Against my better judgement

Cosmo_3

I was working on a commercial job today, it is a Bed and Breakfast type of Inn, I am in the process of running a new building drain in from a new sewer lateral.

This morning I had a meeting with the owner to go over where I was going to enter the building. The basement slab has radiant heat circa 1984 using 1" well poly pipe on 12" centers.

The owner marked where I could bust the slab without hitting anything according to his pictures prior to the concrete pour. I asked to see them and he just said "do it, stop wasting time!".

He has a special way about him that reminds me of my old man 19 years ago. But I put up with him, because he always pays on time, doesn't ask for cheap work, and his recommendation's have given me plenty of work over the years.

So as I carefully break up the slab, watching as best I can for any heating pipes (I have gotten pretty good over the years at being able to break up concrete around radiant lines without damaging them because of all those times fixing G.C. screw ups, things like not telling me where the new just revised (but not on my blueprint) basement walls moved to and fixing the subsequent damage done by the Powder Actuated radiant tube perforating gun thingy. Low and behold water is shooting up and hitting the ceiling. I am in a finished hallway, and a fountain of water is filling the hall, and flowing like a river into the guest rooms!

Well, without writing an essay what I hit was the potable water main into the building. The pipe was 1" schedule 40 PVC, when the property was converted from well water to public the well pump pipe outside was cut off then connected to the public water main. The pressure was 75 PSI, however the kicker is that this 1" line is a branch off of the property 4" ductile main, the nearest shutoff is 200 yards away, and my break is 40 feet down the hill below the 4" main and of course is also the lowest point in the system.

Now I know what my old man meant when I heard him say "I would have been better off staying in bed today" once in a while.


Cosmo

Jeff Lawrence_25

Sometimes you're the bug

Sometimes you're the windsheild.

Mad Dog_2

With you Cosmo.....yep

THAT was a sh--y day. Hope he didn't have the nerve to yell at you? What a business, huh? Mad Dog

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Cosmo_3

He kept his mouth shut

I had told him that I would have rather brought the new building drain in from another area, through the foundation wall. Unfortunately this meant cutting open drywall, and more excavating outside, but at least I knew that I had a clean shot.

After I spent all day on the repair, no breaks, no lunch, sweating like a madman trying to hurry up and get the water back on for the 4 buildings that the 4" main served he calmly said "Guess your way is better, lets get going"

I looked him in the eye and told him that I was headed home to get out of my soaked clothing, take a bath, and have a drink. I'll be back in the morning...


Cosmo