Comments on: An unavoidable expense of $8500 http://probargainhunter.com/2008/05/18/an-unavoidable-expense-of-8500/ News, Tips and Resources for Online Bargain Hunters Fri, 26 Aug 2011 02:23:11 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Paul http://probargainhunter.com/2008/05/18/an-unavoidable-expense-of-8500/comment-page-1/#comment-30287 Paul Thu, 29 May 2008 16:24:21 +0000 http://probargainhunter.com/2008/05/18/an-unavoidable-expense-of-8500/#comment-30287 Repairing 3/4 inch copper pipe is easy and definately should not cost $8500. Get more quotes. Backhoe for the day is around $150/hr. Repairing 3/4 inch copper pipe is easy and definately should not cost $8500. Get more quotes. Backhoe for the day is around $150/hr.

]]> By: Yan http://probargainhunter.com/2008/05/18/an-unavoidable-expense-of-8500/comment-page-1/#comment-30286 Yan Thu, 29 May 2008 16:21:53 +0000 http://probargainhunter.com/2008/05/18/an-unavoidable-expense-of-8500/#comment-30286 What you see in the photo is not the actual pipe. I got it from Flickr with illustration purposes only. Sorry about the confusion. The actual pipe is about 3/4 inch and it connects the water main to the house. I am not sure but I think it was copper. What you see in the photo is not the actual pipe. I got it from Flickr with illustration purposes only. Sorry about the confusion. The actual pipe is about 3/4 inch and it connects the water main to the house. I am not sure but I think it was copper.

]]> By: Paul http://probargainhunter.com/2008/05/18/an-unavoidable-expense-of-8500/comment-page-1/#comment-30285 Paul Thu, 29 May 2008 13:33:12 +0000 http://probargainhunter.com/2008/05/18/an-unavoidable-expense-of-8500/#comment-30285 The pipe shown is not copper. This pipe is a water main - not your household water supply which would be 3/4 inch copper. This pipe is cast iron or ductile iron. Average life is around 60 years. Not likely it is 5 years old. Also very unlikely this is on your property. If you are experiencing a pressure loss others should be as well. This break would definately be the Utilities problem - not yours. The pipe shown is not copper. This pipe is a water main – not your household water supply which would be 3/4 inch copper. This pipe is cast iron or ductile iron. Average life is around 60 years. Not likely it is 5 years old. Also very unlikely this is on your property. If you are experiencing a pressure loss others should be as well. This break would definately be the Utilities problem – not yours.

]]> By: Yan http://probargainhunter.com/2008/05/18/an-unavoidable-expense-of-8500/comment-page-1/#comment-30283 Yan Thu, 29 May 2008 02:24:31 +0000 http://probargainhunter.com/2008/05/18/an-unavoidable-expense-of-8500/#comment-30283 I have seen the pipe in front of me when they got it out and it was made out of some yellowish metal. I will comment here again when the chemical analysis results will come from the lab. I have seen the pipe in front of me when they got it out and it was made out of some yellowish metal. I will comment here again when the chemical analysis results will come from the lab.

]]> By: Zogg Jones http://probargainhunter.com/2008/05/18/an-unavoidable-expense-of-8500/comment-page-1/#comment-30282 Zogg Jones Thu, 29 May 2008 02:18:16 +0000 http://probargainhunter.com/2008/05/18/an-unavoidable-expense-of-8500/#comment-30282 I suspect your friend's neiborhood had polypropylene... I doubt copper would fail at that rate. -Zogg I suspect your friend’s neiborhood had polypropylene… I doubt copper would fail at that rate.

-Zogg

]]> By: Yan http://probargainhunter.com/2008/05/18/an-unavoidable-expense-of-8500/comment-page-1/#comment-30208 Yan Fri, 23 May 2008 16:24:17 +0000 http://probargainhunter.com/2008/05/18/an-unavoidable-expense-of-8500/#comment-30208 It would take me a few months to dig my way to the pipe. The hole these guys made was at least 20 ft long and 15 ft deep and it took them a couple of days with the excavator. Are there even houses that have no shut off valve? I thought it was a must. It would take me a few months to dig my way to the pipe. The hole these guys made was at least 20 ft long and 15 ft deep and it took them a couple of days with the excavator. Are there even houses that have no shut off valve? I thought it was a must.

]]> By: Jake http://probargainhunter.com/2008/05/18/an-unavoidable-expense-of-8500/comment-page-1/#comment-30207 Jake Fri, 23 May 2008 15:59:01 +0000 http://probargainhunter.com/2008/05/18/an-unavoidable-expense-of-8500/#comment-30207 "I shut the water off at the main with a shut-off key (a good investment). Then dug the old pipe out and replaced it with PVC. Took most of a day (100ft buried about 18″). Total cost about $85 (rented a digging machine, bought pipes, fittings, PVC glue). Nothing too complicated." Hahaha. Right. Piece of cake. My wife would squash that idea in about 2 seconds. “I shut the water off at the main with a shut-off key (a good investment). Then dug the old pipe out and replaced it with PVC. Took most of a day (100ft buried about 18″). Total cost about $85 (rented a digging machine, bought pipes, fittings, PVC glue). Nothing too complicated.”

Hahaha. Right. Piece of cake. My wife would squash that idea in about 2 seconds.

]]> By: Zogg Jones http://probargainhunter.com/2008/05/18/an-unavoidable-expense-of-8500/comment-page-1/#comment-30174 Zogg Jones Wed, 21 May 2008 10:39:11 +0000 http://probargainhunter.com/2008/05/18/an-unavoidable-expense-of-8500/#comment-30174 Zogg had a problem like that... Actually a 60 year old galvanized pipe that was about to go. I shut the water off at the main with a shut-off key (a good investment). Then dug the old pipe out and replaced it with PVC. Took most of a day (100ft buried about 18"). Total cost about $85 (rented a digging machine, bought pipes, fittings, PVC glue). Nothing too complicated. That was 16 years ago, and no leaks yet. $8,500 sounds outragous... Good luck -Zogg Zogg had a problem like that… Actually a 60 year old galvanized pipe that was about to go. I shut the water off at the main with a shut-off key (a good investment). Then dug the old pipe out and replaced it with PVC. Took most of a day (100ft buried about 18″). Total cost about $85 (rented a digging machine, bought pipes, fittings, PVC glue). Nothing too complicated. That was 16 years ago, and no leaks yet. $8,500 sounds outragous…
Good luck
-Zogg

]]> By: Yan http://probargainhunter.com/2008/05/18/an-unavoidable-expense-of-8500/comment-page-1/#comment-30156 Yan Tue, 20 May 2008 00:57:15 +0000 http://probargainhunter.com/2008/05/18/an-unavoidable-expense-of-8500/#comment-30156 Richie, the homeowners insurance we got lasted 2 years. This may sound ridiculous taken that you usually get a better warranty even with a car, but this was the reality back in 2003 when we bought the house. We do have a softener, which takes care of the pipes inside. The damage my neighbor had was at the stretch between the water-main and the house, the part we don't have control over, and the one entirely underground. Alex, I have to agree with your sound judgment. I am freaking out to some extend. We do have savings that we keep just for a sort of an accident like this. It is just really depressing to know that there is a good likelihood we can be out of a decent chunk of it, and not being able to do anything about it. I guess I should stop worry too much. Life is there to live and I am not going to make it miserable because of this. There are many more things that could happen that are much worse. Richie, the homeowners insurance we got lasted 2 years. This may sound ridiculous taken that you usually get a better warranty even with a car, but this was the reality back in 2003 when we bought the house.

We do have a softener, which takes care of the pipes inside. The damage my neighbor had was at the stretch between the water-main and the house, the part we don’t have control over, and the one entirely underground.

Alex, I have to agree with your sound judgment. I am freaking out to some extend. We do have savings that we keep just for a sort of an accident like this. It is just really depressing to know that there is a good likelihood we can be out of a decent chunk of it, and not being able to do anything about it.

I guess I should stop worry too much. Life is there to live and I am not going to make it miserable because of this. There are many more things that could happen that are much worse.

]]> By: XynamaX http://probargainhunter.com/2008/05/18/an-unavoidable-expense-of-8500/comment-page-1/#comment-30150 XynamaX Mon, 19 May 2008 14:33:03 +0000 http://probargainhunter.com/2008/05/18/an-unavoidable-expense-of-8500/#comment-30150 A pipe like that shouldn't go bad in 5 years. Chances are, because of the housing boom (and current bust), builders got cheap with their materials and their workmanship. If you bought your home new, it should have come with a new home warranty sponsored by the builder. This would fall under that warranty. What was the diameter of the pipe? Was it the supply line from the pipe to the house or the actual water main line? Supply lines to most homes are in the 3/4" to 1.25" range. If it was thicker then that, then it's most likely the water main and I'd wonder why it's running on your land unless there's an easement for it. Usually these are buried under the street. If the water quality is bad in your area, that can also add to the premature deterioration of the pipes. If you have high calcium, you'll want to add a water softener to protect your pipes (especially if they are copper). If they use PEX (PVC) then you should be OK, although there's still traces of copper fittings that you'll want to protect. Fixing a water issue on the inside of the house is a much more damaging situation. -Richie A pipe like that shouldn’t go bad in 5 years. Chances are, because of the housing boom (and current bust), builders got cheap with their materials and their workmanship.

If you bought your home new, it should have come with a new home warranty sponsored by the builder. This would fall under that warranty.

What was the diameter of the pipe? Was it the supply line from the pipe to the house or the actual water main line? Supply lines to most homes are in the 3/4″ to 1.25″ range. If it was thicker then that, then it’s most likely the water main and I’d wonder why it’s running on your land unless there’s an easement for it. Usually these are buried under the street.

If the water quality is bad in your area, that can also add to the premature deterioration of the pipes. If you have high calcium, you’ll want to add a water softener to protect your pipes (especially if they are copper). If they use PEX (PVC) then you should be OK, although there’s still traces of copper fittings that you’ll want to protect. Fixing a water issue on the inside of the house is a much more damaging situation.

-Richie

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