canesisters
Herd Master
California..... you can check out any time you like but you can never leave
Ridgetop - our place and how we muddle along
- Thread starter Ridgetop
- Start date
Baymule
Herd Master
That is so true! Those greedy %^($# are even floating the idea of taxing people for 10 YEARS AFTER THEY LEAVE!!California..... you can check out any time you like but you can never leave
- Thread starter
- #5,294
Ridgetop
Herd Master
You have to laugh about everything or you waste your life crying. I would rather have macabre sense of humor!
Three plumbers have now given me estimates to do the work.
The first one said $4000 to repair and $9000 to replace. Nowritten estimate or photos.
Number 2 has dropped the estimate to $5000 from $6200, BUT wants to cut a 2'x2' hole in the dining room wall to work on removing the toilet air gap pipe.
Number 3 gave me a verbal estimate of $4800 to replace the sewer line BUT his guy found some additional problems under the house. The p;umber added in some extra charges for fixing those problems - replacing the tub drain and toilet flange, which entails pulling and resetting the toilet. There is also a spot where the copper plumbing is attached to the old galvanized line that doesnot have a brass fitting and looks like it is ready to go. He will fix that union. That brings the total to $7100. DH says the union between the galvanized and copper is where the old galvanized line to the vanity in the front bathroom gets water from the new copper line. That galvanized line would need to be capped off. DH was wondering if this guy could pull the old galvanized pipe out of the concrete so the pex could be threaded in the existing hole through the foundation/concrete up through the wall to the vanity without having to go through the ceiling and cut into the walls.
I need to have DH talk to this guy tonight. And maybe plumber number 2 as well.
Other news I have now covered all the furniture in the living room with plastic in preparation for any drywall cutting etc. I can't use the kitchen sink for fear of reflooding the sewer area so am tossing any water I use out into the yard. The entire cast iron sewer line is leaking is various places according to plumber 1 and 3. Plumber 3 said that the sewer is not even attached in 2 places where the pipe has separated.
I will need to talk to DH tonight and have him pull up the estimates from both companies on the computer and compare them. I liked the 3rd guy who did work for my son at his new place, but the $2200 jump in price has me worried. My son said that he had worked with DS2 and brought the price down so maybe I can get him to come down on this. All 3 of them can start immediately.
In the meantime the stress is causing me problems. So much extra stress just when I was hoping to list and be done is making my bursitis flare up and giving me headaches. The other night I couldn't sleep in spite of falling asleep in front of the TV from exhaustion. When I went to bed I started to hyperventilate from stress and had to take a tranzquilizer to avoid a panic attack.
At least back in Yantis DS1 is getting the new fencing ready to put in. His good college friend is coming out for a visit again and the 2 of them may work on it together. DSIL2 is also coming back into town Monday for a layover and will probably head out to the ranch. With 3 of them they can get a LOT done, ex=specially since the ground should be easy to work afte rall the rain they got. DS1 aalso said that the kitchen (which is the main entrance) storm door fell apart and needs to be replaced. He foundone that he likes (expensive like all storm doors) but instead of the auto closer being screwed into the wooden door frame, it is part of the door which has a self enclosing frame. Much better design so he will replace that while DS1 is here. He is also going to vax, worm, tag, dock the new lambs and move the sheep around. He will move the 3 that didn't lamb and the one that lost her lamb into the breeding pen with a ram. He says they still look a little thin but will put new protein tubs in there invluding a DuraFerm tub. I was talking to a sheep acquaintance in Idaho and she said that she had a disappointing lambing season as well. Her ewes were overconditioned and that can affect ovulation and conception. The ewes that mostly had singles this time around were looking heavy too when we put the ram in which could have contributed to the lack of twins. We discussed the information I had read that instead of breeding after the ewes have been flushed and attained heavier weight, that you get better results if you expose to the ram WHILE the ewes are gaining weight but before they have gotten heavy. We will see how this breeding cycle goes and based on how many sets of twins we get in October/November we will adjust our flushing routine. Constant adjustment to management practice seems to be necessary when raising livestock.
Three plumbers have now given me estimates to do the work.
The first one said $4000 to repair and $9000 to replace. Nowritten estimate or photos.
Number 2 has dropped the estimate to $5000 from $6200, BUT wants to cut a 2'x2' hole in the dining room wall to work on removing the toilet air gap pipe.
Number 3 gave me a verbal estimate of $4800 to replace the sewer line BUT his guy found some additional problems under the house. The p;umber added in some extra charges for fixing those problems - replacing the tub drain and toilet flange, which entails pulling and resetting the toilet. There is also a spot where the copper plumbing is attached to the old galvanized line that doesnot have a brass fitting and looks like it is ready to go. He will fix that union. That brings the total to $7100. DH says the union between the galvanized and copper is where the old galvanized line to the vanity in the front bathroom gets water from the new copper line. That galvanized line would need to be capped off. DH was wondering if this guy could pull the old galvanized pipe out of the concrete so the pex could be threaded in the existing hole through the foundation/concrete up through the wall to the vanity without having to go through the ceiling and cut into the walls.
I need to have DH talk to this guy tonight. And maybe plumber number 2 as well.
Other news I have now covered all the furniture in the living room with plastic in preparation for any drywall cutting etc. I can't use the kitchen sink for fear of reflooding the sewer area so am tossing any water I use out into the yard. The entire cast iron sewer line is leaking is various places according to plumber 1 and 3. Plumber 3 said that the sewer is not even attached in 2 places where the pipe has separated.
I will need to talk to DH tonight and have him pull up the estimates from both companies on the computer and compare them. I liked the 3rd guy who did work for my son at his new place, but the $2200 jump in price has me worried. My son said that he had worked with DS2 and brought the price down so maybe I can get him to come down on this. All 3 of them can start immediately.
In the meantime the stress is causing me problems. So much extra stress just when I was hoping to list and be done is making my bursitis flare up and giving me headaches. The other night I couldn't sleep in spite of falling asleep in front of the TV from exhaustion. When I went to bed I started to hyperventilate from stress and had to take a tranzquilizer to avoid a panic attack.
At least back in Yantis DS1 is getting the new fencing ready to put in. His good college friend is coming out for a visit again and the 2 of them may work on it together. DSIL2 is also coming back into town Monday for a layover and will probably head out to the ranch. With 3 of them they can get a LOT done, ex=specially since the ground should be easy to work afte rall the rain they got. DS1 aalso said that the kitchen (which is the main entrance) storm door fell apart and needs to be replaced. He foundone that he likes (expensive like all storm doors) but instead of the auto closer being screwed into the wooden door frame, it is part of the door which has a self enclosing frame. Much better design so he will replace that while DS1 is here. He is also going to vax, worm, tag, dock the new lambs and move the sheep around. He will move the 3 that didn't lamb and the one that lost her lamb into the breeding pen with a ram. He says they still look a little thin but will put new protein tubs in there invluding a DuraFerm tub. I was talking to a sheep acquaintance in Idaho and she said that she had a disappointing lambing season as well. Her ewes were overconditioned and that can affect ovulation and conception. The ewes that mostly had singles this time around were looking heavy too when we put the ram in which could have contributed to the lack of twins. We discussed the information I had read that instead of breeding after the ewes have been flushed and attained heavier weight, that you get better results if you expose to the ram WHILE the ewes are gaining weight but before they have gotten heavy. We will see how this breeding cycle goes and based on how many sets of twins we get in October/November we will adjust our flushing routine. Constant adjustment to management practice seems to be necessary when raising livestock.
- Thread starter
- #5,296
Ridgetop
Herd Master
Talked to DH and had him call the plumbers about their bids and the plumbing prov=blems. He has been under the house numerous times, the only time I even looked under there is when we had the kitchen floor opened up to facilitate getting to the kitchen plumbing without having to crawl the 60' length of the house.
DH decided to go with Plumber # even though he was slightly higher than #2. DH liked what the plumber told him was wrong, what he could do, what he would do, and that he did NOT want to cut open the dining room wall to access the breather pipe. #3 said the breather pipe is NOT too small, but the plumbing under the house was preventing a proper air flow. The plumber will disconnect the copper fitting attached to the galvanized piping to the vanity and check to see if that is the reason the pipe is clogged with corrosion. DH is hoping the pipe is ok beyond the connection but I am pretty sure from the completed corroded closed old shut off valve pipe that the first guy showed me that it will not solve the water situation, but if #3 can put a shutoff on the copper line, plumber #1 can tie to it for water to the pex lines. I would have plumber#3 just do the pex but have a contract with plumber#1 which I have to pay off so don't want to use #3 and pay double. However, #3 said running pex up through the wall and across the ceiling then down to the sink would work fine. DH wants to have #3 remove the old galvanized from the foundation and hopefully leave a hole through which #1 can thread the pex. I just said "Yes, dear" but I will ask #3 if that can be done. It will avoid cutting into any walls. Plumber #3 starts on Monday and it will be a 2 day job.
By the time DH and DD2 arrive we will have a sewer and I can use the kitchen sink, dishwasher washing machine, etc. We won't have water in the vanity in the famioy bathroom yet, but I will schedule plumber #1 immediately #3 is finished. I am going to tell #1 that our insurance insisted on using #3. #1 was the most expensive and never gave me a written bid anyway, and I would not use him for the water except I have a contract to finish and pay off.
Today DH used the video call feature on his phone to get the extra clothes I wanted. He had DS1 come in and he and DS1 got in a fight over doing it NOW. I had sent a list of stuff to DS1 and he kept saying he would take are of it but DH said he wanted to do it NOW. DH kept grabbing stuff out of drawers and holding it up for me to decide if it was what I wanted. Unfortunately, he doesn't know how to use the video call feature so most of the time I saw either the carpet, ceiling fan, blurry closeup of something unidentifiable, or a moving blur as he swung the phone around. Between the rapidly moving pictures on the video call and the shouting I was getting nauseous. I hung up. DH called back and yelled at me about hanging up, then DS1 yelled at him about how he was using the video feature. Finally DS1 took charge and I told them to tke whatever they were grabbing. No idea what is coming out other than 2 pairs of jeans, a couple T-shirts, hopefully some tank tops and a sweater since the whirling video pictures were making me dizzy so I put my phone face down until DS1 took over. DH threw all my clothes into a laundry basket and assured me he would "pack" them in a plastic garbage bag to bring out. I don't think he refolded anything that he grabbed and was waving around to put away. In fact, my barn jacket (which I remember hanging up in the laundry room before leaving) was laying on the bedroom floor for some reason. According to DH "I didn't know where to put it". Apparently, he is unacquainted with the notion of a closet. So manly.
DS1 is packing the trailer with the few things to come out today. We will be bringing back some furniture (kitchen table and remaining 6 chairs, 2 white chairs for the living room (getting rid of DH's leather recliner since "It hurts my butt") and the rocker that no one likes to sit in. They can go to the thrift store in town. I was able to borrow enough furniture from family to put with the stuff still here to stage the house. When DH thought he couldn't come out until the end of May, I bought a bedspread and a couple of towels at Ross. DD1 likes the bedspread it so she can have it with the bed when we close up the house. The towels can be used in our bathrooms in TX and for guests. Everything else I used is small, easy to pack for TX, or go to the kids or thrift store when we leave.
I can finally relax until the plumbing issue is taken care of. Then I will have to strip the wallpaper, paint the family bathroom, and repair the molding (already cut) around the skylight. A couple days at most with DH doing some outside clean up. DD2 had a house cleaning business and said she would do a final deep clean on the house. It really doesn't need that much, maybe mop the floors, wash the barn doors, and scrub the bathtub.
I will tile DS2's shower while we are waiting for an offer on the house. DH can continue cleaning up the field, barn, etc., take the hazardous waste to the HW drop off, and gather anything we are keeping to take to Texas into one spot. I also told Kathy that we will both be available to substitute at bridge on Wednesdays, and I found another couple that are interested in playing other days. DD1 finally said that if we want to come over on the weekends she and DSIL1 would play with us. He knows how to play but she said she would "wing it". LOL
DH decided to go with Plumber # even though he was slightly higher than #2. DH liked what the plumber told him was wrong, what he could do, what he would do, and that he did NOT want to cut open the dining room wall to access the breather pipe. #3 said the breather pipe is NOT too small, but the plumbing under the house was preventing a proper air flow. The plumber will disconnect the copper fitting attached to the galvanized piping to the vanity and check to see if that is the reason the pipe is clogged with corrosion. DH is hoping the pipe is ok beyond the connection but I am pretty sure from the completed corroded closed old shut off valve pipe that the first guy showed me that it will not solve the water situation, but if #3 can put a shutoff on the copper line, plumber #1 can tie to it for water to the pex lines. I would have plumber#3 just do the pex but have a contract with plumber#1 which I have to pay off so don't want to use #3 and pay double. However, #3 said running pex up through the wall and across the ceiling then down to the sink would work fine. DH wants to have #3 remove the old galvanized from the foundation and hopefully leave a hole through which #1 can thread the pex. I just said "Yes, dear" but I will ask #3 if that can be done. It will avoid cutting into any walls. Plumber #3 starts on Monday and it will be a 2 day job.
By the time DH and DD2 arrive we will have a sewer and I can use the kitchen sink, dishwasher washing machine, etc. We won't have water in the vanity in the famioy bathroom yet, but I will schedule plumber #1 immediately #3 is finished. I am going to tell #1 that our insurance insisted on using #3. #1 was the most expensive and never gave me a written bid anyway, and I would not use him for the water except I have a contract to finish and pay off.
Today DH used the video call feature on his phone to get the extra clothes I wanted. He had DS1 come in and he and DS1 got in a fight over doing it NOW. I had sent a list of stuff to DS1 and he kept saying he would take are of it but DH said he wanted to do it NOW. DH kept grabbing stuff out of drawers and holding it up for me to decide if it was what I wanted. Unfortunately, he doesn't know how to use the video call feature so most of the time I saw either the carpet, ceiling fan, blurry closeup of something unidentifiable, or a moving blur as he swung the phone around. Between the rapidly moving pictures on the video call and the shouting I was getting nauseous. I hung up. DH called back and yelled at me about hanging up, then DS1 yelled at him about how he was using the video feature. Finally DS1 took charge and I told them to tke whatever they were grabbing. No idea what is coming out other than 2 pairs of jeans, a couple T-shirts, hopefully some tank tops and a sweater since the whirling video pictures were making me dizzy so I put my phone face down until DS1 took over. DH threw all my clothes into a laundry basket and assured me he would "pack" them in a plastic garbage bag to bring out. I don't think he refolded anything that he grabbed and was waving around to put away. In fact, my barn jacket (which I remember hanging up in the laundry room before leaving) was laying on the bedroom floor for some reason. According to DH "I didn't know where to put it". Apparently, he is unacquainted with the notion of a closet. So manly.
DS1 is packing the trailer with the few things to come out today. We will be bringing back some furniture (kitchen table and remaining 6 chairs, 2 white chairs for the living room (getting rid of DH's leather recliner since "It hurts my butt") and the rocker that no one likes to sit in. They can go to the thrift store in town. I was able to borrow enough furniture from family to put with the stuff still here to stage the house. When DH thought he couldn't come out until the end of May, I bought a bedspread and a couple of towels at Ross. DD1 likes the bedspread it so she can have it with the bed when we close up the house. The towels can be used in our bathrooms in TX and for guests. Everything else I used is small, easy to pack for TX, or go to the kids or thrift store when we leave.
I can finally relax until the plumbing issue is taken care of. Then I will have to strip the wallpaper, paint the family bathroom, and repair the molding (already cut) around the skylight. A couple days at most with DH doing some outside clean up. DD2 had a house cleaning business and said she would do a final deep clean on the house. It really doesn't need that much, maybe mop the floors, wash the barn doors, and scrub the bathtub.
I will tile DS2's shower while we are waiting for an offer on the house. DH can continue cleaning up the field, barn, etc., take the hazardous waste to the HW drop off, and gather anything we are keeping to take to Texas into one spot. I also told Kathy that we will both be available to substitute at bridge on Wednesdays, and I found another couple that are interested in playing other days. DD1 finally said that if we want to come over on the weekends she and DSIL1 would play with us. He knows how to play but she said she would "wing it". LOL
murphysranch
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Ridge: do you play contract bridge? I have tons of Mother's stuff for that. If you do, and there is a need, I can list out what I've got. We're moving Mother into Memory Care.
Wait. I just remembered, Contract Bridge is just Bridge. Mother used to play the other type too. Duplicate. I guess nevermind.
Wait. I just remembered, Contract Bridge is just Bridge. Mother used to play the other type too. Duplicate. I guess nevermind.
SageHill
Herd Master
Just wondering if you are near the Sandy Fire. 183 acres and 0% containment -- thinking it's north of you.
- Thread starter
- #5,299
Ridgetop
Herd Master
No, the Sandy Fire is about 25 miles away in Simi Valley. I actually didn't know there was a fire out there since I have not been watching the news! LOL
The sewer pipes have all been replaced. The plumber also removed and replaced the toilet flange in that bathroom and did somethiing with the bathtub drain too. He said that the slope of the sewer pipe at the end of the house going into the cesspit is too level, but since fixing that would entail digging up the sewer pipe under the house and in part of the yard over to the connection and relaying it, we are not going to bother. It works and the buyer can take care of that problem when they do whatever they want to the house. Al the water leaks are fixed, the sewer is new, AND the plumber's main guy was able to crawle under and said that there was enough acess to remove the old pipes and run new Pex from the connection under the house up through the fundation into the bathroom sink without cutting out any drywall other than in the back of the vanity. I can repair that easily. This plumber also finished connecting the faucet with the drain stopper that the other guy had not finished. (We did not realize that out until after he left.) This new plumber was excellent and repaired several additional things at no extra charge. I am having him come back to flush out the front patio drains later this week. DS1 and DH managed to get the rear drains flushed out but couldn't get the front ones to drain more than a small trickle of water.
I will have to pay the remainder of the contract with the other guy (for doing nothing) but at this point I don't care. The new sewer, water line, and plumbing work add value to the house. It also means that the inspector will find nothing wrong with the house that needs to be repaired. I told DH that we will raise the listing price and if the buyer somes in with a slightly lower offer, we can accept at the price we wanted. I think with the new plumbing, newer HVAC, roof, etc. we should get the price we want. Stress level down to zero.
I do have to finish removing the bathroom wallpaper. I have almost finished removng all the wallpaper around the vanity. The ceiling in that bathroom is slightly lower, and between the tile wainscoting around the toilet, the tub and the vanity, there is very little wallpaper in that bathroom. Another couple days of removal, then wash the walls with TSP and prime them. I have enough white paint in both semi-gloss and satin paint to paint out the bathroom easily. The medicine cabinet is down and I will remove the doors, and take the cabinet outside to sand it slightly, spray paint it white inside and out, put the irror doors back on it, and then rehang it. The light fixture looks like it has a bit of rust in places so I may take it down and spray paint it with a satin nickel finish. I won't replace it since it is not in as bad condition as the other fixture was. I think I can touch it up and it will look fine. I will cut the drywall to fit under the sink, screw it onto the wall and paint it. Or maybe painting it first will be easier - I can cut it and dry fit it, then roller the paint on it before installation. No contorting my body trying to paint inside the cabinet around the pipes.
The sewer pipes have all been replaced. The plumber also removed and replaced the toilet flange in that bathroom and did somethiing with the bathtub drain too. He said that the slope of the sewer pipe at the end of the house going into the cesspit is too level, but since fixing that would entail digging up the sewer pipe under the house and in part of the yard over to the connection and relaying it, we are not going to bother. It works and the buyer can take care of that problem when they do whatever they want to the house. Al the water leaks are fixed, the sewer is new, AND the plumber's main guy was able to crawle under and said that there was enough acess to remove the old pipes and run new Pex from the connection under the house up through the fundation into the bathroom sink without cutting out any drywall other than in the back of the vanity. I can repair that easily. This plumber also finished connecting the faucet with the drain stopper that the other guy had not finished. (We did not realize that out until after he left.) This new plumber was excellent and repaired several additional things at no extra charge. I am having him come back to flush out the front patio drains later this week. DS1 and DH managed to get the rear drains flushed out but couldn't get the front ones to drain more than a small trickle of water.
I will have to pay the remainder of the contract with the other guy (for doing nothing) but at this point I don't care. The new sewer, water line, and plumbing work add value to the house. It also means that the inspector will find nothing wrong with the house that needs to be repaired. I told DH that we will raise the listing price and if the buyer somes in with a slightly lower offer, we can accept at the price we wanted. I think with the new plumbing, newer HVAC, roof, etc. we should get the price we want. Stress level down to zero.
I do have to finish removing the bathroom wallpaper. I have almost finished removng all the wallpaper around the vanity. The ceiling in that bathroom is slightly lower, and between the tile wainscoting around the toilet, the tub and the vanity, there is very little wallpaper in that bathroom. Another couple days of removal, then wash the walls with TSP and prime them. I have enough white paint in both semi-gloss and satin paint to paint out the bathroom easily. The medicine cabinet is down and I will remove the doors, and take the cabinet outside to sand it slightly, spray paint it white inside and out, put the irror doors back on it, and then rehang it. The light fixture looks like it has a bit of rust in places so I may take it down and spray paint it with a satin nickel finish. I won't replace it since it is not in as bad condition as the other fixture was. I think I can touch it up and it will look fine. I will cut the drywall to fit under the sink, screw it onto the wall and paint it. Or maybe painting it first will be easier - I can cut it and dry fit it, then roller the paint on it before installation. No contorting my body trying to paint inside the cabinet around the pipes.
Finnie
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This is an excellent idea! When I built my own chicken coop, I painted front and back of as many parts as I could before attaching them for the same reason.No contorting my body trying to paint inside the cabinet around the pipes.
Glad you checked in, because I’ve been looking at the Sandy Fire map every day wondering how close it is to you.
