Worst chore in the world?

[TS808]

Okay, today I had to replace the faucet in the kitchen.

I'm convinced of a few things:

Plumbing was not invented to accommodate every day tools such as wrenches an pliers. The "hand tighten" nuts are impossible, especially when you can't reach in the spaces anyway.

No matter what I do, it's still gonna leak.

The cabinet under a sink was NOT made to accommodate a human. And no, it is NOT the most comfortable place to work.

Plumbers must have arms six feet long to reach up there, and their fingers and hands must only be a couple inches wide.

It's easier to play a strat with 13's on it, than it is to do plumbing.

Plumbers deserve every penny they make.

[just strum]

I changed faucets on the downstairs bathroom sink and instead of trying to get up underneath the sink (crawling in the cabinet), I quickly decided it was easier to disconnect the water pipes and drain pipe where it was easy to access. I then removed the whole sink and portion of pipe, then swapped out the faucets. Installed the sink, connected the pipes, and resealed the sink.

It wasn't back breaking and I wasn't sore the next day.

[Spudman]

Plumbing is evil.
That is definitely the one thing I DON'T like to do as a home owner. I call the pros...some of the time.

[markb]

My granddad was a plumber. When he went bald we saw that the top of his head was covered in scars from banging it on the underside of sinks and baths for years :eek:

[just strum]

Hey, no plumbing thread would be complete without

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h16/auroraohio/buttcrack-calendar.jpg

[luvmyshiner]

Been there, done that, didn't even get the damn T-Shirt. These days my back hurts too much to try that stuff myself. I tend to call a pro if it's something that will take me more than two hours.

[Katastrophe]

I feel yer pain, TS808. My wife wanted to replace the sink in the master bath that turned into a bathroom remodel.:thwap:

Plumbers are highly respected in my book.:AOK:

[sumitomo]

Sounds like someome is singing the Blues in here.I wrench on cars all day and doing some pluming is different and kinda fun,and my hands dont get so greasy.Sumi:D

[aeolian]

Got to agree that plumbing is a b**ch, even though I have only done just a bit of it a few times. Right now I have a faucet which is loose (the whole faucet can rotate). I tried to fix it with a regular wrench and couldn't do it, I then went and bought a plumber's wrench, and after repeated attempts still can't tighten the stupid thing. It is frustrating that a thing that should take just a few minutes may cost $100 if I call someone in to fix it.

[Guitar Gal]

As a single woman living alone, I have learned to do many things out of necessity. I have successfully replaced the faucets and shut off valves in my kitchen and two bathrooms. As Strum mentioned, it was easier to assemble most connections before placing the faucet back onto the sink. Plus, I think this is one area where my "small girly hands" came in handy :D

and realizing that the goopy plumber's putty is GREAT stuff :master:

I have great respect for anyone who can fix things. I definitely call in the experts when needed :beer:

GG

[just strum]

As a single woman living alone, I have learned to do many things out of necessity. I have successfully replaced the faucets and shut off valves in my kitchen and two bathrooms. As Strum mentioned, it was easier to assemble most connections before placing the faucet back onto the sink. Plus, I think this is one area where my "small girly hands" came in handy :D



GG

Hello GG, hope all is well.

Based on the noted talent all I can say is - "You're hired". When can you head north?

[warren0728]

Based on the noted talent all I can say is - "You're hired". When can you head north?
nah....i was thinking south....c'mon it's gonna be cold up north soon....we don't have that problem down here! :beer:

she can work on your house in the summer when we are broiling down here! :thwap: :rotflmao:

ww

[PAPPY]

Spending most all of my working life in the construction business (new homes and remodeling old ones) I found out early on that one of the best friends a plumber has is a "basin wrench". Since all that is behind me now I also found that my old basin wrench is ideal for tightening the nut on the end jack of my acoustic electric guitar which is hard to reach being as it is on the inside of the guitar and my arm won't go in the soundhole far enough to tighten by hand. Don't go there Shiner :deadhorse:

[Bloozcat]

I've done some pretty extensive re-habbing of houses. I've bought a few, re-habbed them, and flipped them (when the housing market was better). I also owned several rental properties in the past (glad to be rid of them!), so, my perspective is probably a little different.

Plumbing is like anything else that's foreign to you. As a homeowner, by the time you ever get to any level of proficiency with it, you're done and won't have to do it again for a long time (if ever again). What you learned in doing it, you'll forget half of by the time you ever face doing it again.

I've replaced the faucet in the kitchen twice now - once out of necessity, and once for a better looking/functioning unit. The second time I even had to cut another hole in the SS sink top for a soap dispenser pump. It's a somewhat awkward, uncomfortable job, but one that I never found that difficult (:AOK: on the basin wrench, PAPPY). I replaced the two master bathroom faucets, the shower water faucet/shower head, and the faucet in the laundry room too...and that's just in this house. I've probably done another 6-8 in other homes and rental properties as well.

Now, replacing a toilet...that's not a fun job...:thwap: :D

I guess I'd just rather do my own work than to trust it to someone else. It seems that in the few times where I convinced myself that I didn't have the time and let someone else do it, I've had to go behind them and fix what they did wrong. I had that happen on a home I was remodeling. I wasn't "allowed" to pull my own electrical permit to wire up the extra bathroom I designed and built. I didn't have the necessary proficiency as the city saw it I guess. Well, the electrician did such a bad job that I had to re-wire it myself after he finished. Flew right threw the inspection, which it wouldn't have done if I'd left the electrician's work as he had done it.

It really does pay to be self sufficient, both monetarily and for the piece of mind. But, I can certainly understand why some would rather not do it themselves....:)

[Guitar Gal]

nah....i was thinking south....c'mon it's gonna be cold up north soon....we don't have that problem down here! :beer:

she can work on your house in the summer when we are broiling down here! :thwap: :rotflmao:

ww


I like the way Warren thinks......:AOK:

Of course my faucet replacement services will need to be paid for with guitars, amps, or pedals....let me see......I'll have to make up my wish list :drool:

GG

[luvmyshiner]

Now, replacing a toilet...that's not a fun job...:thwap: :D


It's funny, workin' on the s**ter is the one thing I know how to do. (Shiner waits for all the snickers to die down:poke: ). Can't tell you how many wax rings I've replaced. It ain't fun, but it does save money. Plus, then I get to tell all my buds about changing out the ballcock (ballcock, ballcock . . . I love saying that word:rotflmao: ).

Now Pappy, what have I told you about stickin' your arm in the sound hole.:D

[Katastrophe]

Yep, got no problems working on a toilet, either (pauses for the Texans must be full of s**t comments).

Sinks are the bane of my exsistence.

My sewer clogged up in November of '07. Now THAT was just nasty.

[Spudman]

I like the way Warren thinks......:AOK:

Of course my faucet replacement services will need to be paid for with guitars, amps, or pedals....let me see......I'll have to make up my wish list :drool:

GG

I'll trade with ya. I've got one toliet job and a drain job and I'd gladly throw a guitar your way in exchange for your services. Plus the fall colors are great and you'd love the scenery.:) Road trip?

[sumitomo]

It's funny, workin' on the s**ter is the one thing I know how to do. (Shiner waits for all the snickers to die down:poke: ). Can't tell you how many wax rings I've replaced. It ain't fun, but it does save money. Plus, then I get to tell all my buds about changing out the ballcock (ballcock, ballcock . . . I love saying that word:rotflmao: ).

Now Pappy, what have I told you about stickin' your arm in the sound hole.:D
Toliets are easy,when they fill up it's time to move over to the other side of the yard and dig another one.Sumi:D

[warren0728]

I like the way Warren thinks......:AOK:
i don't hear that very often! :thwap:


Of course my faucet replacement services will need to be paid for with guitars, amps, or pedals....let me see......I'll have to make up my wish list :drool:
i'll leave the light on for ya.... :pancake:

ww

[tunghaichuan]

For me the worst chore is yard work. Mrs. Tung and I have an agreement: she does the lawn if I clean the bathrooms.

I had to do yard work growing up, and I hated it. Mowing the lawn in 100+ degree weather in Kansas really sucks :(

tung

[TS808]

Next time I replace a faucet, a basin wrench will be purchased BEFORE the darn faucet. My hand was cramped for two days....made guitar playing a little more difficult.

I've replaced the insides of toilets before...not fun, but at least I can reach everything.

Being under a sink on your back is not fun....

[Bloozcat]

While we're on least favorite repair/chores, here's my tops:

1) Roofing...in August.

2) Insulating an attic...anytime, but summer's the worst.

3) Major re-modeling in a house that was built to no known building codes. There's nothing quite like trying to hang new cabinets in a kitchen where the ceiling and floor aren't level, the walls are not plumb or square in the corners, and the room dimensions are not consistent (ever try to work with wavy plaster walls?). It's like trying to work in a house of mirrors with 3-D glasses on (been there, done that, have the pictures to prove it).

4) Exterior house painting. I despise this job so much, that I recently paid a young guy who is trying to work his way through college to do the job. It took him three weeks with most weekdays free to do the work. That would have been about 8-10 weekends for me. Happily, he did a great job, and now has some extra money for tuition and books. A win-win...

[Guitar Gal]

I'll trade with ya. I've got one toliet job and a drain job and I'd gladly throw a guitar your way in exchange for your services. Plus the fall colors are great and you'd love the scenery.:) Road trip?


Sounds like a job for the pros Spud.....my forte is only in faucet and shut off valve replacement.

I will have to make a trip out your way sometime though to see the fall colors....I'm sure the views are spectacular :beer:

GG