After my plumber trimmed out my new home, I noticed that when you turn on the water in the tub/shower, water comes out at both the tub spout and the shower head. I did some research and determined that he had installed the valve body upside down on a Price-Pfister single control tub/shower faucet. The valve body casting has "TUB" on one side (the bottom) and "SHWR" on the other (the top).The instructions said the only thing to do was to turn the valve body over. This looks impossible to do to me. It is a fiberglass tub/shower and it backs up to kitchen cabinetry. The cabinets are finished, granite countertops are in and a tile backsplash is installed. At first, the plumber said he could turn the "cartridge" 180 degrees and it would be O.K.. I showed him the instructions but he insisted on trying turning the cartridge over. Didn't work. He has submitted his final bill and said that he would come by and turn the valve body over through the hole in the tub/shower. I don't think this is even remotely possible. I think maybe he has figured out that it can't be done and he will not answer my phone calls or respond to the messages I leave. My question is: Is it possible to turn the valve body over working through the approximately 4 inch diameter hole in the wall of the tub/shower?

 

Yes. It can be done. Unfortunately I have done 7 of these with Delta faucets this year alone where the homeowner or "handyman" didn't back up the body of the valve with a second wrench and broke the 3 copper tubes leading to the valve.

It is very hard to do, time consuming and tedious, but it can be done with expert hands. I've seen this happen from time to time; can't say it is ignorance, just that working too fast can cause this to happen.

 

I asked a plumber who was working a couple of houses down to look at it this morning. He said that with the way the valve straddled a stud, it would be nearly impossible to do. He said that he wouldn't attempt it because if he wasn't able to do it, I would be stuck with cutting a big access hole in the fiberglass tub/shower wall and having to make an ugly patch. He called his boss and let me talk to him. The boss plumber said he had a guy that he was sure could do it but (like you say) it would be pricey. He said that, in part to cover his liability going in, he would have to charge me $650.00. If I was willing to assume the liability (meaning that he would get paid even if he couldn't complete the work) he would attempt to do it for $250.00.

One alternative he suggested was installing a shutoff at the shower head. But then the water would still run out the tub spout when you were taking a shower and would waste a lot of water as well as make me run out of hot water too often.

What to do????

 

The alternative you mentioned will not work.

If there is a stud, then he will have to cut it out where the hole is in the shower. It can be done as I have encountered studs close by that had to be cut to access the drain. I average the replacement of these, with the valve included, averaging $350 to $400,,,,,,,which I think is very reasonable due to the situation that most plumbers do not want to do them.

 

Why won't diverter spout (typical) and a shut off valve (those chrome jobs with the slide button in them) be used to control which end the water comes out of?

If you want a bath, and not a shower, have the shower valve off. If you want a shower, but not a bath, have the shower valve open and the spout divertor knob pulled up.

Why wouldn't this work?

 

I paid to have it done right. A shutoff at the shower head would be a form of "rigging". I really don't care what it costs, as long as it is not more than what I owe the original plumber (about $1050) so I told the plumber who gave me the $650 bid that I'd give him $1000 if he would do it tomorrow (Sunday) and use a new valve body.

I figure I am going to be out $1050 anyway, so why not stick it to the original plumber for being such an incompetent jerk who won't finish the job.

Besides, one of those chrome jobs with the side button would look like crap next to my oil-rubbed bronze fixtures.

 

If the plumber installed the valve upside down and it was recenly done then it is his responsibility to fix it for you free of charge. It's called a "call back". Another example for using licensed contractors. Was this a permit job?

 

I don't think I would sign anything saying that I would still pay even if the job can't be done. Original Plumber is still liable (no matter what he has to do or pay to get it done correctly). I would let the original Plumber know whatever your plans are. If you don't give him a chance to fix it, you could still be held liable for his bill due to this. Just tell him you want it done right and ask what he intends to do. Best to get it in writing in case he decides to sue later for non-payment. Called CYAWP. Good luck.

 

Yes, this job was permitted (Dallas, Texas). To get a permit here, you have to be licensed, registered with the city and carry general liability insurance.

I understand the concept of "call backs" and warranty service (I am a licensed master electrician and owner of an electrical contracting business). I am also a homebuilder and understand the concept of "charge backs".

The original plumber has not returned my calls for the last four weeks (seems like ever since he realized that the valve was upside down). The last time we did talk (almost four weeks ago) he was going to come by and turn the valve body over the next day. He never showed up.

In my last message to him last Saturday, I informed him that I had arranged for the work to be done by someone else. I never heard from him. I got the work done on Sunday (for $850).

What I have not mentioned in my previous posts are my suspicions about the original plumber. His appearance and behavior when it came time to trim(when he was on the job) suggested crystal meth use.

There were several things left undone when he called for a plumbing final. I called them to his attention and his response was that, if the inspector wrote them up, he would fix them. He didn't install a cap and storm collar on the water heater vent. He said the inspector should have caught that on the top-out and that he couldn't write it up on as part of a final inspection. He did not have the "turn-down" 90's that are supposed to be on the water heater PRD drain line where it comes out of the brick and the one for the water heater pan (water heater in attic). On the tub/shower with the problem, the tub spout wasn't permanently installed. He just squeezed the pipe so that it would hold in place for the inspector to see. Had the inspector turned the water on and lifted the diverter, it would have shot off.

 

Being licensed yourself, then you know the language in contracts stating "Work shall be done in a professional manner". He doesn't sound too professional to me. Since you brought up the many shortcomings in his work he should be obligated to fix them whether the inspector "caught" them or not. The work is still not properly done. Hope you can get the situation fixed to your satisfaction.

 

You Are Entitled To Reimbursment And Compensation. Call Back Where I Am From Are Done In A Timely Manner And Should Be One Of The Most Important Item On A Contracters List. Call Backs Do Occur From Time To Time With Me Not Quite As Serious As What You Dealt With But They Do Happen And As A Contracter I Know And Realise That An Unhappy Customer Is Not A Returning Customer And Will Not Refer Me To A Friend And May Cost Me Future Earnings. I Would Persue A Claim.