Home improvement - where to start?

grapedrink

Duke status
May 21, 2011
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Doesn't homeowner's insurance pay for this kin of crap?
Nope. It's considered normal wear n' tear. Unless it was an earthquake that jarred it loose, and you have earthquake coverage, you're screwed :drowning:

Lots of investors get the sewer line scoped as part of the escrow process. There are also insurance policies for this specifically.
 
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casa_mugrienta

Duke status
Apr 13, 2008
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Nope. It's considered normal wear n' tear. Unless it was an earthquake that jarred it loose, and you have earthquake coverage, you're screwed :drowning:

Lots of investors get the sewer line scoped as part of the escrow process. There are also insurance policies for this specifically.
So then what does homeowner's cover?

Pretty much everything could be considered "normal wear and tear" including structural collpase.

The issue @SteveT had was unknown to him.
 
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grapedrink

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May 21, 2011
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So then what does homeowner's cover?

Pretty much everything could be considered "normal wear and tear" including structural collpase.

The issue @SteveT had was unknown to him.
IIUC homeowners only pays when there is a specific disaster. Which is pretty much just fire and wind damage. Earthquake and flood is extra.

A home warranty type coverage would cover wear n tear, and those tend to be crap as well.
 

sdsrfr

Phil Edwards status
Jul 13, 2020
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Lots of investors get the sewer line scoped as part of the escrow process. There are also insurance policies for this specifically.
and so I’ve heard it’s an excellent contingency for the “normal” person to have in escrow. I believe once damage is uncovered the seller would have to disclose to the next potential buyer and thus be motivated to make a deal to not lose their current escrow contract. Scoped lines aren’t that expensive when considering potential cost for repair and functioning drains don’t mean there isn’t any root intrusion.

my dads less scientific trick was to turn on every faucet/shower and then flush all toilets at the same time to stress the connection. I did that for my house during the viewing. we also brought along a kid with crohns who tried his best to clog the toilets (and evaluate the elbow room), too.

A home warranty type coverage would cover wear n tear, and those tend to be crap as well.
home warranty experience sucked for me. got it for free in closing but every claim I made they rejected due to caveats in the contract (device has electrical controller thus not covered, etc) and have to use their chosen workers they use to assess the work.

felt like a hustle and forced to play with shoddy companies. you pay upfront for the estimate and only if covered do they actually do any work. tried to make two claims and determined it was easier and more honest to hire the trusted plumber my neighbors use.
 
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Will there be snacks

Miki Dora status
Mar 18, 2011
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Hotel Coral Essex
When I was a kid we had our front yard dug up by an excavator because they thought the sewer line collapsed. Turned out there was just a cleanout (similar to pic below) that was below grade that we didn't know existed and someone put a coffee can over it instead of a proper cap. Coffee can finally rusted out letting soil/rocks in. We had it snaked/augured several times and this was probably before cameras/scopes were common.

 
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TheEl

Billy Hamilton status
Oct 31, 2010
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For anyone with an opinion on the matter whats your thoughts on getting the old cast iron pipes epoxy lined vs replacing the pipe. Does the epoxy lining hold up? Seems kinda like a cheap gimmick. Have to make this decision myself pretty soon here b/c our drain line is in bad shape. We'll have to epoxy line under the street to connect to the sewer but Ive got a straight shot in my yard I can dig up and replace with ABS before it goes under the street all the way back to the house. The digging aint that easy considering the ground is all rock and clay.
 

grapedrink

Duke status
May 21, 2011
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and so I’ve heard it’s an excellent contingency for the “normal” person to have in escrow. I believe once damage is uncovered the seller would have to disclose to the next potential buyer and thus be motivated to make a deal to not lose their current escrow contract. Scoped lines aren’t that expensive when considering potential cost for repair and functioning drains don’t mean there isn’t any root intrusion.

my dads less scientific trick was to turn on every faucet/shower and then flush all toilets at the same time to stress the connection. I did that for my house during the viewing. we also brought along a kid with crohns who tried his best to clog the toilets (and evaluate the elbow room), too.


home warranty experience sucked for me. got it for free in closing but every claim I made they rejected due to caveats in the contract (device has electrical controller thus not covered, etc) and have to use their chosen workers they use to assess the work.

felt like a hustle and forced to play with shoddy companies. you pay upfront for the estimate and only if covered do they actually do any work. tried to make two claims and determined it was easier and more honest to hire the trusted plumber my neighbors use.
100%. Should’ve caveated that to e home warranty is likely to duck even if they claim they cover it. Their MO is to drag out the claim for long enough time knowing that you will get fed up and/or be forced to fix it before they process your claim. Which is why I’ve never bothered with them.
 

Will there be snacks

Miki Dora status
Mar 18, 2011
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Hotel Coral Essex
For anyone with an opinion on the matter whats your thoughts on getting the old cast iron pipes epoxy lined vs replacing the pipe. Does the epoxy lining hold up? Seems kinda like a cheap gimmick. Have to make this decision myself pretty soon here b/c our drain line is in bad shape. We'll have to epoxy line under the street to connect to the sewer but Ive got a straight shot in my yard I can dig up and replace with ABS before it goes under the street all the way back to the house. The digging aint that easy considering the ground is all rock and clay.
I don't have any info to help with the decision, but I'm curious if you have any pricing for the liner.

For anyone curious in the process.
 

Will there be snacks

Miki Dora status
Mar 18, 2011
4,329
2,463
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Hotel Coral Essex
my dads less scientific trick was to turn on every faucet/shower and then flush all toilets at the same time to stress the connection. I did that for my house during the viewing. we also brought along a kid with crohns who tried his best to clog the toilets (and evaluate the elbow room), too.
I heard that's how they test septic systems. Pretty much put the worst scenario on the system and see if anything backs up.

home warranty experience sucked for me. got it for free in closing but every claim I made they rejected due to caveats in the contract (device has electrical controller thus not covered, etc) and have to use their chosen workers they use to assess the work.

felt like a hustle
Fo shizzle.
 

npsp

Miki Dora status
Dec 30, 2003
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down the hill and to the right
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For anyone with an opinion on the matter whats your thoughts on getting the old cast iron pipes epoxy lined vs replacing the pipe. Does the epoxy lining hold up? Seems kinda like a cheap gimmick. Have to make this decision myself pretty soon here b/c our drain line is in bad shape. We'll have to epoxy line under the street to connect to the sewer but Ive got a straight shot in my yard I can dig up and replace with ABS before it goes under the street all the way back to the house. The digging aint that easy considering the ground is all rock and clay.
Compare the costs. Always better to remove and replace with better materials. ABS will outlive you. Epoxy lined CI probably not.... If you do go the epoxy liner route, your contractor may expose a lot more damage during surface prep, make sure they camera the line after cleaning /prep to make sure they did a proper job and that the line is still a candidate for lining. Don't let them fool you with the claim that the liner is structural, it is not. Be prepared with a contingency plan for remove and replace just in case cleaning/prep exposes irreparable damage.
Rock and clay suck. Have fun!
 

rowjimmytour

Tom Curren status
Feb 7, 2009
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Compare the costs. Always better to remove and replace with better materials. ABS will outlive you. Epoxy lined CI probably not.... If you do go the epoxy liner route, your contractor may expose a lot more damage during surface prep, make sure they camera the line after cleaning /prep to make sure they did a proper job and that the line is still a candidate for lining. Don't let them fool you with the claim that the liner is structural, it is not. Be prepared with a contingency plan for remove and replace just in case cleaning/prep exposes irreparable damage.
Rock and clay suck. Have fun!
+1
I would pass and go ABS..
 

sdsrfr

Phil Edwards status
Jul 13, 2020
5,857
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San Diego
A theme I’ve noticed when it comes to home repair, which is hard enough for a home owner to honestly evaluate for themselves -

are you in it to get rid of it, or in it for the long haul?

based on my chats with various tradesmen, the cheap solution is the means to an exit from the property in the next 5-10yrs while coming off as a responsible prev owner.

the better/best solutions are for long-term owners who may hand it down to their kids.
 

rowjimmytour

Tom Curren status
Feb 7, 2009
11,534
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A theme I’ve noticed when it comes to home repair, which is hard enough for a home owner to honestly evaluate for themselves -

are you in it to get rid of it, or in it for the long haul?

based on my chats with various tradesmen, the cheap solution is the means to an exit from the property in the next 5-10yrs while coming off as a responsible prev owner.

the better/best solutions are for long-term owners who may hand it down to their kids.
Plumbing from tech perspective I like to install new from wall to problem area insure no more problems down the line.
 

casa_mugrienta

Duke status
Apr 13, 2008
43,214
17,644
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Petak Island
Plumbing from tech perspective I like to install new from wall to problem area insure no more problems down the line.

Let's talk about permits.

Do you get them for stuff like remodels?

Getting one when you remove a wall, build a wall, or a new room is a no brainer.

But other than that?
 

rowjimmytour

Tom Curren status
Feb 7, 2009
11,534
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Let's talk about permits.

Do you get them for stuff like remodels?

Getting one when you remove a wall, build a wall, or a new room is a no brainer.

But other than that?
No only if you change structure of wall or building and may weaken etc or compromise in any way.