Shower Pan install above grade drain

[RickFlorida]

Florida and built in the 1960's? That's cool. And I was going to write about how they must have went from the original copper pipe for water supply you should have to the quick and easy PEX and sure enough I see above this comment Twowaxhack is not liking the crimping job at all.

Here's my 2 cents:
If an old Florida house or condo has decent copper pipes, you mind as well keep all the new plumbing copper pipe too. It lasts longer and is more reliable from leaking in my opinion. Why should we in Florida pay the outrageous current rates to contractors that is probably well over 350 dollars an hour but then when they hire the workers, the workers come in and do the quickest, cheapest job possible? (Crimping or sharkbites is fast and cheap).

Nahhhh, count me out. I would be insisting on copper pipes on existing copper pipe work.

Why does your contractor or guy who owns the plumbing company need to make 450,000 dollar a year so that you get a cheaper job done on your house or condo?

Here's a good compromise. If your contractor/plumber wants to work super super fast, then at least insist on Pro-Press copper. You would still have all copper pipe and the contractor or plumber get's to do jobs very, very quickly and make more money (Pro-press would still be fast).

This is one of the reasons I do my own plumbing. (I'm a DIY'er here in Florida). It takes me much longer to solder in copper pipe when I remodel my bathrooms but I trust it will last 60 years. Most companies are going fast and cheap. But if you notice my frustration at what I'm seeing here... it's because I know what you are probably paying and it''s a LOT. Floridians are paying extremely high prices for contractor work since a lot of cash buyers come to Florida and they get to quote so high with all the work.

 

[Twowaxhack]

All DIY does to the business owner is make plumbing more expensive for the ones who hire a plumber.

We’re going to get ours one way or the other. We will just charge more for things that aren’t easily DIY or the people who cant DIY will pay more.

Copper has its place and so does pex. Various conditions dictate what I recommend.

Short on money = pex
Poor water quality = pex
Reasonable Possibility of freezing =pex

Plenty of money = copper
Good water ph = copper
Forever home = copper

You get the idea. And that’s not a complete list or explanation.

People have a bad habit of complaining about the cost of things that they need rather than things they want. Typically no one wants to spend money on things they need, they’d rather buy things they want.

Hard to flex about your new sewer line……people would rather buy a new watch or take a cruise.

 

[Homerbplumbing]

Not an ounce of pride was taken or one **** given in that work. I second the notion on those crimp fittings and ridiculous amount of uncalled for pox couplings. Did you pay more than 20% upfront on that job?

 

[RickFlorida]

All DIY does to the business owner is make plumbing more expensive for the ones who hire a plumber.

We’re going to get ours one way or the other. We will just charge more for things that aren’t easily DIY or the people who cant DIY will pay more.

Copper has its place and so does pex. Various conditions dictate what I recommend.

Short on money = pex
Poor water quality = pex
Reasonable Possibility of freezing =pex

Plenty of money = copper
Good water ph = copper
Forever home = copper

You get the idea. And that’s not a complete list or explanation.

People have a bad habit of complaining about the cost of things that they need rather than things they want. Typically no one wants to spend money on things they need, they’d rather buy things they want.

Hard to flex about your new sewer line……people would rather buy a new watch or take a cruise.

That's a better explanation that me. I was just frustrated for the person who owns that condo.
Twowaxhack makes a better point of when or why to use PEX.
Since I plan to live forever in my home, that is why I replace copper with copper and I have more time than money (So I DIY but use quality materials)

 

[Ludington]

Copper is nice., but when you water is slightly acidic, you end up with a million pin hole leaks. My father had to replumb his entire house because of it. And it's the reason I have polybutylene in my house. I know it's bad, but on well water with compression fittings, mine has been 40 years without a leak.

 

[Homerbplumbing]

PB without chloride treatment in the water will last a lot longer. It just doesn’t hold up to treated water. PEX just needs to be sized right for proper flow. The fittings reduce the inside diameter of the pipe. Personally for me it’s Type L copper or no copper inside.

 

[Ludington]

pex is a good option, if I were ever to change, I would oversize everything. The only pex I ever installed was actually an air line from my house out to my workshop (100 feet away) buried it about a foot or 2 down. So far, never a leak there too. But those crimp style fittings always have worried me.

 

[Twowaxhack]

Nothing wrong with crimp fittings. I’ve never had a leak on a proper crimp.

 

[Ludington]

Nothing wrong with crimp fittings. I’ve never had a leak on a proper crimp.

Now that's the question... can I do a proper crimp everytime ? I don't know. That's, what makes me nervous about them. Now you as a pro, thier a piece of cake. I for one appreciate the knowledge you impart here. There are so many code rules that I had no idea of now. When I built my house, I went through training , took the tests and obtained my contractors license.
I still have all those old code books, but there has been so many additions and changes.

 

[Twowaxhack]

Now that's the question... can I do a proper crimp everytime ? I don't know. That's, what makes me nervous about them. Now you as a pro, thier a piece of cake. I for one appreciate the knowledge you impart here. There are so many code rules that I had no idea of now. When I built my house, I went through training , took the tests and obtained my contractors license.
I still have all those old code books, but there has been so many additions and changes.

My kids are under 12 and they can crimp with consistency. It’s easy.

 

[Steve Kohn]

Copper is nice., but when you water is slightly acidic, you end up with a million pin hole leaks.

My experience, too, living in rural Georgia with well water.

 

[Twowaxhack]

My experience, too, living in rural Georgia with well water.

That’s when I like to use stainless pex fittings and some PexA

 

[Ludington]

That’s when I like to use stainless pex fittings and some PexA

The answer back in 84 was pb with pb compression fittings.

 

[Twowaxhack]

The answer back in 84 was pb with pb compression fittings.

Polybutylene worked very well for unchlorinated water. I still have some customers with it in operation.

I didn’t like the compression fittings for larger size pipe about 60 psi. They seem to have had some problems. I did like the crimp style plastic fittings for well water.

 

[Ludington]

Polybutylene worked very well for unchlorinated water. I still have some customers with it in operation.

I didn’t like the compression fittings for larger size pipe about 60 psi. They seem to have had some problems. I did like the crimp style plastic fittings for well water.

The compression fittings I mean are like these... but my house is 38 - 62 psi well pressure.
Never had a leak yet.

 

[Twowaxhack]

The compression fittings I mean are like these... but my house is 38 - 62 psi well pressure.
Never had a leak yet.

Yes those fittings. I’ve found a lot of them leaking.

 

[Ludington]

Just givem another twist. Maybe I've been lucky ,but never had a problem. I actually like them. They work on just about every type of pipe I've tried them on. But there to pricey now to buy them since they don't make them any more. I have a few spares, just in case.