Bathroom Reno Phase 3: How to Frighten a Plumber

This morning, before the plumber arrived, The Geek framed in the spot for the toilet tank and around the window.
She also tied a couple of computer magnets to a string and, dropping the fishing line down thru' the hole where the bathtub drain used to be, she managed to retrieve the pipewrench from behind the basement wall.

The plumber was due to arrive at 0800.

At 0830 I saw him getting out of his van and I was immediately suspicious; he was wearing a cowboy hat. We all have our little biases, and one of mine is non-cowboys in cowboy hats. He came in and had a look at the bathroom. When looked at the in-wall tank, he admitted he had never seen one before. I had explained thoroughly, or so I thought, to the dispatcher about everything that we needed the plumber to do. I'm not sure if it was the idea of cutting an old, cast iron stack, or the hot-water towel rack that pushed him over the edge but at 0910 he was back in his van on the 'phone to his office, and at 0920, he told The Geek he was going to get some 'stuff' and he would be back in about an hour.

At 1140, plumber #2 arrived. He inspired more confidence, tho' he kept repeating something about us having only one bathroom and being worried how he was going to manage to leave us with a toilet at the end of the day while he tried to do all the stuff that had to be done in that wall.

Then, the water shut-off valve failed. Amazingly enough, the city only took an hour to respond and shut off the water to the house.

At this point I am sitting here on the computer. Lee (plumber #2) has gone to Home Depot to get a valve to fix the water shut-off problem. The van he is driving belonged to another plumber and it is apparently quite a mess. The Geek has gone to BA Robinson to find a shower valve since the one we ordered about a month ago from another company has not arrived yet. When she gets back, I will make anther trip to the dump. I need my truck for a class tonight and The Geek has a class too, tho' she is undecided if she will go.

By tomorrow we will have had to figure out how to move a stud. Right now, the center of the tub where the shower valve is to be placed, is right in the middle of a wall stud.

Tomorrow is also the day the new window is to be installed.

Stay tuned.