Supply Risers.....is tubing the signs of a pro

Just pondering....
For all you pro's out there, are hard pipe risers the way to go versus flex hoses.

I've yet to have a host or crimp bust on me....but I'm redoing/readding new faucets and stuff and was debating whether to be go hard risers or flex hoses. Both cab and exposed applications.

I never use flex supplies on anything, ever.

Many of the new faucets will come with flexible connectors. You don't have a choice if that's the case.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. In my area, I would go out on a limb and say that in excess of 95% of all supply lines installed daily/yearly...are of a flex type. This includes new contstruction, remodel, and repair contractors.

Other areas, as noted, the practice is different.

If they are visible, such as a pedestal or vessel sink, then tubing is prettier, but inside a cabinet what difference does it make?

Not a pro so I don't see call's in day in-day out.
Aren't the flex weak point the crimp connection - whereas in tube, there is a less of a ~weak point~.

hj said:

If they are visible, such as a pedestal or vessel sink, then tubing is prettier, but inside a cabinet what difference does it make?

Click to expand...

They all work good as long as the installer has the feel for proper torque of the connecters.

hj said:

If they are visible, such as a pedestal or vessel sink, then tubing is prettier, but inside a cabinet what difference does it make?

Click to expand...

The difference it makes to me is that I charge a premium to do what I do and for what I charge I think the least I can do is spend a few extra minutes to do something that any handy hack can do without having to own anything more than a 3 dollar adjustable wrench. That would be the same reason why we don't use AAV's, sharkbites, pro-press, pex for potable water, plastic hangers and a host of other stuff that requires a 3rd grade education and a screwdriver to install but that's just me.

pro-press is meant for pro's who can't bring down water / sweat and need to do a repair in a timely fashion without interruption of water....I look at it as a specialized tool for special circumstances.

What's your beef with Pex ?

I just invested in the tooling awhile back but this was merely because I have baseboards I want to hang flush to the wall, without any unions, piping exposed from the sides or bottom. The pex affords me this option, allowing me to make my connections to the back and hang/cleat the baseboard which makes for a very clean look (these are slim European style baseboards).

I don't have a problem using pex for heat, especially radiant heat. I would not use if for fin tube baseboard because it expands and contracts so much that I have seen it push the fin tube out through the baseboard cover. Oh and unless you drill the floor joists to hang it, it droops so much between the tube talons that it looks like crap. I can't afford to do things that look like crap. We charge a lot for what we do and we can because we still do things the slower, harder and takes more skill way. I recognize that folks like to save money and if a homeowner is doing his own work he is more than welcome to use any materials he wants to but I can't and won't. The day we start lowering the standards is the day we are back to swimming in the pond with all the other small fish.