WHO YOU GONNA CALL?

    It's 32 degrees outside this morning and, although I sit inside my new/old house warmed by the gas heat and drinking a steaming cup of coffee, I cringe and squirm as I hear sledge hammer and drill smashing against concrete and brick.  Each blast sends a shiver up my spine.

Explanation....

Roots have invaded my old sewer pipe.

We discovered this problem when we had our plumbing contractor here on Hawthorne Ave. investigating a foul smell in the basement and doing some preliminary work to install a back flow valve on the sewer to prevent the city's sewage from entering our basement in times of heavy rain.  GROSS.  Much to our surprise, a drain in the basement was not only lying unattached over a hole in the concrete floor, that opening continued to a hole cut directly into the sewer line.   REALLY GROSS !

    After running a camera down the pipe we discovered the invasion of roots.  In addition, running a dye test ( flushing dye down each toilet individually while scoping with the camera) we were unable to determine where the back bathroom waste water went  (This includes tub, toilet, sink and washing machine waters).

    All this meant time for a new sewer line.  James, our friend and contractor whom we trust without question, is on the job today with Rod and the backhoe.  The grinding and pounding that has me cringing is James cutting through the basement wall to run a new connection....our new plumbing pipes to a new PVC sewer line.  Meanwhile Rod operates his backhoe with precision....digging up the yard. 

The good news is that the water supply line is copper, not lead and it does not need to be replaced.  

  I am told this will only be a 1 day job, after which we can wash clothes, flush and use the kitchen disposal with no worries.    

Plumbing needs?  This is who I would call.

MASTER BATH DETAILS

    

BEFORE & AFTER : BACK BATHROOM

BEFORE

March 2011

AFTER

September 2012

September 2012

Pictures are worth 10,000 words or more !

GOT TOILET !

    After many months without, it sure is nice to have working plumbing again.

Back bathroom

SO CLOSE AND YET...

... SO FAR

I had honestly believed we would be moving in to our Hawthorne house this week.  Really!  As I write this blog entry the floor finishers are applying the final coat of finish to the entire house and the house is off limits for the upcoming 36 hours.  This was to have been the final day of contractors in the house.  

As it turns out, there remains a significant amount of electrical work and a small amount of plumbing to be done. In addition and most unfortunately, there was an incident last Friday which presents a big fat road block to our move.  In the process of running water through the shower plumbing, we filled up the shower floor and discovered, much to our chagrin, that there was a leak.  

We discovered this as water came dripping through the kitchen ceiling and new pendant lighting.

(insert a few choice expletives here %$*#@!!)

The question was whether it was a plumbing issue or a tiling issue.  Both of these jobs we contracted out.  Upon a bit of exploration into the leaking ceiling this is what we exposed.

Exploring the origin of the leak in my once beautiful kitchen ceiling

All the plumbing appeared tight so the culprit must be improper liner installation in the shower pan.

The way you find this out is, and you may have guessed....you remove the tile.

Wallace chisels out the shower floor

Tile is 1/2 up

Once the 2 inches concrete was removed it was obvious that the leak was due to improper installation of the liner by the tile man.  There was a hole near the drain and a split in the outside corner.  We chose to let this original tile man go 2 months ago because of slow and unsatisfactory work.  We hired another highly recommended installer to complete the job and we have been very pleased (name and number to come upon completion of kitchen back splash).

The good news is....and this is a st-r-e-t-ch....It is good that it leaked now before we were all moved in and had a long standing leak AND mold with which to contend.

A full bath reveal is to come once the re-tiling is done (perhaps this too is another skill Donnie will teach me).

OASIS TO BE

Some plumbing fixtures got installed last Wednesday.  This weekend I will complete the carpentry on the tub surround ( a little bit o' bead board and bullnose to complete the soaking tub).  Take a look so far.....

THIS LITTLE SINK

This little sink snagged my heart the day I dragged it out of the dilapidated shed.  It is on it's way to the shop to be sandblasted and restored.  It will live again in the 1/2 bath or my studio.

MEMBERSHIP HAS ITS PRIVILEGES

My gym is .5 miles from my new house. Since the plumbing at Hawthorne Avenue has been turned off, the pipes cut out, and the fixtures removed, Billye and I have become regular Saturday afternoon visitors to the gym.  Membership has its privileges!