Rubber plumbing?

**sanrico** · 12-11-2010, 12:35 PM

Hi all,

We recently had our second bathroom redone and this time, we went with a contractor.

When he was done and we were going over his (sometimes sloppy) work, I noticed the drain for the vanity sink and the tub were both leaking. I noticed he used rubber "pipes" with hose clamps and I found that strange.

I'm no pro, so for all I know, this is industry standard. I thought I would take a couple of pics and let the experts decide. What do you think?

Vanity sink drain:

Tub drain. The rubber part is the black thing at the bottom:

Thank you very much!

**Redwood** · 12-11-2010, 01:03 PM

Definitely not plumbing industry standard...

What you have there is some fine Hackmanship....

**Basement_Lurker** · 12-11-2010, 03:00 PM

ugh...you probably put more effort into taking proper pictures than that guy put into doing the installation correctly!

**shacko** · 12-11-2010, 03:19 PM

Does the term GARBAGE mean anything to you?, most areas don't allow that type of connection!

**rmelo99** · 12-11-2010, 06:28 PM

The fact that the existing drain he had to tie into was ABS makes his life and job a whole lot easier. Any 1/2 decent Contractor(non-plumber) could do a better job piping that drain/trap. I could see if he was tying into old metal piping.

Those stupid Fernco type of rubber couplings which he improperly used, cost more in materials than regular ABS fittings and glue, the correct way it should have been done. Last I checked those are like $3-4 piece.

It would look 1000% better and be 1000% leak proof.

**Gary Swart** · 12-11-2010, 08:21 PM

I absolutely agree with the previous answers, but just a couple of quick comments about "rubber" connectors. First, they are not rubber, the are neoprene, and they do have a place. This is not one of them. Second, there are 2 basic types of clamp-on connectors. The neoprene sleeve with 2 hose clamps is OK for use underground. For above ground uses, you need a banded coupler which has a solid band over the entire sleeve. These give support to the pipes. The thing you handyman used doesn't look like a Fernco to me. All of that aside, the whole job should have been done with regular ABS fittings, not a combination of ABS and PVC. General contractors have no business attempting to do plumbing or wiring unless they are licensed as a plumber or electrician. He should have had a plumbing company do the plumbing work. I would insist that he gets a real plumber to do this properly before paying him a dime.

**Doherty Plumbing** · 12-11-2010, 10:58 PM

Ugly! ...........

**Will Rogers Plumbing** · 12-12-2010, 04:08 AM

The tub hook up in the second picture looks like you have a 1 1/2" San tee hooked up to a 2" fernco coupling!!!

That needs to be redone. The lav hook up will work, not the way I'd have done it, but it will work. The Tub hook up is a joke.

hj · 12-12-2010, 07:49 AM

That guy may haver been a contractor, but it doesn't look like he was "plumbing" contractor. NONE of that is professional quality, and might even be below "good amateur" standards. There was absolutely NO REASON to "patch" that piece in with the gray rubber connectors, and even they are "shlock". In the lower picture he used the proper TYPE coupling but did not place the metal band correctly, and should NOT have used it OVER the hub on the tee. He must have been what I used to call a "race horse plumber". Get in, get it done SOMEHOW, and collect your money, then race to the next job to do it the same way. When there was a problem with the installation, they were NEVER available to come back and correct it.