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22 January 2008

Help me be a good assertive customer tomorrow. [More:] Here's the situation. I'm dealing with the plumber tomorrow, who is going to replace our toilet.

Here are the complications:

1 - We have one bathroom.
2 - We have a house built in 1952.
3 - The standard toilet that we have purchased might not fit. We have spoken to the plumbing company, and they belive it will.
4 - I have a barkey, growly dog who cannot be put out in the yard because she has had a surgery.
5 - I tend to be whimpy in these situations for various reasons, including introversion and lack of technical knowledge.
6 - Who know what will happen, complication wise, once the plumber gets started (I know my house).
7 - I might have to leave to pee if there are time issues.

I've made the first appointment of the day (7:30 a.m.), and leaving me without a toilet is NOT AN OPTION.

I'm thinking I should welcome the plumber, level with the plumber - give some kind of opening statement, and also offer hospitality (coffee, soda, water), get them on my side because it could be a long haul.

Advice?
I think that makes sense, rainbaby. Can you lock your dog in your bedroom while the work is being done?

If it takes too long, you might consider (not the most sophisticated, I know) a bucket for emergencies, to be dumped afterwards.
posted by Sil 22 January | 22:17
The upside is that you can pretend you are camping!
posted by Sil 22 January | 22:20
I'm with you though, I hate it when they are working on the toilet and I only have one toilet :(
posted by Sil 22 January | 22:20
I think that a new toilet will go in OK. The interface is the wax ring, and unless there is a discrepancy in sizes (and I have never heard of this), a competant plumber will make it work.

Plumbing, whether a clogged sewer, clogged drain, no hot water, etc., has become essential, and, in my experience, I have never been taken by a plumber. Just keep connected with what they are doing and "how it's going."

And if you can have a back-up toilet, as in a neighbor, that would be good too.

Good luck. I have a feeling it will go well.
posted by danf 22 January | 22:51
If it's technically over my head and I think someone might be trying to pull one over on me, I don't hesitate to tell the person "Can you explain this to my boyfriend/father? I'll get him on the phone."

I have, um, "one-toilet-anxiety" too, but I'm sure everything will be fine. Don't drink alcohol tonight or caffeine in the morning, and obviously don't eat anything spicy.
posted by desjardins 22 January | 22:59
You'll be fine. Toilets are pretty straightforward. I'm not sure why you think your new toilet won't fit, but in my experience every floor-mount toilet pretty much has the same mounting- two bolts out of the floor and a wax ring for the seal. Not that there can't be any complications, but I bet it'll be pretty easy for the plumber.

I just remodeled my sons' bathroom and it looked like this with the toilet off:

With the toilet and vinyl flooring removed

A closeup view

The yucky looking stuff is just material from the wax ring. The first time I removed a toilet, I thought it was caked on poo! But it's just wax. Probably the worst complication that can happen is that the metal ring that goes around the outside of the hole (that holds the bolts) might be rusted and need repair or replacement, but the plumber should have the parts needed.

Also.... when I did my bathroom, I replaced all the antique brass with chrome fixtures and I needed a plumber to fix the tub nozzle that I screwed up when I was removing the old one. He did the job in 15 minutes and charged $88. For 15 minutes of work it seems like a lot, but that knowledge is valuable.

I bet if your plumber arrives at 7:30, he'll be gone by 8:00 am. Really. No kiddin'.
posted by Doohickie 22 January | 23:19
We were told twelve inches is standard, and we have eleven and a half, because of tile added on later. That's one worry. Plus, potential rot in the floor. Thanks guys, this helps a bunch.
posted by rainbaby 23 January | 00:16
I had to pee in a disposable cup when I was getting my last apartment cleaned--the service worked on both bathrooms at once and I couldn't make it clear to the Polish woman who was there that I needed her to step outside for a minute.
posted by brujita 23 January | 01:01
YAY!

≡ Click to see image ≡
posted by rainbaby 23 January | 09:10
Yay! I was just beginning to wonder if we should send the emergency potty team in!
posted by taz 23 January | 09:16
Stylish.
Twould be an honor to sit upon or vomit into.
posted by ethylene 23 January | 11:06
I'm having some serious bathroom envy.
posted by deborah 23 January | 12:25
I thought the plumbers were great. Hopefully the husband will not find fault. It took about an hour and a half, and they fixed some things they found.

deborah, it matches the pedestal sink! But don't have too much envy, we only have the one, and covet another.

taz - emergency potty team? The mind boggles.
posted by rainbaby 23 January | 12:32
Ooohhh... black and white tile. How classically stylish! We're thinking of that for the master bath.
posted by Doohickie 23 January | 21:32
The mister and I have one bathroom as well. We haven't had any emergencies yet, but another half bath would be great.

Anyway, the envy was more the tile than the toilet. I love love love tile-work like that. I watch HGTV fairly often and it irks me to no end when people tear out stuff like that. Heathens they are!
posted by deborah 23 January | 22:56
i'm pretty sure i had tile like that in some place i lived.
In Brooklyn as a child, the black and mostly white hexagon tiles are forever in my memory with the paint flecked glass door knobs i imagined were giant diamonds.
posted by ethylene 23 January | 22:58
Yummy cabbage! || Oscar's "In Memorium"

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