City Code knower-abouters: Residental Gas Cooktop install question

[SoonerDave]

And amid all the other issues getting this done/estimated, I get blown off this morning by one of the contractors after making special arrangements to be here to meet him and have (had) a specific appointment with them. GRRRRRRRRRR.

[SoonerDave]

So on top of everything else getting this project priced/done, one of the contractors I make a specific appointment with blows me off this morning. Does not improve my mood.

[FighttheGoodFight]

And amid all the other issues getting this done/estimated, I get blown off this morning by one of the contractors after making special arrangements to be here to meet him and have (had) a specific appointment with them. GRRRRRRRRRR.

Happens pretty often. Nothing worse than a no show when you take off work and are excited to get started. My family had five calls to contractors before one would even show up.

[SoonerDave]

Happens pretty often. Nothing worse than a no show when you take off work and are excited to get started. My family had five calls to contractors before one would even show up.

Welll, to their credit, they just called and someone is on the way

[turnpup]

SoonerDave, I think maybe the universe is trying to tell you to stick with electric!

[SoonerDave]

Urbanized, you might find this interesting: The contractor I just called out is going to give me two estimates - one for CSST, one for iron pipe. The former will include the cost of getting an electrician out to do the bonding.

[SoonerDave]

SoonerDave, I think maybe the universe is trying to tell you to stick with electric!

LOL well that's certainly a possibility I've got two more contractors coming in for bids - one this afternoon, one Monday, and that'll be it. I've got a number in mind that will be the cap of what I'm willing to pay and we'll just go from there. I'm really torn on the flexpipe issue. It looks like its perfectly safe, until it isn't.

[Uptowner]

If the plumbers aren't bringing it up it must just be in my head. But I can't see how a fittin could be inspected if it's inside a rocked wall and can't be seen. This is why plumbing and electric always has a rough in partial before Sheetrock or sheathing can go up on a structure. But if the contractor isn't sweating. It. Then it's up to them. My two biggest pieces of advice at this stage are:

Make absolutely sure they're pulling permit and having it inspected. #1 is safety and #2 is code should you decide to sell your house. There's a lot of reasons.

Pay the contractor 50/50 half up front and half when it's all said and done and you've got a green tag from the city. There's so many contractors that will just bail if they make mistakes but they've already been paid in full.

[mkjeeves]

I do not know specifically about gas lines in existing walls but other plumbing, electrical and HVAC work in crawl spaces, attics, fished into walls and chases, bored under sidewalks and paving happens all the time under work with permits and inspections. It is only when a wall/ceiling/floor/excavation has been opened up, or built new, and those systems added, that it has to be left open for inspection. If you open it up, you can't cover it back up without an inspector looking at it. The other exception to that is where there are removable panels, like in suspended ceilings with drop tile. The inspectors will make a contractor remove enough tile to see what has been installed new. From a practical standpoint, if there is more than a drop or two in an area, it usually makes more sense to open it up and install it like it is new construction, have it inspected etc.

Most OKC inspectors will not climb a ladder to look above a ceiling. If they can't see it standing on the floor, they aren't going to look at it. They *might* go up an attic ladder in a house to look from the access hole around the attic but they are not going to crawl around inside an attic. That doesn't stop the work from getting done or passing inspection through the permit and inspection process.

[Bill Robertson]

Very true about inspectors not climbing a ladder. When all my fellow electrician buddies get together we share stories of locked houses being passed, etc.

[SoonerDave]

Just a quick update....talked today with a contractor who has done work for a builder acquaintance of mine and he left me *very* impressed with the work he'd done and the rep I discovered about him. And he gave me a very reasonable bid....will advise progress. In stark contrast to the compamy who promised me a written bid by email yesterday and it still hasn't shown up...

[Uptowner]

Once you find a good plumber it's like making a friend for like. I stopped giving my guy's number out because he's getting too popular and always booked out a day or two on residential and sometimes weeks on commercial.

[SoonerDave]

Just realized I had not updated this with what we did.....we ended up using TPC-ThePlumbingCompany out of Moore. Super nice and professional young man named Craig Groeschel (spelling on that last name is iffy). He gave me a written estimate, showed up exactly when he said he would, and did a fine job for about 1/3 of the more extreme bids. Insured and bonded, highly recommended. Does only planned work, no after-hours/emergency work. Open until 8pm Mon-Sat.

[Uptowner]

Good stuff. It's like I said about making relationships with licensed contractors. They can be lifelong friends if all parties walk away satisfied job after job.

[NikonNurse]

The pastor of life church moonlights as a plumber?

[SoonerDave]

The pastor of life church moonlights as a plumber?

Arrrgh. I can't believe I did that.

Craig Hambright is the TPC-ThePlumbingCompany owner/operator. Don't know why on earth I made that goof. Thanks for the catch.