Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Plumber versus Handyman smackdown!

These things always start out so nicely. A request for some neighborly advice on a plumbing matter.

"I am a new homeowner of two family. My tenant's toilet is 'running' and has cost excess in water bills despite multiple fixes. New stopper. Adjusted arm, shortened chain. It stops running, for weeks, two months at one point, but then it resumes. I am about to have my handy man replace the toilet (even though I've been told it is unnecessary unless there is a crack in the  porcelain) bc it has dragged on so long has wasted water, is driving my tenants ( and me) nuts. Anyone have thoughts before I replace the entire thing?"
NAME REDACTED

Look at how helpful this lister is!

"I would see if you can figure out causing the 'running' rather than just
changing something that helps for a while.

Watch a flush or two with the tank cover off and see if you see
something moving wrong that keeps the stopper from sealing.

Is the tank dirty, and occasionally a piece of scum or debris holds the
seal open a bit?

Perhaps the piece the stopper seals to is worn and that needs replacing.
Changing the whole flushing mechanism is a lot cheaper than changing the
whole toilet, and unless the tank has some form of contaminant that is
wreaking the seal, should fix the problem.
"

NAME REDACTED

If only it stopped there.

This lister had some eloquence to share. I think he may be a plumber.


"Use. A plumber and not a handyman" (sic)

NAME REDACTED

Another helpful suggestion, this time from a handyman.

"You can call a plumber, but is it justifiable to pay close to $200 to have a toilet flapper replaced? The most common reason for a running toilet is the "rubber flapper" that is connected to the chain. You can pick one up at any hardware store for under $20 bucks, and maybe even under $10 bucks. Turn the water off at the toilet, flush it and replace the flapper. No handyman or plumber needed."

NAME REDACTED

To which our plumber friend responds:

"If your paying close to 200 as u suggest you have the wrong plumber  a handy man is someone without a job" (sic)

NAME REDACTED


Not to be outdone, the handyman replies:

"A Handyman is a plumber, painter, carpenter, sheetrocker, landscaper, organizer, snow remover, furniture assembler, mover, telephone/cable/data installer,basement/attic/garage cleaner without the mask and gun."

NAME REDACTED


Who will win? My bet's on the handyman, but that's only because I like punctuation.

2 comments:

alice said...

A plumber is someone with a job, but lacking an education?

TJIC said...

I love how a plumber is so desperate to defend his outrageous fees (which are entirely because of government market distortion), and yet (a) can't muster up any actual argument, (b) can't even write a coherent sentence.

I've yet to hire a plumber who can (or does) do work as competently as I do myself.

Screw these entitled, government-protected crybabies.

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