first bit of plumbing work to do

[Pete3690]

So some of you may have seen my thread in looking for work section as im in need of an apprenticeship, any way, just done my level 1, all sorted now.

Got a phone call of my mate, said his mums had a new sink put in and the waste pipe seems to be leaking/come loose, so shall be looking at it at the weekend.

Anyway, first bit of work since I've done that, haven't really done anything like this before, so am understandably nervous :\

I dont want to assume anything, (as a rather well known phrase, assumptions are the mother of all mass ups). But anyway, I'd think it would be something rather simple

Any advice people? Also, what was your very first piece of work you had to do for a customer?

 

[PlumbBobBob]

could possibly be the waste connection to the sink, if it one of those cheap b&q traps they only seal face to face i always fit mcalpine which have a small flange which goes inside the sink waste.
can't remember what my first job was have to put my thinking cap on lol

 

[Puddle]

Just take your time,if no isolation valves on supplies to sink,put them on,that was you can turn water back on to everything else and take pressure off you and allow you to take things steady

ps just seen new sink already put in,thought you was going to do it,as said probably just a joint needs tighteniing


Can not remember first job I did,first full heating system I did by myself was for my sister,seemed to take forever,every pipe ,even under the floor,was spot on,all correct falls ect now I just throw it in,about a week later there was water coming through the hall ceiling,she screamed at me,saying,''if I could not do the job,should have said'' ect,she made me feel rubbish and really guilty

I could not understand it,as I had taken so much time on everything...... she got someone else in,turned out the electrician had put two nails through the pipes when putting floor boards back,he was a friend of her's,she just said to him,never mind,these things happen,I should have told him pipes were there !!

She never apologised to me for the trouble she caused to the family and the dent to my conference.......as it turned out it was a good early lesson to learn

When you get a customer from Hell and think to yourself ,they can not possibly have a family,just maybe pushed up through a smoldering crack in the earths surface,well they do have a family ,I know because my sister is one of them :sad_smile:

 

[Pete3690]

could possibly be the waste connection to the sink, if it one of those cheap b&q traps they only seal face to face i always fit mcalpine which have a small flange which goes inside the sink waste.
can't remember what my first job was have to put my thinking cap on lol

Yeah I'm assuming its something minor i.e its not done up tight enough, or perhaps hes cut the waste pipe to short in the hope it would work, was just given a rather vague description on what the problem was, and well, having never done anything like this am slightly apprehensive

Just take your time,if no isolation valves on supplies to sink,put them on,that was you can turn water back on to everything else and take pressure off you and allow you to take things steady


Can not remember first job I did,first full heating system I did by myself was for my sister,seemed to take forever,every pipe ,even under the floor,was spot on,all correct falls ect now I just throw it in,about a week later there was water coming through the hall ceiling,she screamed at me,saying,''if I could not do the job,should have said'' ect,she made me feel rubbish and really guilty

I could not understand it,as I had taken so much time on everything...... she got someone else in,turned out the electrician had put two nails through the pipes when putting floor boards back,he was a friend of her's,she just said to him,never mind,these things happen,I should have told him pipes were there !!

She never apologised to me for the trouble she caused to the family and the dent to my conference.......as it turned out it was a good early lesson to learn

Thanks for the advice, sounds like that was a rough old time you went through, I have a sister to, I get just the same reactions when even suggesting things to her lol woman eh?

 

[Mike Jackson]

I think my first ever plumbing job was wiping a lead joint with my old man when I was about 11. Lighting the paraffin blow torch was an art in itself and none of this holding it upside down.

 

[bobby5156]

As I am not qualified yet, looking at this as a career change - I have however done a few plumbing jobs on a house I rent out, las t week was a classic.

Tennant moves out reports the kitchen tap is leaking, so she goes I am in for a day or two to smarten house and of course fix a leaking tap - Easy!!!

Put hand through hole in panel to turn off stopcock - no problem

Remove and replace washer on tap - no problem

Go back turn on stopcock - feels wet!!

Goes back to try tap - all good - feeling pleased as punch.

Lets go back and check why stopcock wet - ARRGHHH whoever had used the stopcock last obviously left a leaking stopcock with tape on it bodged (container below also)

So called in a plumber to fix lol

 

[PlumbBobBob]

remembered what my first paying job was now, it was to change a top immersion on an e7 cylinder. wobbly knees or what lol.

 

[scotty plumber]

So some of you may have seen my thread in looking for work section as im in need of an apprenticeship, any way, just done my level 1, all sorted now.

Got a phone call of my mate, said his mums had a new sink put in and the waste pipe seems to be leaking/come loose, so shall be looking at it at the weekend.

Anyway, first bit of work since I've done that, haven't really done anything like this before, so am understandably nervous :\

I dont want to assume anything, (as a rather well known phrase, assumptions are the mother of all mass ups). But anyway, I'd think it would be something rather simple

Any advice people? Also, what was your very first piece of work you had to do for a customer?

Just take your time andyou will be fine, might just be the waste/overflow assembly is loose/leaking

 

[SimonJohns]

All I can say is that if you mess up. And it's 7 pm and you have to rush to b and q to try and fix it
Feeling as low as possible because you've just broken a sink and its all your fault

Don't let it put you off!!!

I look back. And if I didn't make them mistakes I wouldn't be the plumber I am now.

The more you can do now the better you will be for it

Just a little pointer thou. When screwing the plug into waste dont over do it. The plastic can snap easy!

 

[scotty plumber]

Also if it is a standard cheap assembly kit i prefer to use clear sealant rather than the washer that is meant to join between top grating and sink

 

[Pete3690]

All I can say is that if you mess up. And it's 7 pm and you have to rush to b and q to try and fix it
Feeling as low as possible because you've just broken a sink and its all your fault

Don't let it put you off!!!

I look back. And if I didn't make them mistakes I wouldn't be the plumber I am now.

The more you can do now the better you will be for it

Just a little pointer thou. When screwing the plug into waste dont over do it. The plastic can snap easy!

Thanks for the good advice!

Also if it is a standard cheap assembly kit i prefer to use clear sealant rather than the washer that is meant to join between top grating and sink

I had heard somewhere it was best to do this, I shall have a look when I go there on Saturday

 

[scotty plumber]

You will be as confident as this when you have fixed the leak

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

View attachment 5341You will be as confident as this when you have fixed the leak

you have scared the poor lad off now he asked how to fix the waste not how to join YMCA LOL,i am sure you will fix it pete if its cheap weird b=q or ikea kit as said mcalpine traps etc are quality stuff and common in most places now,just replace with mcalpine

 

[Pete3690]

you have scared the poor lad off now he asked how to fix the waste not how to join YMCA LOL,i am sure you will fix it pete if its cheap weird b=q or ikea kit as said mcalpine traps etc are quality stuff and common in most places now,just replace with mcalpine

Thanks, I'm not scared off, just nerves thats all lol

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

Thanks, I'm not scared off, just nerves thats all lol

you should be ok if you get really stuck post some piccies up here and we can help you out

 

[scotty plumber]

Once you get there and get stuck in you will be fine

 

[Pete3690]

you should be ok if you get really stuck post some piccies up here and we can help you out

Once you get there and get stuck in you will be fine

Thanks guys

 

[Pipes Plumbing]

Good Luck!!!
Wobbly knees are all part of it, helps remind you that you never stop learning...
I'm sure everyone still gets a flutter of nerves once in a while, either when something goes a bit pear shaped, or when you are looking at something thinking WTF is that or why isn't that working...

Hope it goes well for you

 

[Pete3690]

well, dont have to do this anymore, her dad sorted it... :|

Slightly gutted, but never mind I suppose

 

[PlumbBobBob]

never mind there will be more jobs

 

[DIY Bob]

A bit disappointed that none of the experts warned Pete not to empty the contents of the waste trap down the sink. Not that I've ever done that, of course...

 

[GQuigley67]

my first job or one of my first jobs that i can remember was cleaning/unblocking urinal traps in a site toilet, ohh the joys.

 

[gavinwilson]

had to do the same quigley with a screwdriver did about 20 with 2 left to do and the boss came round some acid.....erm cheers boss but a bit late now,something tells me he did it on purpose

 

[ADM360]

A bit disappointed that none of the experts warned Pete not to empty the contents of the waste trap down the sink. Not that I've ever done that, of course...

Still do it now!! look like a right idiot if the customers stood behind you questioning your every move!!!

 

[Pete3690]

well as I say I didnt get the chance to do it but life goes on.

just bought a 2nd hand pipe bender and guides, along with some other little bits tool wise.

plan on fitting a toilet and basin in at mine & the misses house, will update as I do it, wont be for a few weeks yet