Plumbing forum - Re: Flexible Pipe

Author

Re: Flexible Pipe

Blackbeard

2005-06-25, 11:25 pm

In my area, most of the installations are being done with Pex. The
nice thing about copper is that you can get a beautiful finished job.
Pex just doesn't look as clean and professional. Some of the guys out
here take great pride in their work and they want the visual appeal of
their work to reflect their expertise. I agreed with that philosophy
for a good many years. I switched to pex. However, I prefer the
20-foot sticks of pex instead of the rolled stuff. The straight-pex
installs much neater.

I still build my entire shower valve out of copper. Doesn't make any
sense to me to use pex for the riser to my showerhead.

I have changed up my distribution system. I used to follow code and
reduce to catch three fixtures. These days, my entire installation is
almost all 3/4" pipe. I pull off individual fixtures with 1/2". The
extra diameter increases volume. It also allow me to just buy a
handfull of 3/4 x 3/4 x 1/2 tees instead of trying to carry around a
huge assortment to reduce to code. Makes my job simpler and it gives
the customer more volume. Everybody wins.

I remember the copper days when you'd test the sytem and find a leak.
That sucked. On a larger installation, you have to bleed off the water
to fix a leak. Pex is a huge time saver.

Another huge time saver is to connect the water main at the street and
run your pex gutline and install your sewer before the contractor
installs the flooring. It makes your job MUCH easier and MUCH faster.
In addition, when it comes time to test, you don't have to drag a
bunch of garden hoses. Fill that entire system right at the tub spout
and use an adapter on the shower head to top it off. Not only will you
save time where you don't have to fuck with your trusty garden hose,
you'll also pre-charge the water distribution system with water. Since
the water distribution system is charged with water already, all you
have to do is close your shutoff valve (which leaves the system
charged with water at city pressure) and top the pressure off with
your compressor. A large house charged with only air at 100-psi can
water 45-minutes of your time filling the system with air. If the
system is pre-charged with water...it'll take you about 3-minutes.

and since you already have your water main installed, you won't have a
contractor bugging you to rush out there and quickly install the
sewer/water (because the landscaper is waiting), you can have the guy
digging the footing also dig your sewer line, and you can get paid for
your sewer line at the same time you collect for the rough (more money
in your pocket...and faster).

And finally, write your contract where the contractor does the high
liability part of the work. Let the contractor have his guys install
the toilets and sinks and other bullshit. That final part of the job
(installing the fixtures) is where you have the most liability. So
pass that liability off to the contractor. Make your money on the
rough and sewer and get the hell out of there. You'll make more money
as a rough-only plumber, have less liability, and the contractors will
think you're wonderful because you're doing the job cheaper than
anybody else in town (even though you're getting paid MORE than
anybody else in town for your time).

On Sat, 25 Jun 2005 02:16:34 -0400, "Eric Miller"
<aquasafewater@bellnet.ca> wrote:

quote:

>Pex is great. Fast to install. Better flow rates to fixtures. Cost effective
>enough to allow "home run" systems. Why are most contractors still using
>copper? How about "We fear change" and something about "old dogs and new
>tricks"
>"llump41" <llump41@cox.net> wrote in message
>news:Kc3Qd.75978$bu.46800@fed1read06...
>

Red Jacket

2005-07-25, 12:21 am

I *think cost is a factor also. Pex does have a
high price IIRC.

Blackbeard <michael_curtis_young@lycos.com> wrote in message
news:f20sb1h41l7dfudvsfq714qrpeelqkrpog@4ax.com...
> In my area, most of the installations are being done with Pex. The
> nice thing about copper is that you can get a beautiful finished job.
> Pex just doesn't look as clean and professional. Some of the guys out
> here take great pride in their work and they want the visual appeal of
> their work to reflect their expertise. I agreed with that philosophy
> for a good many years. I switched to pex. However, I prefer the
> 20-foot sticks of pex instead of the rolled stuff. The straight-pex
> installs much neater.
>
> I still build my entire shower valve out of copper. Doesn't make any
> sense to me to use pex for the riser to my showerhead.
>
> I have changed up my distribution system. I used to follow code and
> reduce to catch three fixtures. These days, my entire installation is
> almost all 3/4" pipe. I pull off individual fixtures with 1/2". The
> extra diameter increases volume. It also allow me to just buy a
> handfull of 3/4 x 3/4 x 1/2 tees instead of trying to carry around a
> huge assortment to reduce to code. Makes my job simpler and it gives
> the customer more volume. Everybody wins.
>
> I remember the copper days when you'd test the sytem and find a leak.
> That sucked. On a larger installation, you have to bleed off the water
> to fix a leak. Pex is a huge time saver.
>
> Another huge time saver is to connect the water main at the street and
> run your pex gutline and install your sewer before the contractor
> installs the flooring. It makes your job MUCH easier and MUCH faster.
> In addition, when it comes time to test, you don't have to drag a
> bunch of garden hoses. Fill that entire system right at the tub spout
> and use an adapter on the shower head to top it off. Not only will you
> save time where you don't have to fuck with your trusty garden hose,
> you'll also pre-charge the water distribution system with water. Since
> the water distribution system is charged with water already, all you
> have to do is close your shutoff valve (which leaves the system
> charged with water at city pressure) and top the pressure off with
> your compressor. A large house charged with only air at 100-psi can
> water 45-minutes of your time filling the system with air. If the
> system is pre-charged with water...it'll take you about 3-minutes.
>
> and since you already have your water main installed, you won't have a
> contractor bugging you to rush out there and quickly install the
> sewer/water (because the landscaper is waiting), you can have the guy
> digging the footing also dig your sewer line, and you can get paid for
> your sewer line at the same time you collect for the rough (more money
> in your pocket...and faster).
>
> And finally, write your contract where the contractor does the high
> liability part of the work. Let the contractor have his guys install
> the toilets and sinks and other bullshit. That final part of the job
> (installing the fixtures) is where you have the most liability. So
> pass that liability off to the contractor. Make your money on the
> rough and sewer and get the hell out of there. You'll make more money
> as a rough-only plumber, have less liability, and the contractors will
> think you're wonderful because you're doing the job cheaper than
> anybody else in town (even though you're getting paid MORE than
> anybody else in town for your time).
>
>
> On Sat, 25 Jun 2005 02:16:34 -0400, "Eric Miller"
> <aquasafewater@bellnet.ca> wrote:
>
effective[color=darkred]
fittings.[color=darkred]
I[color=darkred]
>

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