Holes in the Wall

Phyllis

My husband and I received an estimate from a local plumber to convert the heating system in our house from forced hot air to baseboard heating. The plumber said his estimate DOES NOT include patching up the holes he makes in the walls. I would like to know if this is a starndard practice, or would my husband and I be paying for an incomplete job?

Jamie_6

Phyllis,

This is the same way we usually handle that sort of situation. You see, we are really good heating and air conditioning specialist but we are not good carpenters. We will usually give the homeowner some names of reputable carpenters in the area.

Jamie


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John Starcher_4

Yep....

....we handle it the same way, for the same reason, Jamie! We're pretty darn good plumbers and hvac folks, lousy drywallers, though.

Starch

jackchips_2

You are

not paying for an incomplete job, Phyllis, as long as you get what the contractor quotes. If he excludes certain things up front you now know what you and your husband will be responsible for.

You have every right to at least ask him where he needs to make holes and how big so you have some type of idea what will be involved. Many heating systems can be installed with minimal openings by utilizing closets, existing chases or snaking lines in partitions. There are some cases where ceilings or walls must be opened and he should be able to give you a heads up. You may even be able to offer optional areas to run some of the piping that involves more cost to him (and you) but with minimal openings.

Work closely with whomever you chose, check references and you should have a good experience.

Best of luck.

Ken_8

Phyllis,

Jamie's correct.

It's not that we are bunch of primadonnas and don't want to do rocking, taping and spackling - it's that we stink at it!

The trade is becoming so complicated we need to stay focussed on the discipline we do best. Heat.

Being a good rocker is an art. Oh most of us know how to rock. But it would take us six coats of spackle to get it right and three days of sanding and then there's the painting and on and on. We know how to do it. We would just take too long - and it would probably look like an amateur did it. Fact be known, we are heating experts and we are ameteur tape and spacklers.

Bottom line? Let the heating guys do what they do best - and let the rockers do what they do best.

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Ken_8

However...

You might ask the heating guy if would like to "bundle" a sub-contractor of his choosing to button up the walls - as an "extra" and see what he thinks?

If he begs off, don't press him. I too have been undermined by a bad sub and sometimes we are better off letting the customer/homeowner play the GC role.

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ScottMP

Each to his trade

I've done joint compounding at my house.

You can tell !

Scott

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Mike T., Swampeast MO

A good "handyman" or "honey do" type service might be your best bet. You're probably going to have a number of old holes from the ductwork that have to be filled and likely some minor trim work. If the "dedicated" service companies in your area are busy, they'll often be hard to get for small jobs...

For truly invisible repairs entire walls will likely have to be repainted--that is unless the current paint is quite new and you saved paint and it's still good.

Weezbo

Work is work to me however time is $

so,if i have little time the standard is to be as least invasive as possible and let the home owner know up front.
if i have time,i will frame the house side it plumb it wire it roof it sheet rock it pour the slabs and footings strike it flat with a bull float and power float insulate it and go get the back hoe and put the tanks in.i gota buncha licenses...you could go hire a G C i have residential endorsements for that Too:) would you like Residential Firesprinklers...? that costs a bit extra too.
windows doors cabinets and trim ? wall paper skip coat knock down orange peel? square or round corners? non of the stuff is done for free. the tools cost a small fortune in an of themselves. my carpet tractors etc..same deal.
thing is unlike when i was younger i seldom have the time for it any more. so ...usually...you are resposible for the repair of small holes touch up paint etc. today i painted the floor before i left work. Who would do that ?
last week i painted the walls in a corner with Kiltz Green label. heres the why...I like the person iam working for to see a distinct change in what they are looking at the next time they look at my work.i also use another "Trick" the olafactory is the highest sence we have as sences go...so quite often i use soap and water around me while i work:)

Ken C.

Yes, it is standard practice

for plumbers not to repair holes they make in a wall or ceiling.