I recently put an offer on a house that has a full basement. The
attractive thing about the house is I can increase the squarefootage in
the future by finishing the basement.

The builder just recently had the plumbing installed, and it looks like
this:
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/utseay...ff.jpg&.src=ph

I'm not sure if he's going to leave it like this, or put it more flush
against the floor joists once he puts the duct work in. Does this look
like a common way for finished plumbing to hang? It looks temporary to
me, but all the pipe has a blue supstance on it like it's in the
finishing statges. Let me know what you opinions are. Below is a
picture of a house exactly like out house, but the plumbing is done a
little differently, probably the way it should be:
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/utseay...44.jpg&.src=ph

Here's a link to the pics I've taken so far of the house:
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/utseay/album?.dir=1602

Let me know what you think.

In article .com,
wrote:

I'm not sure if he's going to leave it like this, or put it more flush
against the floor joists once he puts the duct work in. Does this look
like a common way for finished plumbing to hang? It looks temporary to
me, but all the pipe has a blue supstance on it like it's in the
finishing statges. Let me know what you opinions are.

While it looks technically correct, and it must have passed
inspection to get an occupancy permit, it is a pretty ****ty
way of doing it. There should almost never be any plumbing
hanging down below the floor joists, with the exception of a
few feet of this white drain pipe. Having it run circles
like that shows that that they were just plain lazy.

I would still pay the $400 or so to get a home inspection.
I'd talk to the inspector about the plumbing to see what
can legally be changed, either to burry this stuff in
walls, or to move it.

I'd also be curious to see if everything is vented properly.
I cannot see everything in the photos, but I thought that
the vent paths were supposed to be closer to the drains
that what I see in the photos.

If something can be done to improve this, you would have
wanted to write it in the purchase agreement up front.
It is kind of ugly to come back later in the deal on this.
If something is not done to code, however, then that is
fair to ask to have fixed as part of the inspection.

-john-

--
================================================== ====================
John A. Weeks III 952-432-2708
Newave Communications http://www.johnweeks.com
================================================== ====================

On Wed, 01 Jun 2005 06:20:14 -0500, someone wrote:


While it looks technically correct, and it must have passed
inspection to get an occupancy permit, it is a pretty ****ty
way of doing it. There should almost never be any plumbing
hanging down below the floor joists,....

If the basement is unfinished, there is NO requirement or custom that
plumbing be put thru the floor joists. I would say the opposite, that
it is common for the pipes to be run below, since it is easier and
quicker. If the Buyer wants to specify otherwise in the contract, so
as to facilitate later finishing, then they need to do that, and it
could fairly be an extra cost item.

Many baseements are NEVER finished at all, or only finished in part,
leaving the mechanical areas alone. It might be "nice" if the
contractor did otherwise, on "speculation" that someone might someday
want to finish that area, but it is not typically a requirement.

It is so easy to call someone ELSE lazy for doing something the
quickest way, but it is legal and they were not required to do
otherwise.


Reply to NG only - this e.mail address goes to a kill file.

Well, the house was being built when we signed the contract, so there
wasn't any way to tell this. These pictures were taken a day after the
plumbing was put in and I notified my agent that I do not like it. We
have not closed yet, that happens in about a month.

It was mentioned that it could easily be an "extra cost" request to
have the plumbing in the floor joists...how much extra cost would you
estimate?

The other house is built the exact same way...exact same houses..why
would they do the plumbing two different ways? Possibly the other
buyers specified..who knows, but I they should at least give you a
heads up that your plumbing is going to be hang two feet below the
ceiling.



John A. Weeks III wrote:
In article .com,
wrote:

I'm not sure if he's going to leave it like this, or put it more flush
against the floor joists once he puts the duct work in. Does this look
like a common way for finished plumbing to hang? It looks temporary to
me, but all the pipe has a blue supstance on it like it's in the
finishing statges. Let me know what you opinions are.

While it looks technically correct, and it must have passed
inspection to get an occupancy permit, it is a pretty ****ty
way of doing it. There should almost never be any plumbing
hanging down below the floor joists, with the exception of a
few feet of this white drain pipe. Having it run circles
like that shows that that they were just plain lazy.

I would still pay the $400 or so to get a home inspection.
I'd talk to the inspector about the plumbing to see what
can legally be changed, either to burry this stuff in
walls, or to move it.

I'd also be curious to see if everything is vented properly.
I cannot see everything in the photos, but I thought that
the vent paths were supposed to be closer to the drains
that what I see in the photos.

If something can be done to improve this, you would have
wanted to write it in the purchase agreement up front.
It is kind of ugly to come back later in the deal on this.
If something is not done to code, however, then that is
fair to ask to have fixed as part of the inspection.

-john-

--
================================================== ====================
John A. Weeks III 952-432-2708
Newave Communications http://www.johnweeks.com
================================================== ====================

wrote:
Well, the house was being built when we signed the contract, so there
wasn't any way to tell this. These pictures were taken a day after the
plumbing was put in and I notified my agent that I do not like it. We
have not closed yet, that happens in about a month.

It was mentioned that it could easily be an "extra cost" request to
have the plumbing in the floor joists...how much extra cost would you
estimate?

The other house is built the exact same way...exact same houses..why
would they do the plumbing two different ways? Possibly the other
buyers specified..who knows, but I they should at least give you a
heads up that your plumbing is going to be hang two feet below the
ceiling.



John A. Weeks III wrote:

In article .com,
wrote:


I'm not sure if he's going to leave it like this, or put it more flush
against the floor joists once he puts the duct work in. Does this look
like a common way for finished plumbing to hang? It looks temporary to
me, but all the pipe has a blue supstance on it like it's in the
finishing statges. Let me know what you opinions are.

While it looks technically correct, and it must have passed
inspection to get an occupancy permit, it is a pretty ****ty
way of doing it. There should almost never be any plumbing
hanging down below the floor joists, with the exception of a
few feet of this white drain pipe. Having it run circles
like that shows that that they were just plain lazy.

I would still pay the $400 or so to get a home inspection.
I'd talk to the inspector about the plumbing to see what
can legally be changed, either to burry this stuff in
walls, or to move it.

I'd also be curious to see if everything is vented properly.
I cannot see everything in the photos, but I thought that
the vent paths were supposed to be closer to the drains
that what I see in the photos.

If something can be done to improve this, you would have
wanted to write it in the purchase agreement up front.
It is kind of ugly to come back later in the deal on this.
If something is not done to code, however, then that is
fair to ask to have fixed as part of the inspection.

-john-

--
================================================ ======================
John A. Weeks III 952-432-2708
Newave Communications http://www.johnweeks.com
================================================ ======================


Thats rediculous. They know FULL WELL thats ugly and will make the
house more difficult to sell. They should be ashamed. Thats my
personal opinion. In any event you probably already love the house.
Its a tough decision. I would not want cost cutters like that doing my
plumbing. I also agree though that when the basement is unfinished
there are lots of rules which are different. Like I believe the
basement only needs to be water resistant as opposed to water proof.
Something to that effect.

If you can force them to fix it, do. But considering the type of
character they are showing. (I mean it IS a basement, its not a celler
after all) I would not really trust them to do it. Let it be and get
someone else to fix it before you finish the basement. thats what I
would do. My wife would be ****ed though


--
Respectfully,


CL Gilbert

Ha, my girlfriend really doesn't care, but I can see the hassle it's
going to bring when I begin to finish the basement. I just got word
back from the builder today, they are going to leave it like that. His
response was "I'm not sure why they did it like that, but I'm sure it
has something to do with the connection to the sewer line, or the way
the rooms are laid out". That's BS - they realized they had a
contract on the house and wanted to get it done quick. Darrel Keenes
is the builders name, he does a great job other wise, but he picked
some sloppy plumbers. If anyone ever googles his name, at least
they'll be able to see my post for reference on his work - Great house
work, great price....but sloppy sloppy plumbing.

I have some friends that are in the plumbing business, so I guess
that'll be a project for us. Not a big deal. I'll just have to watch
my head when I'm walking around down there. Thanks for the advice guys!

I'd go have a talk with the town building inspector and see what he has
to say. Ask him what he thinks about it and how it could have been
done that way and if in fact it meets code. While it may meet code,
he still might go have a chat with the builder and the builder would
like to keep the inspector happy.

I would say this is how they intend to leave it. Its not temporary.

Looking at your picture, the waste drains from right to left. You waste
exits below the slab or right at the base of the wall, bottom left of
picture.
I think I would prefer to have it run down the right side wall, to a level
that would allow clearance below your main electric panel, follow the right
wall then turn and follow the left wall to the drain.

I cant tell what that white vertical pipe to the left of the window is. That
could have been what kept them off the wall.


wrote in message
oups.com...
I recently put an offer on a house that has a full basement. The
attractive thing about the house is I can increase the squarefootage in
the future by finishing the basement.

The builder just recently had the plumbing installed, and it looks like
this:
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/utseay...ff.jpg&.src=ph

I'm not sure if he's going to leave it like this, or put it more flush
against the floor joists once he puts the duct work in. Does this look
like a common way for finished plumbing to hang? It looks temporary to
me, but all the pipe has a blue supstance on it like it's in the
finishing statges. Let me know what you opinions are. Below is a
picture of a house exactly like out house, but the plumbing is done a
little differently, probably the way it should be:
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/utseay...44.jpg&.src=ph

Here's a link to the pics I've taken so far of the house:
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/utseay/album?.dir=1602

Let me know what you think.

Neither the 4" drain pipe nor the narrower drain pipe near the floor
appear to have venting within 12-13 feet, is that legit ? I can't
remember and am not a plumber.