HELP: Plumber wants to open ceiling

[cgallery]

I have commercial space in a building that has residential upstairs. Some of the drain plumbing on the 2nd floor leaked down into my space. The plumber wants to open a bunch of ceiling in my space to fix the problem. When I asked where, he wasn't sure. I asked if he had scoped the drain, and he said you can't scope 1.5" drain.

My problem is I installed a $3000 dropped ceiling and expensive carpeting in the area. He wants to interrupt my business to move everything around, remove some of the dropped ceiling, and start cutting w/o knowing where he is going. There has gotta be a better way, no?

There is apparently also a lot of water on the floor upstairs, which they are mopping up now. So I don't even know for sure if the drain has a hole. And neither does he.

Any suggestions?

BTW, the choice of plumbers isn't up to my (I don't own the building). But if I can show the owner a better/cheaper way, I guarantee he will be open to the idea.

[crokett]

If he wants to cut open the ceiling why can't he cut open the floor upstairs? And if it is a dropped ceiling, can't you just take the tiles out? Why does anything have to be cut open?

If you want to show the landlord a better/cheaper option, just advise him you will want your rent prorated for the time the plumber is working and your office is unusable, plus you want him to cover the costs of rental, etc elsewhere. Also, since you installed the ceiling and carpeting, submit a bill for the repairs to the landlord.

[Russianwolf]

As long as the landlord understands that everything must be repaired to current conditions and that they are responsible for any lost revenue that would be generated during the down-time, then let them do what they want.

If you can't work from another space, then track the time and issue them an invoice for what you would have been able to accomplish.

[Tom Slick]

Just a warning, If water leaked into the floor/ceiling and it creates mold they'll be opening the ceiling and shutting you down completely until everything is replaced that has mold on it. Mold is a big deal nowadays.

[JR]

I can't help you, but felt the need to share your pain.

I had a slow drain the other day and called a plumber. They got the drain opened, but the root cause is a "belly" in the drain pipe below the concrete slab foundation. The proper fix is to bust up the foundation and lay new pipe - to the tune of $3K-$4K!

Ouch.

JR

[cgallery]

I won. I went upstairs with the plumber and had him remove an access panel on the other side of the wall. I pointed out that there was approx. 12-18" beneath the tub, and then pristine concrete (spancrete?).

Looking up from my space, above the dropped ceiling, I see plaster that has holes in it that have been used for mounting anchors for the dropped ceiling.

"What does THAT matter?" the plumber asked. When I pointed out that this proved that there was concrete between my space and the plumbing, it finally dawned on him that he'd have to go through plaster AND concrete to get to any pipes.

So I told him it would be easier to work through the access panel and cut a hole in the floor in the bathroom upstairs if necessary (the floor was crap and needs to be redone anyhow).

Man, he was all set to start cutting the plaster. What a mess that would have been. And in the end he woulda said something like, "woops, I can't get through this reinforced concrete." Duh.

[cgallery]

As long as the landlord understands that everything must be repaired to current conditions and that they are responsible for any lost revenue that would be generated during the down-time, then let them do what they want.

If you can't work from another space, then track the time and issue them an invoice for what you would have been able to accomplish.

In a perfect world, I would agree. But getting them to agree and actually getting them to perform are two different things. When you point out things like cracked tiles and scratched grid, they say things like, "we'll come back for that" and "you're being too picky." Then they just wait you out until you stop calling about it.

I find it is much faster to make a pre-emptive strike. Especially when it is clearly the case that opening the ceiling is the wrong way to go (I've been here nearly ten years and I've never had a plumber threaden to open my ceiling).

[cgallery]

I can't help you, but felt the need to share your pain.

I had a slow drain the other day and called a plumber. They got the drain opened, but the root cause is a "belly" in the drain pipe below the concrete slab foundation. The proper fix is to bust up the foundation and lay new pipe - to the tune of $3K-$4K!

Ouch.

JR

Wow! You have have then open it up a helluva lot of times for $4k.

I have a sewer with a similar problem. Some day I suppose I'm going to have to get it dug up and replaced w/ PVC. The problem is, the street was replaced fifteen years ago and it would have been the perfect time to save some money and get it done. But the previous homeowner didn't see it that way.

Now they are redoing the street around the corner. But, for some reason they've been making lines in front of my house, too. And I'm in the middle of the block. Just me, and the house across the street. The two houses in the middle of the street that is perpendicular to the street they are replacing (they're doing water/sewer over there, too).

I call tell you this: If they open that concrete in front of my house, I'm calling the city manager and my plumbing contractor, and having new water and sewer installed using their hole.

[footprintsinconc]

that must be prestressed planks. they will usually then build a false floor, so to speak, and run all the plumbing, wiring, mechanical ducting, etc through that area. so cutting the plank, would have resulting in something major!

good thing you went upstairs.

[Hellrazor]

I can't help you, but felt the need to share your pain.

I had a slow drain the other day and called a plumber. They got the drain opened, but the root cause is a "belly" in the drain pipe below the concrete slab foundation. The proper fix is to bust up the foundation and lay new pipe - to the tune of $3K-$4K!

How did he diagnose that was the problem?