. to give. OH yeah, for good measure, he is also
stealing work from his boss!

Please see www.cslb.ca.gov and learn how everything you have done in
hiring a contravor is wrong! I get a funny feeling this company is
playing games with you. The fact that these workers seem to have a
racket going offering to steal work from their boss and haven't been
caught and fired yet, makes me suspicious the company is breaking this
stuff on purpose and having these guys offer the low price as a con
game.

--
John