On Wed, 16 Feb 2011 21:49:43 -0500, aemeijers
wrote:

On 2/16/2011 7:50 AM, Jim Elbrecht wrote:
wrote:

-snip-
I'd agree if he was replacing the entire line for me (and depending on
the quote, I may go ahead and spring for that), but how is he gonna to
tie back into the copper?

They make copper to PVC-- but I'd go with fernco fittings.

Jim

Well, instead of coming to patch the rotted section, the guy just came
to do a site survey. His recommended approach is to replace entire run
with PVC, from bottom of vent stack to where it goes into the cast iron
monster that leads out to septic tank. He said he COULD just patch in
the leaky part and link it up with fermcos, but that I'd be calling him
back in a year to change the next section, because entire run was thin
on the bottom. (and previous owner did burnish and shellac them for
some reason...) This includes new flange and feeder from toilet, and new
trap and feeder from bathtub, and new standpipe for washer and other
nuisance basement drains. Says he only works time and materials on jobs
like this, but swagged it at 1-1.5k$

I'm choking a little on the price, but at 12-16 hours x75 per, plus
materials, it adds up about right. He knew all the right words, and
SEEMED honest. And looking at resale 5 years from now, I'd rather have
pipes that didn't look cobbled together for buyer's inspector. Would I
be insane to lay out that much? Next available install window is
Tues/Weds of next week. He taped over the rot holes with good old 3m
electrical, and said it would hold tell then, and bathroom was safe to
use. I have the second bath, so I'm tempted to tough it out and just
work out of the second bath- cleaning the splattered furnace room is
gonna take a solid day, once it dries out. 5 pounds of kitty litter in
place now, and dehumidifier is running. I need to let the main tub dry
out several days to touch up a little of the caulking anyway.

I did NOT need this, this month. I have enough backed-up half-done
projects stacked up as it is...:^(

He did say one thing that seemed a little implausible, that code no
longer allowed copper waste lines. Anybody know if that is anywhere near
true? This is SW MI, so I'm sure they follow national model. As I've
previously noted, in Indiana we routinely got 60+ years out of copper,
but apparently water up here is a little different?

I do thank y'all for giving me a place to vent and whine about this...
Don't know about code but I have not seen copper soil pipe here in
Ontario in over 30 years.