What a Day!

Mar 30, 2007 4 Replies

Promised myself I'd get home early today. It's been a hard week.



Nice little job for a company on a local industrial estate, 10 mins from home, various simples maintenance items.



One of which was 'downstairs gents toilet has a funny smell'. Easy enough to spot why - elderly WC connector was leaking. Loads of silicone from previous repair attempts. Only option was a new one.



Off to Wickes for a WC connector with waste. Placed signs on upstairs ladies & gents & downstairs ladies 'out of order - do not use'.



Undid overflow, removed screws from base & cistern, turned off service valve & undid supply. Removed old pan connector - and heard the unmistakable sound of an upstairs WC being flushed! Luckily enough I had the Wickes carrier bag in my hand - and stuffed it into the soil pipe just in time.



Replaced connector, put everything else back in place, no problems - proper job.



Just about to leave at 5:10pm when on final inspection I spotted a slight drip on the cistern supply. "I'll just nip that up half a turn" - and the bloody plastic ball valve thread split!



Off to B&Q for a new ball valve, just at peak time when the estate was emptying out - finally got home at 7:15.



Urgent appointment with beer!



Dave, I feel for you! I've been considering changing my salaried-but-tenuous position for a new self-employed life. As it happens a new opportunity job has emerged and I'll continue to be a wage slave. But only for the moment - your postings are an inspiration!

In message , The Medway Handyman writes

I'm usually told of such things some time after they happen.

She: "There's something dripping" He: "How long has it been doing that?" She: "About a week" He: "Why didn't you tell me about it before?" She: "I thought you knew"

I put a couple of lengths of parcel tape across the pan to make it almost impossible to use.

BTDTGTTS

So I'm not the only one; that's gratifying to read!

What frustrates me (and possibly results in the above(?)) are comments such "as it fell", "the drawer got stuck and I had to pull hard", etc. The inanimate object caused problems that had to be resolved! Hmm!

I think you'll find yours was a typical day for a plumber. That's why they never turn up on time.

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