Aesthetics

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Bernie2

I know in the Plumbing industry we often consider function before looks.

But how do you regard looks, especially in pipework installations?

I have worked for bosses who have said "never mind if it is level, so long as it looks level!" if fitting things like bathrooms.

I have worked with Plumbers who have said the same about fitting wc's.

But do looks matter as much as the system working okay?

I must admit, I do prefer pipework to rads to look good and be close to the wall, not just an up and in job with the pipe coming out of the floor or screed 2"-3" from the face of the skirting board into the rad valve.🙂🙂
 
But then that would be a lot more fittings to use wouldnt it Bernie? Its great to have you back by the way
 
the quality of the pipework sets tradesmen apart from those who profess to be tradesmen, its not too hard to fit pipes to sinks. whb's and rads and have them watertight, but its a bit harder to hide the pipes behind the ped, have the offsets high up and hidden and where it has to be seen have them symetrical (haha i can make my pipe "the same" but dont know if i can spell symetrical)
 
Bernie2 said:
I know in the Plumbing industry we often consider function before looks.

But how do you regard looks, especially in pipework installations?

I have worked for bosses who have said "never mind if it is level, so long as it looks level!" if fitting things like bathrooms.

I have worked with Plumbers who have said the same about fitting wc's.

But do looks matter as much as the system working okay?

I must admit, I do prefer pipework to rads to look good and be close to the wall, not just an up and in job with the pipe coming out of the floor or screed 2"-3" from the face of the skirting board into the rad valve.🙂🙂
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Why not have both?although i sometimes spaeggeti
(sp) pipes under the floor etc, as long as they are done "properly, all flux wiped off etc
 
personally i prefer rad tails straight down, close to the skirting makes a dust trapactually i prefer 10mm totally hidden
 
I like to make a job look good because of a little bit of pride but (there's always a but) if your working on a rental property and the landlord says "cheap, don't care what it looks like but make it cheap, I'm not made of money" where does that leave you?

Obviously, you don't want it looking like a "pigs ear" but you can't afford to spend that extra hour on exposed pipe work.......
 
Well many here talk about best way to advertise and there is no better form of advertising than leaving a job looking good
It is often just as easy to put something straight as it is screw whiff
Also there is a little thing called pride in your work ,if you do not have that ,you are going to come a cropper, you are going to start not checking things,boshing it in and leaks are going to occur, thats why I think it is important you enjoy this job
If you have put a cheap price for a job, it may affect the quality of materials used and what you actually carry out, repairing instead of replacing however the quality of the workmanship should be the same, many times I have spent an extra hour making sure something looks/is right, also many times I have finished early as everything has gone right and looks correct, swings and round abouts, one goes with the other
As regards pipes to rad valves, I also prefer straight up, if customer wanted close to skirting, I do not like look and bend required to rad valve, looks like pipework first fix not fitted correct in my eyes, would rather have behind skirting and coming out of wall to rad valve, which I have in my home as did not want coming through wood floor or carpets but personal chose
 
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it irrates me to see bodged pipe work

You go to a customer who has a nice expensive shower that needs a bit of TLC and open up the airing cupboard to see they have used half a roll of solder on each joint making the copper pipe look like some sort of piece of rock from blackpool

I often point it out and ask who installed it to be replied 'I dunno' I guess thats why they called me out and not the original installer.

It iritates me to see a compression joint here, then a chrome elbow here, then a solder joint, all on hidden pipe work.

But then again if the customer cant see it why bother, well i too agree with that 5 letter p word pri.... pride, (nearly). its what is about. Leaving a job well done and looking nice behind the scenes

Ypu wouldn't want to buy a BMW M3 for £50k+ only to lift the bonnet and discover a world of bodges
 
I like to leave all my new pipework as I'd like to find it - ie straight, level and logical. If it's on permanent display then I take much more care to finish it well.

But then new pipework is my favourite part of plumbing.
 
When fitting heating pipework I try to make it look as good as possible without spending too much time on it.

• below floor- aslong as it's piped correctly and neat and tidy then I'm happy. I don't like the thought of someone else in 10yrs time lifting floors and thinking 'look at the state of this guys pipework'
• above floor- I try to ensure it's plumb or run with with skirting etc, also neat, tidy, the less fittings the better and I'll rub all the copper with abrasive pads so it's clean and shiny. Customers love this on exposed copper, It finishes the job of nice I think.

Above all I do take pride in my work, I like to take a step back when a jobs finished and think to myself 'good job, I'm proud of that '
 
Pride is good. Work to a standard is good. cut costs and corners is bad.
Come on the boys, lets have some pictures.😀
 
ile have to take some pictures of the level2 students at college when i go in, there bathroom fits are a laughing stock, couldnt make out wheter it was pipework or foot/hat stands its that bad🙂
 
looks are everything,the job must look good,pride in your work says it all
 
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