Passable work or bodge job!?

[Keith O'KEEFFE]

Hi, just trying to get an opinion on some plumbing the bathroom/kitchen fitter is in the process of fitting for our new sink, shower & rad.

First pic is cold supply coming in through the wall from the toilet next door. There are double joists right under the stud wall, hence coming in hidden in the wall. Not keen on the speedfit joint.

Second pic shows the spaghetti junction of the remaining pipes. Of most concern is the copper radiator return pipe with the speedfit joint sitting on top of the joist!

Haven't spoken to the guy yet and I think the pipe is just about covered once he fills in the case but surely that joint will stop him from sticking the floorboard back on as I think it'll be proud of the wall.

Any advice gratefully received! Especially if there's a different way he can route it. Need to know if this is passable or I need to get him to rectify.

Cheers!

 

[Keith O'KEEFFE]

Poetically put Dave, truth is the workmanship is poor and can be improved on massively under no circumstances bury speedfit fittings in a wall the plastic supplies can be tidied up with little effort and if that's his best of effort of concealing pipes into a wall then your in trouble. Kop

Poetically put Dave, truth is the workmanship is poor and can be improved on massively under no circumstances bury speedfit fittings in a wall the plastic supplies can be tidied up with little effort and if that's his best of effort of concealing pipes into a wall then your in trouble. Kop

Just for my own future knowledge (homeowner not plumber!), whats the difference between burying a fitting in the wall and under the floorboards, tile etc? If something leaks it means destruction to get to them either way, right?

 

[Welder]

Under the floor is much simpler to access. Often one can get to them from below if in the middle of the house or above if up top.

 

[Keith O'KEEFFE]

Under the floor is much simpler to access. Often one can get to them from below if in the middle of the house or above if up top.

Fair dues. I've learnt more about plumbing these past few days than my previous 47yrs on the planet!! Cheers guys.

 

[Welder]

Fair dues. I've learnt more about plumbing these past few days than my previous 47yrs on the planet!! Cheers guys.

Thank you. It helps us old g1ts keep going when we are appreciated

 

[Jim09876]

I would take it up with the builder who nearly demolished your bathroom wall. One thing chasing out a little plaster, but when the bathroom wall looks like a HS2 job...Sod take!

 

[Johny1092]

Quality job takes time ! time it’s money !
So either it’s cheaper and half decent but all works,
or nice and tidy and more expensive .
Also on retrofit you do not rip half the ,wall to fit nicely copper with clips and insulated etc as cement or other staff will make corrosion to copper and will be leaking .
So minimal destruction and make it work , or full refurb x3 price and all nice under the floor and plasterboard -water has no spine so matter

 

[Andyh]

I would do every joint in soldered copper and brasso the copper after .. and add extra support for pipe work in between joists ...I would obviously make a accessible hatch for any mechanical fittings buried in a wall ... powerflush the chrome radiator before adding it onto the heating circuit... as per m.i. ... re do the dodge brickwork if ... only every customer pays for it

 

[dan_the_plumber]

Proper plumbers use copper for inaccessible pipes. They also don't use 'solder ring' fittings.

 

[Harvest Fields]

Proper plumbers use copper for inaccessible pipes. They also don't use 'solder ring' fittings.

What’s wrong with solder ring?

 

[Best]

Proper plumbers use copper for inaccessible pipes. They also don't use 'solder ring' fittings.

!!! I used Yorkshire fittings on all work for years. Nothing wrong with them for professionals except they cost more than end feed.

I generally only use end feed now, but still use Yorkshire on 15mm

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Proper plumbers use copper for inaccessible pipes. They also don't use 'solder ring' fittings.

Disagree most of the old timers use it and is spec on some commercial jobs

 

[Best]

Disagree most of the old timers use it and is spec on some commercial jobs

Thanks for calling me an old timer.
You are right about solder ring fittings being the norm in the past. Not sure why that was, but rarely see end feed on work done 50 years ago and I was taught to use Yorkshire fittings.
End feed was thought of by many as inferior then.
I suppose you could think of Yorkshire fittings as the faster method of soldering

 

[dan_the_plumber]

Maybe solder ring was the norm in the past and they do have their uses. But these days they tend to be used more by DIYers.

 

[Harvest Fields]

Surely that’s because of price and it is much cheaper for pros to use end feed?

 

[dan_the_plumber]

Surely that’s because of price and it is much cheaper for pros to use end feed?

Maybe. It's just the norm ain't it

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Thanks for calling me an old timer.
You are right about solder ring fittings being the norm in the past. Not sure why that was, but rarely see end feed on work done 50 years ago and I was taught to use Yorkshire fittings.
End feed was thought of by many as inferior then.
I suppose you could think of Yorkshire fittings as the faster method of soldering

end feed wasnt around back then as much well that’s what I was told

 

[Best]

end feed wasnt around back then as much well that’s what I was told

Yes, I think that is right.
There was the heavy brass end feed fittings about. I do know homes built end of war - 1946, had end feed copper work.
I didn’t do it though!!

 

[Harvest Fields]

Yes, I think that is right.
There was the heavy brass end feed fittings about. I do know homes built end of war - 1946, had end feed copper work.
I didn’t do it though!!

That old chestnut

 

[Rob Foster]

That's strange because the same website recommends burying copper in lime chippings to act as a preservative.

There must be some reaction when the lime is mixed that makes it corrosive because natural lime isn't corrosive to copper at all, in fact copper artefacts have been found perfectly preserved in lime and they have been buried for hundreds of years.

I fully agree that copper should always be sleaved with felt at a minimum, but I've always done it on the basis it gives the copper an expansion gap and prolongs the life of the copper by reducing abrasion.

I always understood that copper pipe must be sleeved in concrete because it then is allowed to expand and contract and not try to pull itself apart which was just painting it with gloss paint was a none starter
Rob Foster aka centralheatking

 

[Best]

That old chestnut

Only reason I mentioned 1946 is it is the oldest date genuinely I know for certain that end feed soldered copper joints were used in houses I worked on.
Just something that puts a time line for me that copper and end feed was used.
I am a bit boring like that.

 

[Welder]

Maybe solder ring was the norm in the past and they do have their uses. But these days they tend to be used more by DIYers.

Yah! I've made it to the hallowed ranks of a DIYer ... Even on my last job, multi-UVCs in 28mm etc I used solder ring. Only place I ever used end feed was where look was 'all'. Just never felt comfortable with 'em. However, I did stay away from crap ones

 

[dan_the_plumber]

Yah! I've made it to the hallowed ranks of a DIYer . Even on my last job, multi-UVCs in 28mm etc I used solder ring. Only place I ever used end feed was where look was 'all'. Just never felt comfortable with 'em. However, I did stay away from crap ones

How come you never felt compfortable with EF ?

 

[Welder]

How come you never felt compfortable with EF ?

When I first started using them I found you had to clean the hell out of 'em. I just had far more leaks than with solder ring. In the end, you kind of build up this 'thing' in your head that convinces you you're better off elsewhere. The human mind is a very powerful tool - just not in my hands

Having a continual flow of 'low cost' by proper Yorkshire fittings never influenced me one iota