Code Woes

Just a warning to anyone else reading this that may be thinking about doing some remodeling - and asking for help too. We bought an old cabin and our uncle who's been in construction for ages volunteered to help us renovate the interior. He said that since we weren't doing an addition, we didn't need to get a permit. Being naive and this being our first project, we went along and started work. After 5 months of hard labor, weekends, nights and vacations, the weekend before we were to move in, we were having a trench dug around back for the electricity to be run underground and the workers hit the sewer line and busted it. Long story short, we got a ridiculous estimate from a plumber, found a cheaper rate, cancelled the first plumber and he turned us in to the city. Our uncle (in his 70's) had done all of our electrical wiring and plumbing - all of which now has to be ripped out and done over. He used 1 1/2" pipes when 2" is code, and you have to have GFCI's on all the kitchen counter outlets as well as having all appliances wired separately. To say the least, we are in a major pickle and won't be moving in anytime soon. Total costs to fix all this is going to be somewhere in the $5k range, unless we can figure out a way to do it ourselves. We now have a home-owner's permit which means we can do it ourselves - if we can find a plumber to advise us on how to do it. Any suggestions?

 

Not only do you need a plumber but you'll also need an electrician for guidance.Some contractors will work with homeowners if you explain the situation.As for that other plumber he sounds like the kind of "businessman" that would rip-off his own mother for a buck.If you have the time I would find something...anything on him & let him have it {not that I'm a vindictive person} what goes around ...comes around.

 

Rich,

No offense, but your Uncle "who's been in construction for ages" seems to have been out of the trades for a long time as well. Codes change.

A remodel like that requires a permit. Makes no difference if you are adding on, or just changing the interior.

If a 2" pipe was required, any active plumber would have seen that coming.

Kitchen outlets -- thay have to be GFCI protected. There have to be 2 such circuits in the kitchen, as well as dedicated circuits for the major appliances such as the 'fridge, the DW, the garbage disposal. HOWEVER, you only need 2 GFCI's in the kitchen -- one at the beginning of each of the 2 countertop circuits. They protect all the others down line.

You can do a kitchen remodel for $5K?? How?? Mine cost almost $20K 4 years ago, without enlarging the kitchen and me doing all of the work. My kitchen is about 11' X 11'. (And it passed every inspection.)

 

Don't blame the plumber...he just did what he is obligated to do as a professional plumber. Had the plumber not notified the authorities, then he could have lost his license. He did the right thing...the homeowner is in the wrong here.

 

We bought all the oak cabinets at a Resource recycling center for about $400 total - these people tear down older designer homes up in Aspen and resell the cabinets so they are extremely nice. The flooring is the same paneling that we took off the walls and put on the floors throughout the house (heart pine to stay with the old cabin look), we got a black fridge and a dishwasher for $300 for BOTH, NEW, on clearance sale at Lowe's, the sink was $35 at the Resource center, lighting $100, wire, sheetrock, insulation another couple hundred. The whole kitchen was only going to run about $1300 until NOW, when we have to hire an electrician and a plumber. Needless to say, we are very unhappy with our uncle, but he's family so what do you do? Sue him? Live and learn. We've definitely learned our lesson - now we just have to move on. FYI - we cedar panelled the bathroom, put in a garden tub and tiled the surround, a copper sink, nice faucets, and tiled a 4' x 6' walk-in shower all for $2k. It all depends on what you want and how much money you want to spend - and how much research you're willing to do as to how much things cost. The toilet was $50, the tub $125 at a recycle place - mexican copper sink $75 on e-bay . . . wish I could put pictures on here. What do they say? Never loan friends money and never go into business with friends or family? True - so true. And don't accept family help on remodel projects if you don't know the rules and regs to start with.

 

The plumber was QUITE WILLING TO DO THE WORK WITHOUT PULLING A PERMIT AND SAID SO. He left planning to return the next morning to start the job, WITHOUT PULLING A PERMIT. It wasn't until we cancelled the work with him and went with someone more reasonable that he turned us in. His obligation as a professional plumber would have been to say that he coudn't have done the work without pulling a permit. He was just being vindictive, plain and simple. He bid $1500 for the job because he knew we were in a rush to have it done - the other three plumbing companies we contacted bid between $500 and $800. Yeah - he was quite a professional - a professional rip-off artist.

 

EM69 you are correct in part.The plumber may have been IMHO spiteful,just because he dimed on rich does not make a pro.I've met plenty of "professional" electricians in my 12+ yrs & half of those would not think twice about cutting the throat of an honest contractor or homeowner just for kicks.That guy could have warned him