Things We Are Learning About Plumbing And Bathroom Renovations

You may recall from a few months ago that I wrote about some issues that popped up in our house concerning some plumbing leaks. It turned out that every time we got one thing fixed, another leak would pop up. To say that having water issues is stressful is quite an understatement. We had our plumber come through to assess our situation, and his quote was astronomical. Thankfully my husband remembered that our AC guy also installs water heaters and offers plumbing services.

Photo by Sam Hetterich on Unsplash.

Our water heater installation including re-piping, and some other minor repairs came in at $500 less than what the plumber was charging. We couldn't believe how much more that initial quote was for LESS work. So lesson #1 is no matter how much you trust someone to do the job, it's okay to shop around.

We had to have one of the bathrooms gutted so that the pipes could be exposed to pinpoint more leaks. There was so much debris and trash involved after the demolition process. Thankfully our job was a lot smaller than most, otherwise we would have to research dumpster rental prices. We also had half of another bathroom demoed, so we have a lot to get replaced and repaired.

It's way too expensive to do it all in one shot, so we have been buying items like tile, paint, drywall, faucets, and light fixtures and storing them in our utility storage room. We will wait until we have the work scheduled to arrange for getting the big items like tub, vanity, and toilet delivered. While it's inconvenient to not have the full use of 2 out of 3 bathrooms, it could definitely be worse. We are going to get one bathroom completely done before we move onto the next. We are all trying to stay positive and patient throughout this process.

Have you done any similar renovations recently? Please tell me what you did to not lose your mind. HA! Thanks for stopping by today.

When Household Plumbing Issues Become More Than You Can Handle

You pride yourself on your DIY ability and you should. There’s no dispute there. The problem is some of the things around the house that go wrong might be more than you can handle – no offense! For example, you wouldn’t attempt to replace your roof, so why do you attempt to replace your toilet? Did you know that one of the most common reasons professional plumbers are called for help is to fix do-it-yourself projects? Yeah, sometimes it’s best to leave the big stuff to the pros.

Things You Can Handle

This isn’t to say you should call a plumber to fix your leaky kitchen sink faucet. You can probably replace the tap yourself. Certain household plumbing repairs are pretty easy. For example, if your toilet runs sporadically day and night, chances are the flapper is leaking. Turn off the water supply to the toilet, flush it, and then lift the lid off the tank. Grab the flapper, dry it, and take it to the hardware store. This is an easy fix once you buy a new one, which shouldn’t cost you more than about $10.

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Something like that, even replacing the toilet’s entire innards is a day-off DIY job. Replacing faucets is also something that is fairly straightforward, and you can probably unclog your toilets and drains if the clog is minor. When facing a plumbing problem, ask yourself one important question: Am I comfortable handling this? If you feel even the slightest hint of reticence, don’t attempt this at home. Assess what you can and cannot handle, and don’t try to be a hero. Be realistic.

Things You Probably Shouldn’t Attempt

More intensive plumbing work like system replacements, fixture replacements, and water damage is best left to the pros. One reason why is additional unseen issues you might not realize are there. Imagine a pipe bursts. You catch the problem quickly and cut the water to the house. Your spouse and you stare at the wet spot on the wall and discuss what to do next. You can rip out the drywall yourself, replace the pipe, and then install new drywall and paint. Sounds like a project, but it’s easy enough.

Here’s the thing, though. What if you don’t see all the water damage and mold growing inside your wall? Are you prepared to deal with the dangers of mold? No, you’re not, nor should you ever want to. For major stuff, such as burst pipes, leaking systems, and dead or dying hot water heaters, it’s best to call for help. Even if you want to upgrade your kitchen and bathroom, don’t save money by installing new appliances and fixtures on your own. Many things can go wrong if you DIY major plumbing projects.

The most important thing to keep in mind is that you should know your limits. If you have previous experience in a plumbing situation, you can probably handle it. If you’ve never replaced a water heater, you shouldn’t attempt it. Assess the dangers associated with the job, as well. For example, a water heater repair or replacement involves electricity, gas, or both. Don’t become a tragic statistic. Take care of the easy stuff and let someone licensed and certified play with electricity and gas.

My Water Bill Was Sky High And Here Is Why

Last year we noticed a HUGE spike in our water and sewer bills. Unfortunately, we get billed separately for each service since they are from two different companies. Let's back up to 5 years ago. Our bills ran us about $60-$70. Last year it starting going into the $100-$150 range which seemed like a lot. Then suddenly it went all the way to a whopping $250 for the water and $300 for sewer. That was for ONE month per service. We knew something was wrong for sure. We had a licensed plumber come in and determine that we had a water pressure problem from the meter. Basically, way too much water was surging into our home and that wore out our plumbing fixtures. So not matter how often we changed out the toilet tank parts or washers in the faucets, they would blow out from the high water pressure.

This lead to the rubber parts causing leaks, which added to the high water bills. We ended up having a water pressure regulator installed a couple feet away from the city water meter and it took the pressure down from over 100 psi to below 70 where it should be. The plumber pointed out the fact that they meter was "spinning" 24/7 which meant water was being used non-stop, even if were weren't actually using it. 😑 Even after getting the regulator installed, we still had to get all new toilet parts replaced to make the meter stop spinning. Needless to say, it was a costly visit that took 5 hours to complete.

Thankfully our city water and sewer companies worked with us to adjust our bills since we proved we had the leaks fixed. Although it wasn't a super big amount they took off, we were still grateful to get some sort of discount. We saw a big price difference already on the first bill after the repairs were made, at around $100. I got the latest bill yesterday and we are now back in the $55 range. This makes me so happy! I think about how much we overpaid in the last year and it makes my head hurt. Oh well, glad we have it fixed and can have a little peace of mind now.

One thing about home ownership is that you will forever have work and projects going on. It is so important to stay on top of things when you see your bills go up unusually high. Have you had any homeowner debacles or projects lately?