General Contractor's plumber: Is this correct?

Users who are viewing this thread

oldberkeley

Member
Messages
70
Reaction score
1
Points
6
Location
Columbus, OH
I have a GC doing a small addition, bedroom and bath. His work is OK (just OK), but I'm just a bit worried about his plumber. I'm going to get the terminology wrong here, but I'll try.

To the back left of the toilet flange, the cold water supply pipe coming up vertically from the crawl space: at first I thought it was just a rough-in, but it's been pressure tested, the top is threaded with a cap on it, the tile has been laid. It extends about three inches above the new tile and if nothing changes, it will be very visible.

Is this pipe supposed to be copper?
 

hj

Master Plumber
Messages
33,602
Reaction score
1,041
Points
113
Location
Cave Creek, Arizona
Website
www.terrylove.com
It COULD be copper, but it may also be brass, and if so, when he installs the valve he may put a "cover sleeve" over it, or install a shorter pipe which does NOT show.
 

Caduceus

Master Plumber
Messages
139
Reaction score
4
Points
18
Location
Pittsburgh, PA
Posting a picture would be best, but it also sounds as if there could be a brass lug-ell with screw tabs below the floor. The pipe coming through the floor may be a 3/8" steel test nipple with cap.
During the trim, the plumber may remove the test nipple and install a cromed brass nipple and escutcheon then the valve.
 

Terry

The Plumbing Wizard
Staff member
Messages
29,942
Reaction score
3,459
Points
113
Location
Bothell, Washington
Website
terrylove.com
A threaded nipple that has been capped tends to be a temporary stubout.
After the floor has been tiled, it can be changed when the plumber "trims out".
It's more there for the tile setter to work around.
 

Jadnashua

Retired Defense Industry Engineer xxx
Messages
32,770
Reaction score
1,190
Points
113
Location
New England
Coming up through the floor verses out of the wall is more common when that is an outside wall...if it were in the wall, it might freeze in some colder places.
 

oldberkeley

Member
Messages
70
Reaction score
1
Points
6
Location
Columbus, OH
A threaded nipple that has been capped tends to be a temporary stubout.
After the floor has been tiled, it can be changed when the plumber "trims out".
It's more there for the tile setter to work around.

The floor is now tiled, the plumber is coming back tomorrow, I'm hoping that you're correct.

Somewhat OT: During this whole addlition I've been biting my tongue as far as complaining about anything. I was a professional painter back in the 70's and early 80's before I got into real estate. I know very well how ignorant, overly picky, and completely unreasonable some consumers can be. I don't want to be one of those people. Also, I like the GC personally, he's a regular guy, he was recommended to me by mutual friends, so there's all that relationship crap going on. :)

That said, I've been disappointed in some of the little things that many of the tradesmen on the job have done or have neglected to do. Plumbers, electricians, carpenters, masons, HVAC, you name it. A lot of very minor little technical things that are not at the level of sub-standard, but not really first class.

I guess I'm sounding like the 65-year-old dinosaur that I am, but for goodness sakes don't guys even know that you don't use the customer's tools or equipment, you don't track mud all over the place, and you clean up your mess at the end of the day?

Everything's passing inspection, the addition will be fine, all the work is OK: just OK. For $75K I guess I expected a bit more than that.
 

Terry

The Plumbing Wizard
Staff member
Messages
29,942
Reaction score
3,459
Points
113
Location
Bothell, Washington
Website
terrylove.com
I like to keep 4' x 12' runners in the trucks. And we sweep after the job is done.
Sometimes we take our shoes off. My feet are a little big for the booties that some wear.
 
Top
Hey, wait a minute.

This is awkward, but...

It looks like you're using an ad blocker. We get it, but (1) terrylove.com can't live without ads, and (2) ad blockers can cause issues with videos and comments. If you'd like to support the site, please allow ads.

If any particular ad is your REASON for blocking ads, please let us know. We might be able to do something about it. Thanks.
I've Disabled AdBlock    No Thanks