EvenICouldDoThat
Fixer In Chief
I work in a restaurant. A chain restaurant, one of almost 700. So, money is frequently not even an issue. To a stupid extent, but that is another issue. So here's my question: why don't our plumbers *fix* things? Or replace them. Heck, I just want stuff to function. Examples:
1. We had a leak. A hot water leak. It ended up being in a wall. A Plumber (youngish, not too experienced) came out to find and fix the leak. Found it, went into the attic, capped off the pipe as it went down into the wall. upstream of the leak. Leaving us without water to the dipperwells on both the cooking and serving sides of the line. (This is a critical health code violation, by the way. All dw's must have running hot water supplied to them at all times when in use.) When we asked him if he was going to plumb around the leak and get the water going again, he said, "I'm just supposed to fix the leak." This was at night, possibly on a weekend, so they were making (as Elaine Boosler so poetically put it) Quadruple Platinum Overtime. he wouldn't even call to find out if they wanted him to do more.
2. The stem on the hot water shutoff valve under one of our handsinks got squashed, then twisted off from using it without a handle. (Note: no rocket scientists work here. Obviously.) More than one plumber looked at it and said, "I can't fix that." And walked away. No, "It needs to be replaced." or anything else. Just lets lay down and die.
3. We had one of our waterbaths replaced. These are stainless steel boxes set into the counter which are filled with icewater to chill food. They have drains at the bottom which lead to floor sinks. They have gate valves in them to close the drain so the icewater stays in. The plumber actually reattached the same copper drainline, complete with non-functional gatevalve, to the new insert. I found this forum after googling "how to repack a gatevalve," because I don't know how to sweat copper. Although at this rate, I guess I should just learn how. It'll be easier on my nerves.
My father was a Painting Contractor, and my stepfather was the accountant partner in a plumbing company, so I've understood the beauty and value of the phrase "change order" since my teens. Are these not used any more? I just don't see why some enterprising plumber isn't soaking us.
Do any of you have any insight on this?
1. We had a leak. A hot water leak. It ended up being in a wall. A Plumber (youngish, not too experienced) came out to find and fix the leak. Found it, went into the attic, capped off the pipe as it went down into the wall. upstream of the leak. Leaving us without water to the dipperwells on both the cooking and serving sides of the line. (This is a critical health code violation, by the way. All dw's must have running hot water supplied to them at all times when in use.) When we asked him if he was going to plumb around the leak and get the water going again, he said, "I'm just supposed to fix the leak." This was at night, possibly on a weekend, so they were making (as Elaine Boosler so poetically put it) Quadruple Platinum Overtime. he wouldn't even call to find out if they wanted him to do more.
2. The stem on the hot water shutoff valve under one of our handsinks got squashed, then twisted off from using it without a handle. (Note: no rocket scientists work here. Obviously.) More than one plumber looked at it and said, "I can't fix that." And walked away. No, "It needs to be replaced." or anything else. Just lets lay down and die.
3. We had one of our waterbaths replaced. These are stainless steel boxes set into the counter which are filled with icewater to chill food. They have drains at the bottom which lead to floor sinks. They have gate valves in them to close the drain so the icewater stays in. The plumber actually reattached the same copper drainline, complete with non-functional gatevalve, to the new insert. I found this forum after googling "how to repack a gatevalve," because I don't know how to sweat copper. Although at this rate, I guess I should just learn how. It'll be easier on my nerves.
My father was a Painting Contractor, and my stepfather was the accountant partner in a plumbing company, so I've understood the beauty and value of the phrase "change order" since my teens. Are these not used any more? I just don't see why some enterprising plumber isn't soaking us.
Do any of you have any insight on this?