Goodbye $675+....I hardly knew you

[Queasy]

So, the main water line to my house was busted sometime yesterday. My next door neighbor came over to tell me I had water flooding out of my garden next to my house. Apparently, tree roots are the cause.

Now I've got a plumber out there digging up my yard. $675 + parts.

<sigh> I hate these kind of unexpected expenses.

 

[AccruedExpenditure]

=(

 

[K1052]

Homes are giant money pits (not as bad as boats though). You have to expect these things to happen from time to time.

 

[MrPickins]

I feel your pain.

I had the same thing happen to me a few months ago, but luckily my neighbors gave me a hand, and we fixed it:

http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview...atid=38&threadid=2002786&enterthread=y

 

[MrPickins]

Originally posted by: K1052
Homes are giant money pits (not as bad as boats though). You have to expect these things to happen from time to time.

No lie there.

I had no idea how many things go wrong/break until I became a homeowner...

 

[MisterJackson]

Aren't you the one who was trying to sell that house? Maybe I'm thinking of someone else.

 

[Queasy]

Originally posted by: MisterJackson
Aren't you the one who was trying to sell that house? Maybe I'm thinking of someone else.

Nope. Just moved into this house last year.

 

[dmcowen674]

Originally posted by: Queasy

Originally posted by: MisterJackson
Aren't you the one who was trying to sell that house? Maybe I'm thinking of someone else.

Nope. Just moved into this house last year.

Did you ask the plumber if it was Blue Pipe?

Blue Pipe had a huge recall and the repair and replace costs are covered by the manufaturer of the pipe. Most of the Atlanta area was plagued by bthis stuff.

We had our pipe replaced for free.

 

[Queasy]

Originally posted by: dmcowen674

Originally posted by: Queasy

Originally posted by: MisterJackson
Aren't you the one who was trying to sell that house? Maybe I'm thinking of someone else.

Nope. Just moved into this house last year.

Did you ask the plumber if it was Blue Pipe?

Blue Pipe had a huge recall and the repair and replace costs are covered by the manufaturer of the pipe. Most of the Atlanta area was plagued by bthis stuff.

We had our pipe replaced for free.

I'll have to call my wife and get her to ask the plumber. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[dmcowen674]

Originally posted by: Queasy

Originally posted by: dmcowen674

Originally posted by: Queasy

Originally posted by: MisterJackson
Aren't you the one who was trying to sell that house? Maybe I'm thinking of someone else.

Nope. Just moved into this house last year.

Did you ask the plumber if it was Blue Pipe?

Blue Pipe had a huge recall and the repair and replace costs are covered by the manufaturer of the pipe. Most of the Atlanta area was plagued by bthis stuff.

We had our pipe replaced for free.

I'll have to call my wife and get her to ask the plumber. Thanks for the heads up.

Free Blue Pipe replacement

 

[SampSon]

$675 is cheap.

 

[moshquerade]

ah, the joys of being a homeowner.

 

[moshquerade]

Originally posted by: SampSon
$675 is cheap.

it'll be more... it's always more.

 

[SampSon]

Originally posted by: moshquerade

Originally posted by: SampSon
$675 is cheap.

it'll be more... it's always more.

When I have work done that I cannot do myself, I have a signed and dated estimate/contract before any work is done. If the contractor doesn't like that then he can move on to his next victim... customer.

 

[49erinnc]

Originally posted by: SampSon
$675 is cheap.

No doubt. It would be closer to $1500 to have mine done and it's only a matter of time. I've had two main line leaks since I moved in and both times, I dug up the yard myself to splice in a new section of pipe. What sucks is that my front yard has a big slope to it and the water line is literally around 4' deep. So it would cost me a ton to have a plumber come out and dig up that whole line. Not to mention, it's a good ways from the main valve to my house. But with 2 leaks within 12 months of each other, it's inevitable that I'll have to have it replaced. Both of my neighbors have had it done in the last year.

FYI: If you show proof of plumber work, you can possibly get a discount on your water bill. I'm sure it varies from city to city but I know that here in Charlotte, our water company will knock off some of the spike from the leak if you show them you had a main line leak and work done on it. Won't save you a ton but every little bit helps.

 

[EagleKeeper]

check with your home owners insurance also.

 

[Queasy]

Originally posted by: dmcowen674

Originally posted by: Queasy

Originally posted by: dmcowen674

Originally posted by: Queasy

Originally posted by: MisterJackson
Aren't you the one who was trying to sell that house? Maybe I'm thinking of someone else.

Nope. Just moved into this house last year.

Did you ask the plumber if it was Blue Pipe?

Blue Pipe had a huge recall and the repair and replace costs are covered by the manufaturer of the pipe. Most of the Atlanta area was plagued by bthis stuff.

We had our pipe replaced for free.

I'll have to call my wife and get her to ask the plumber. Thanks for the heads up.

Free Blue Pipe replacement

Yep, it is Blue Pipe. My wife said the pipe was split right down the seam.

According to your link, we just make the free replacement deadline. The house was built in early 95.

 

[Rallispec]

Originally posted by: Queasy

Originally posted by: dmcowen674

Originally posted by: Queasy

Originally posted by: dmcowen674

Originally posted by: Queasy

Originally posted by: MisterJackson
Aren't you the one who was trying to sell that house? Maybe I'm thinking of someone else.

Nope. Just moved into this house last year.

Did you ask the plumber if it was Blue Pipe?

Blue Pipe had a huge recall and the repair and replace costs are covered by the manufaturer of the pipe. Most of the Atlanta area was plagued by bthis stuff.

We had our pipe replaced for free.

I'll have to call my wife and get her to ask the plumber. Thanks for the heads up.

Free Blue Pipe replacement

Yep, it is Blue Pipe. My wife said the pipe was split right down the seam.

According to your link, we just make the free replacement deadline. The house was built in early 95.

wow... lucky break... have you followed up on this yet?

 

[moshquerade]

Originally posted by: Queasy

Originally posted by: dmcowen674

Originally posted by: Queasy

Originally posted by: dmcowen674

Originally posted by: Queasy

Originally posted by: MisterJackson
Aren't you the one who was trying to sell that house? Maybe I'm thinking of someone else.

Nope. Just moved into this house last year.

Did you ask the plumber if it was Blue Pipe?

Blue Pipe had a huge recall and the repair and replace costs are covered by the manufaturer of the pipe. Most of the Atlanta area was plagued by bthis stuff.

We had our pipe replaced for free.

I'll have to call my wife and get her to ask the plumber. Thanks for the heads up.

Free Blue Pipe replacement

Yep, it is Blue Pipe. My wife said the pipe was split right down the seam.

According to your link, we just make the free replacement deadline. The house was built in early 95.

Now that is pretty sweet. I guess it pays to post on ATOT. :thumbsup:

 

[imported_Baloo]

I don't get it. Is this metered water? You got a meter attached to your home, probably inside? Whats ahead of it is not your responsibility, but you local water depts? Why are you paying to fix it? Did you not report it to your local water Dept.? Why would you not call the Water dept? Are you hiding something they might find?

 

[Rallispec]

Originally posted by: Baloo
I don't get it. Is this metered water? You got a meter attached to your home, probably inside? Whats ahead of it is not your responsibility, but you local water depts? Why are you paying to fix it? Did you not report it to your local water Dept.? Why would you not call the Water dept? Are you hiding something they might find?

Why am I responsible for the leak in the street on my water line?
By Water Board Regulations in the City of Buffalo, the water service line from the main in the street up to and including the piping leading to the house is owned by the property owner. This is considered to be a private line from the city?s water main to the house. It is the homeowner?s responsibility to maintain the water line and keep it in good repair.

taken from here - but the same applies pretty much everywhere.

 

[Queasy]

Originally posted by: Rallispec

Originally posted by: Baloo
I don't get it. Is this metered water? You got a meter attached to your home, probably inside? Whats ahead of it is not your responsibility, but you local water depts? Why are you paying to fix it? Did you not report it to your local water Dept.? Why would you not call the Water dept? Are you hiding something they might find?

Why am I responsible for the leak in the street on my water line?
By Water Board Regulations in the City of Buffalo, the water service line from the main in the street up to and including the piping leading to the house is owned by the property owner. This is considered to be a private line from the city?s water main to the house. It is the homeowner?s responsibility to maintain the water line and keep it in good repair.

taken from here - but the same applies pretty much everywhere.

Exactly. The water company is responsible for the pipes up to the water meter. Everything from the water meter to the house is the homeowner's responsibility.

At my first house, the builder apparently attached our main pipe to the water meter with the wrong fitting. This resulted in a leak coming from the water meter. I called the county water department and they said since the fitting was on my side of the water meter and that the builder attached it, it was my responsibility. Fortunately, it wasn't that hard to replace.

 

[Queasy]

Originally posted by: moshquerade

Originally posted by: Queasy

Originally posted by: dmcowen674

Originally posted by: Queasy

Originally posted by: dmcowen674

Originally posted by: Queasy

Originally posted by: MisterJackson
Aren't you the one who was trying to sell that house? Maybe I'm thinking of someone else.

Nope. Just moved into this house last year.

Did you ask the plumber if it was Blue Pipe?

Blue Pipe had a huge recall and the repair and replace costs are covered by the manufaturer of the pipe. Most of the Atlanta area was plagued by bthis stuff.

We had our pipe replaced for free.

I'll have to call my wife and get her to ask the plumber. Thanks for the heads up.

Free Blue Pipe replacement

Yep, it is Blue Pipe. My wife said the pipe was split right down the seam.

According to your link, we just make the free replacement deadline. The house was built in early 95.

Now that is pretty sweet. I guess it pays to post on ATOT. :thumbsup:

N/M...looks like we don't make the cutoff. Since the pipes are outside, the deadline was 10 years from August of 95. The company did say that they would replace all the pipes outside for $1000 though. <sigh>

We're probably going to get my wife's uncle to replace the pipes since he is a handyman.

 

[SarcasticDwarf]

Originally posted by: 49erinnc

Originally posted by: SampSon
$675 is cheap.

No doubt. It would be closer to $1500 to have mine done and it's only a matter of time. I've had two main line leaks since I moved in and both times, I dug up the yard myself to splice in a new section of pipe. What sucks is that my front yard has a big slope to it and the water line is literally around 4' deep. So it would cost me a ton to have a plumber come out and dig up that whole line. Not to mention, it's a good ways from the main valve to my house. But with 2 leaks within 12 months of each other, it's inevitable that I'll have to have it replaced. Both of my neighbors have had it done in the last year.

Why don't you just spend a weekend digging it up yourself and schedule a plumber to replace the line?

 

[mitaiwan82]

went through this last summer...except it was the city's water lines that were the problem. $350 down the drain and not reimbursed =( Also going to be broke because A/C's getting replaced this week