The Home Improvements Thread (2)

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maumau said:
You should name and shame anyway.

Not that we don't all have the same issues. We had drains unblocked in June. 90 minutes of faffing about, R2 500 later and the drains clog up 10 days later. I threw my toys and the company sent another team to do the job.

Broker managed to squeeze R650 for 1 hour labour after insurance said they don't cover blocked drains .... WTH???
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2500 for a blocked drain???
 
Lupus said:
2500 for a blocked drain???
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Yep, R2 254 - Drain Surgeon! Swine :mad:

I'm sure the "assistant" was either drunk or drugged but had agreed with male tenant that he would oversee so I didn't stick my nose in like an overly butch female.
 
Different insurer, home assist service
1.) used their services for cleaning a blocked drain - they came out, cleared it - that afternoon it was blocked again - three days this went on - eventually they wanted to get specialists in - and claim registered. I went to Builders and bought the industrial cleaner - poured it down the drain and the problem was resolved.
2.) Water was leaking at the washing machine fitting - I wanted them to replace the screw on wall fitting - it was a two way splitter - they told the insurance the leak was in the wall - and a claim needs to be registered. R120 later and I fixed the problem.

I suspected these guys on the home assist panels are the cheapest of the cheap - and delibrately go out of their way to create a bigger job on unsuspecting people.

Once my current issue is resolved, I'll be removing the home/roadside/legal assistance from my policy - I hardly use it, and when I do - its always the same.
 
xrapidx said:
Different insurer, home assist service
1.) used their services for cleaning a blocked drain - they came out, cleared it - that afternoon it was blocked again - three days this went on - eventually they wanted to get specialists in - and claim registered. I went to Builders and bought the industrial cleaner - poured it down the drain and the problem was resolved.
2.) Water was leaking at the washing machine fitting - I wanted them to replace the screw on wall fitting - it was a two way splitter - they told the insurance the leak was in the wall - and a claim needs to be registered. R120 later and I fixed the problem.

I suspected these guys on the home assist panels are the cheapest of the cheap - and delibrately go out of their way to create a bigger job on unsuspecting people.

Once my current issue is resolved, I'll be removing the home/roadside/legal assistance from my policy - I hardly use it, and when I do - its always the same.
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I used a home assist plumber twice last year, the first time I complained that it looks like my pressure release valve is leaking too much, he comes and looks at the puddle not just a small wetspot but a puddle and tells me no it's normal. I replaced the valve and now only on the coldest of days like we've had this last week has it dripped.
Another time my toilet was leaking at the inlet, we replaced everything and it still kept leaking, they sent the plumber, he made it ten times worse. Never again will i use a home assist plumber.
 
maumau said:
You should name and shame anyway.

Not that we don't all have the same issues. We had drains unblocked in June. 90 minutes of faffing about, R2 500 later and the drains clog up 10 days later. I threw my toys and the company sent another team to do the job.

Broker managed to squeeze R650 for 1 hour labour after insurance said they don't cover blocked drains .... WTH???
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Use the municipality. They are cheap and get there quick. Never had issues with them. In fact they do a better job than plumbers and they usually cost me only R200
 
Lupus said:
Would've gone with pvc ceiling there, yes initially it's more pricey, but it actually works out the same with labour as it takes only a few hours to put it in.
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Why PVC ? I've talked to a couple of guys here (in town) who suggested not to use pvc ?
 
HunterNW said:
Why PVC ? I've talked to a couple of guys here (in town) who suggested not to use pvc ?
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Fire resistant, basically water proof, little to no maintenance, no painting, looks neater and a bit more modern. For an exposed ceiling like that definitely, I'm slowly converting all my house ceilings to pvc, except my bloody lounge I had done in January. Didn't realise that yes PVC works out more per SQM until labour comes in.
 
Lupus said:
Fire resistant, basically water proof, little to no maintenance, no painting, looks neater and a bit more modern. For an exposed ceiling like that definitely, I'm slowly converting all my house ceilings to pvc, except my bloody lounge I had done in January. Didn't realise that yes PVC works out more per SQM until labour comes in.
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I've got ceilings in the house that need a do over. Water damage from leaking pipes. Now if it were PVC, and there was a leak, wouldn't it form like a miniature swimming pool and then one day POOF you're fcked ?
 
HunterNW said:
I've got ceilings in the house that need a do over. Water damage from leaking pipes. Now if it were PVC, and there was a leak, wouldn't it form like a miniature swimming pool and then one day POOF you're fcked ?
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Depends.. water will follow the path of least resistance, so you are likely to notice a leak seeping out from somewhere before it all just caves in..
 
HunterNW said:
I've got ceilings in the house that need a do over. Water damage from leaking pipes. Now if it were PVC, and there was a leak, wouldn't it form like a miniature swimming pool and then one day POOF you're fcked ?
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Well it depends on how bad the leak is and where it is, ultimately you'd have a celing falling down, either from the gypsium just giving in or the pvc welling up. In some ways the old ceilings were fine for picking up leaks and where they were, but you had to replace them afterwards unless the leak wasn't too bad. Where on a PVC if you tackle the leak you could put them back up.
 
WAslayer said:
Depends.. water will follow the path of least resistance, so you are likely to notice a leak seeping out from somewhere before it all just caves in..
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True... Atleast i had all the piping renewed, but one never know. I don't check the pipes in my roof that often :cool:
Might have a go at the PVC when i start fixing inside ceilings.
One thing the builder told me about PVC ceilings used "outside". If wind gets in they lift or come apart easily ??
 
Can anyone can confirm dimmeable downlights can run without the dimmer? So I can remove the dimmer in the meantime - so we at least have light.

Doesn't look the insurance is going to play ball - giving it till the end of business.
 
hmm now you are making me wonder if i should do pvc ceiling instead of painting the roof i was going to, but it seems like it will be an absolute sheeet show when i take the old ceiling down
 
HunterNW said:
True... Atleast i had all the piping renewed, but one never know. I don't check the pipes in my roof that often :cool:
Might have a go at the PVC when i start fixing inside ceilings.
One thing the builder told me about PVC ceilings used "outside". If wind gets in they lift or come apart easily ??
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Trust me so can normal ceilings :-(. But PVC ceilings for outside are screwed down.
 
Steamy Tom said:
hmm now you are making me wonder if i should do pvc ceiling instead of painting the roof i was going to, but it seems like it will be an absolute sheeet show when i take the old ceiling down
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Take a look at it, you also get different colours and styles.
 
xrapidx said:
Can anyone can confirm dimmeable downlights can run without the dimmer? So I can remove the dimmer in the meantime - so we at least have light.

Doesn't look the insurance is going to play ball - giving it till the end of business.
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i mean all that it is then is the dimmer set to full really right? a dimmer changes the wave form to reduce the energy to the light like closing a tap
 
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