This is not fun....

[Leo G]

Two Saturdays ago my MIL pulled a fast one on me. She went out and got a company to put in carpets and linoleum. The linoleum is for two bathrooms and hallway I think. So I was at a restaurant eating with a buddy and I get a call from her. She tells me this and that she wants to go out looking for vanities and sinks next Saturday (last Sat). I told her we needed to go now. What if they didn't have something she likes or that fits the small area. Either way we got the stuff for the job.

So now I have to remove the sink, cabinet and toilet in two bathrooms, small bathrooms.

So I turn off the hot and cold valves and gee, what do you know. They don't stop the water flow. And as I turn off the cold it starts leaking. Oh goody. SO I go downstairs and shut off the main water. And now the MIL complains a bit. What am I gonna do with no water blah blah blah. So I take the cold line off between the valve and faucet. Then the hot. Oh Gee, the threaded part on the valve twists off the valve. Glad I shut the water down.

So I go upstairs and do the same, the valves upstairs survive removal but are just as beat. Tell the MIL I need to go get new ones. Get a few other things too.

One thing that was nice was it was older style plumbing. Nothing sweated or compressed. Old fashion nipples. TFE tape everything up and put it back on. While the water was off I decided to do the toilet valves too. No issues replacing them.

So tomorrow I need to remove both toilets. I was suppose to remove one of them tonight but it was getting past 8:30 pm and I just wanted to go home. She was already bitching that I was going to remove one of the toilets. Like she can't live with one toilet for one night. Wait til tomorrow when she has none for the whole day.:smash:

[Silvertree]

On many jobs the shut offs are toast so I just show up with a box of them.

[Leo G]

I just play plumber. My MIL is on a budget and money isn't really a good thing to spend. But, having a bad valve or any other plumbing product is just a source for burning up more money in other repairs.

I got the 1/4 turn valves. I really like these things. Just like a ball valve, but a mini. The only thing that saved the day was the fact that the plumbing was done old style. Well, it was probably modern when it was put in :laugh4:

[OGStilts]

Get her a port-o-john and see how she likes you.

[Leo G]

I got her a bucket and I showed her the tree I would use.

[nEighter]

5 gallon buckets can actually be decent to sit on. Even come with a handy carry to side of property line handle free of charge! She can pick almost any color she wants.. and I would go with one that is empty.. they usually are cheaper than the ones filled with something :2thumbsup:

[Leo G]

I think one of those HD buckets would be perfect. It just sounds so fitting.

[Bodger]

Line the bucket with a contractor grade trash bag.
Then you do the "Sack of Shame" walk to the dumpster with it. :grin:

[naptownCr]

The plastic grocery bags with the handle holes work in a pinch. Just strecth over the active region. Whenever you go to any fast food seven 11 type place always grab a handfull of napkins. jcan come in real handy at times.

[WarnerConstInc.]

I hope you didn't disturb any paint.

[Leo G]

Not the 22nd yet.

What? You think I'm getting paid to work on my MIL house.. In my dreams.

[RCP]

I think your MIL is a lucky lady!:grin:

[neolitic]

I think your MIL is a lucky lady!:grin:

He stole her baby girl
didn't he? http://i634.photobucket.com/albums/uu61/neoliticman/smilie/smilielaughing.gif

[Leo G]

Seeing as OG specifically asked if I could continue the story of the work at my MIL I will of course oblige. :laugh3:

I went there today after work to install a vanity and the sink. The vanity/sink combo kit we got at Lowes. We paid $250 (ea). This is for a cabinet and a sink. The cabinet has a curved face with two radius doors. If I had to buy radiused doors they would be at least $100ea. The cabinet was built furniture style with 4 legs. Surprising, it was pretty good quality. The cabinet was very stable and did not rack under its own weight like most kitchen cabinets do. Had a pretty good finish on it, conversion varnish with a dark stain.

So the bathroom floor had a vinyl floor put on yesterday. The original floor was in very bad condition and the company that put in the new floor fixed whatever problems that were there good enough that I was pleased.

Where the cabinet was to be place the floor was 5/8" out of level over 22". So I scribed the legs and put it in. Put in two screws and there must have been blocking behind the cabinet because both screws bit and they were not 16" OC.

The sink seemed pretty nice, good finish, not thin anywhere. She got a cheapo faucet against my wishes. I showed her some inexpensive faucets in the $30-$40 range and she saw the $18 faucet and insisted on that. Plumbing went well. Only problem I had was I needed a straight extension for the sink to reach the P trap. So I cut a pc of plastic tubing I had and duct taped it together for a temp install. I have another vanity that is the same to install upstairs and I know this one is going to need more parts. So when I go get more plumbing supplies I will get the correct extension.

I was impressed by these cheapo cabinets (http://www.lowes.com/pd_136490-54446-69187_0_?masthead=false&selectedLocalStoreBeanArray=[com.lowes.commerce.storelocator.beans.LocatorStore Bean%40bb62c38%2C+com.lowes.commerce.storelocator. beans.LocatorStoreBean%4031bd6d9f%2C+com.lowes.com merce.storelocator.beans.LocatorStoreBean%40252e2c 81%2C+com.lowes.commerce.storelocator.beans.Locato rStoreBean%40c84ec9f%2C+com.lowes.commerce.storelo cator.beans.LocatorStoreBean%404bda6c03]&langId=-1&langId=-1&Ntt=vanities&URL=TopCategoriesDisplayView&firstReferURL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lowes.com%2Fpd_1364 90-54446-69187_0_%3FproductId%3D3167595%26Ntt%3Dvanities%26 Ntk%3Di_products%26pl%3D1%26currentURL%3D%2Fpl__0_ _s%3FNtk%3Di_products%24rpp%3D30%24No%3D30%24Ntt%3 Dvanities%24identifier%3D&Ntk=i_products&zipCode=06096&isQvSearch=&mastheadURL=&findStoreErrorURL=StoreLocatorDisplayView&storeSearchZipLayoutButton.y=0&storeSearchZipLayoutButton.x=0&currentURL=%2Fpl__0__s%3FNtk%3Di_products%24rpp%3D 30%24No%3D30%24Ntt%3Dvanities%24identifier%3D&productId=3167595&catalogId=10051&catalogId=10051&NttParam=vanities&pl=1&storeId=10151&storeId=10151&qvRedirect=).

[WarnerConstInc.]

Duct tape?

Is that what you use for your field repairs of your cabinets?

[Leo G]

Green masking tape for cabinets.

It has to last until tomorrow night. She needs a sink.

[WarnerConstInc.]

Real carpenter's use radiator hose and hose clamps, you slouch!!

[Leo G]

I had duct tape. If that wasn't available I was gonna chew up some bubble gum.

[Dusty]

Electrical tape works pretty well. I can't tell you how much of that I have removed from plumbing in rental properties. Lol damn stuff held up without leaking.

[PA Woodbutcher]

I just play plumber. My MIL is on a budget and money isn't really a good thing to spend. But, having a bad valve or any other plumbing product is just a source for burning up more money in other repairs.

I got the 1/4 turn valves. I really like these things. Just like a ball valve, but a mini. The only thing that saved the day was the fact that the plumbing was done old style. Well, it was probably modern when it was put in :laugh4:

No wonder you 2 get along so well:laugh3:

Glad to hear that it is going fairly well. Like Paul, I always plan on replacing a few valves.

[Leo G]

I planned on replacing a couple, but not all of them.

[Greg from K/W]

Leo it couldn't have happened to a nicer guy. Should have asked that girl that came into your shop to help you out.

[Bodger]

The plastic grocery bags with the handle holes work in a pinch. Just strecth over the active region. Whenever you go to any fast food seven 11 type place always grab a handfull of napkins. jcan come in real handy at times.


Active region. Is that an AMA accepted anatomical term?:laugh3::laugh3:

[naptownCr]

Active region. Is that an AMA accepted anatomical term?:laugh3::laugh3:

Not really more of a geological term. Referring to which ever volcano is about to erupt at that particular moment. The technique works better for lava flows than for waterfalls.

[digitalann]

Old shutoff valves have caused me so many problems. A real wake up call when I got my first place, changed a drain, but whoops...why would a shutoff valve actually shut something off?