Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Contractor woes

Siwelclo, by Trenton Potteries

This morning, a text message showed up in my inbox from A, stating that the plumbers had permanently affixed this toilet to the floor.

This was the toilet that had leaked and caused so much other damage previously. We've been waiting five weeks for them to get parts and get over here, which has become more and more frustrating. Our frustration is not so much due to the delay as the manner in which our general contractor keeps telling us that he will be here at a certain time and then not showing up. This might be ok if he called and said that he wasn't going to be able to be there, but to just not show up is unacceptable.

A says that they permanently affixed it to the floor because there was no way to properly secure it otherwise without damaging the tile. What are we supposed to do now if something happens and the toilet has to be repaired? The fixtures in our bathrooms are almost entirely original, and I really really like it that way. Another toilet bowl for this toilet would be $500 or so from a retailer dealing in such things. Is this a compromise that I'm just supposed to make to deal with these issues?

I'll be investigating this mess when I get home, and probably having some choice words with the plumber tomorrow.

UPDATE

The toilet bowl was not affixed to the floor - there had been a miscommunication. Rather, the new flange is permanently affixed to the floor, which is perfectly acceptable. There are, however, major issues, which I will detail later, and which I have been told will be addressed tomorrow.

5 comments:

Mr. Kluges said...

What do they mean "permanently affixed"? Bolts? Super glue? Mastic? Concreted in place? Just curious how "permanent" is permanent.

Christopher Busta-Peck said...

I'm not sure. It's something more than bolts, I know that much. I'll report more on this later.

Anonymous said...

Sounds like it's time to start withholding payment from said contractors. Being a contractor myself I know that some of these guys are only motivated in one way.....bottom line!

Christopher Busta-Peck said...

Todd - point well taken. The problem is that he hasn't billed us and we haven't paid him for anything since he completed the last leg of this project, six weeks ago.

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