Any plumbers? Am I out of touch?

[pgrbff]

This trap drips. As far as I know its had a good life, kitchen was bought in 1989.
I like to think I'm fairly green. If I was in England, where the tap is, I'd try and fix it. washer? seal? valve seat?
I admit I have never fitted anything other than a cartridge tap but could this not be fixed?
I was going to tell how much I'm being quoted to fit a new mixer but I think I'll wait and see if anyone has anything to say first

 

[Phil Pascoe]

That old it'll probably just need washers.

 

[pgrbff]

That old it'll probably just need washers.

That's what I thought.

 

[pgrbff]

The plumber says he has already changed the cartridge. Does this look like a cartridge tap? I wouldn't have thought it was.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Get a knife or something and lift the disc out of the centre of the knob, there'll be a screw under it to release to take the knob off its spline.
See what's there.

 

[pgrbff]

I can't, I'm in Italy, taps in Guildford.

 

[LancsRick]

Be surprised if you get any change from £100 for supply and fit with a cheap mixer.

 

[pgrbff]

Be surprised if you get any change from £100 for supply and fit with a cheap mixer.

You are way,way off.

 

[Lons]

He may well have changed what he called a cartridge but used the wrong terminology as the complete valve can still be obtained however if the seat is corroded it will still drip and provided the corrosion isn't too bad the seat can be ground using a simple tool, I'd suspect the plumber hasn't done that but it could be beyond repair.

I recon you would have to pay around £200 plus tap and parts cost and it's also possible there are no isolating valves fitted which would have to be done as well. All that depends on how much the plumber needs or wants the job.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/22542728...6&customid=FUH9RJcbAAAAx1Oy86PL8SLTMUYxAAAAAA
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/25563841...37rJqChmwoU6q8GEumjfEdjEDQ==|tkp:BFBM0MP9pJlj

 

[Spectric]

That is a screw down tap with rubber washers, much better than these new fangled cartridge valves. You will find a screw under the colored cap on top of each head, then you can get to the actual valve on which you will find the rubber washer. Do you have hard water, limescale can cause issues with taps ?

 

[pgrbff]

He may well have changed what he called a cartridge but used the wrong terminology as the complete valve can still be obtained however if the seat is corroded it will still drip and provided the corrosion isn't too bad the seat can be ground using a simple tool, I'd suspect the plumber hasn't done that but it could be beyond repair.

I recon you would have to pay around £200 plus tap and parts cost and it's also possible there are no isolating valves fitted which would have to be done as well. All that depends on how much the plumber needs or wants the job.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/22542728...6&customid=FUH9RJcbAAAAx1Oy86PL8SLTMUYxAAAAAA
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/25563841...37rJqChmwoU6q8GEumjfEdjEDQ==|tkp:BFBM0MP9pJlj

So you agree it won't have a cartridge. I'm aware they can be reground but the agent who for more than 30 years has been taking 14% of the rent could not be bothered to communicate properly and simply told me it would be £250 to change the tap. She now tells me that the cartridge has already been replaced as part of the callout charge. I'm just feeling like someone, somewhere, is pulling my pl+£&er. The flat is my mums, she has full blown dementia and the rent basically pays for some of her care.

 

[Bingy man]

With the distances involved I’d recommend a complete new tap , too many variables - washer -seating —cartridge -o rings lime scale . Imo

 

[Mikebart]

With the distances involved I’d recommend a complete new tap , too many variables - washer -seating —cartridge -o rings lime scale . Imo

Have to agree especially with your moms situation I think it’s a case of poor communication but I would expect that sort of price for supply and fit.

 

[hunter27]

Perhaps the agent mixed up cartridge with glands?
https://www.toolstation.com/made4tr...49tY-Zh9bypscrTcrnEaAvkcEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[Bingy man]

So you agree it won't have a cartridge. I'm aware they can be reground but the agent who for more than 30 years has been taking 14% of the rent could not be bothered to communicate properly and simply told me it would be £250 to change the tap. She now tells me that the cartridge has already been replaced as part of the callout charge. I'm just feeling like someone, somewhere, is pulling my pl+£&er. The flat is my mums, she has full blown dementia and the rent basically pays for some of her care.

At approx £40 - £60 for a basic off the shelf mixer tap from the likes of tool station screw fix wickes etc £250 seems excessive but when I worked in Surrey east / West Sussex I was always suprised what folk get charged for relatively simple jobs . My mom has dimentia and with you being so far away you need the peace of mind that all is ok . Local charity or church groups may be able help but you’re not there to source one . Bite the bullet and get it done but then look at the services of company’s like home serve or British Gas . You can sign up for plumbing cover for a few pounds a month and call outs are usually covered . With b gas ( my x job of many years ) avoid anything with an excess and you can get cover from the stop tap in the road all the way to the house . Taps , hoses , toilet fittings all covered so worth looking at . Good luck

 

[pgrbff]

He may well have changed what he called a cartridge but used the wrong terminology as the complete valve can still be obtained however if the seat is corroded it will still drip and provided the corrosion isn't too bad the seat can be ground using a simple tool, I'd suspect the plumber hasn't done that but it could be beyond repair.

I recon you would have to pay around £200 plus tap and parts cost and it's also possible there are no isolating valves fitted which would have to be done as well. All that depends on how much the plumber needs or wants the job.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/22542728...6&customid=FUH9RJcbAAAAx1Oy86PL8SLTMUYxAAAAAA
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/25563841...37rJqChmwoU6q8GEumjfEdjEDQ==|tkp:BFBM0MP9pJlj

So you agree it won't have a cartridge. I'm aware they can be reground but the agent who for more than 30 years has been taking 14% of the rent could not be bothered to communicate properly and simply told me it would be £250 to change the tap. She now tells me that the cartridge has already been replaced as part of the callout charge. I'm just feeling like someone, somewhere is pulling my pl+£&er. The flat is my mums, she has full blown dementia and the rent basically pays for some of her care.

At approx £40 - £60 for a basic off the shelf mixer tap from the likes of tool station screw fix wickes etc £250 seems excessive but when I worked in Surrey east / West Sussex I was always suprised what folk get charged for relatively simple jobs . My mom has dimentia and with you being so far away you need the peace of mind that all is ok . Local charity or church groups may be able help but you’re not there to source one . Bite the bullet and get it done but then look at the services of company’s like home serve or British Gas . You can sign up for plumbing cover for a few pounds a month and call outs are usually covered . With b gas ( my x job of many years ) avoid anything with an excess and you can get cover from the stop tap in the road all the way to the house . Taps , hoses , toilet fittings all covered so worth looking at . Good luck

I had cover with the insurance company but the agent never used them. The agent will only recommend their tradesmen, they have several lets in two blocks of flats and a single company that does electric, plumbing and decorating. The prices are always well over the odds but because it's my parents, I just deal with the problems, I have always gone along with the agent. Just to be clear, the flat is let, my mum doesn't live there, the rent pays for some of her care. The tap is dripping and I feel swapping it for a cheap import for the sake of a washer or a bit of a grind is not at all green.

 

[no idea]

If that tap was fitted 30 years ago then £250 for replacement isn't unreasonable.

Is it fitted with copper pipe or flexi pipes? Are there working isolators? Is the sink itself rigid or has part of the mounting corroded away? Any plumber would need to allow for this any more hence quote £250.

 

[Ozi]

So you agree it won't have a cartridge. I'm aware they can be reground but the agent who for more than 30 years has been taking 14% of the rent could not be bothered to communicate properly and simply told me it would be £250 to change the tap. She now tells me that the cartridge has already been replaced as part of the callout charge. I'm just feeling like someone, somewhere, is pulling my pl+£&er. The flat is my mums, she has full blown dementia and the rent basically pays for some of her care.

14%!!!! for that the service should be instantaneous. I'd worry far more about your agent, shop arround. I'm paying 9% with one and 7% with two others. One of the agents I still use had a nasty habit of adding just a bit to repair bills as well, until one of the trades he sent around was a friend of mine - we had words. Another charges trades a holding fee to be on their books, it all gets passed on. I usually do these sort of jobs myself but paid £128 (Aug 22) to have a similar tap fitted, agree with above it will be more if not already fitted with check valves. You could try check a trade.com and get a quote, you don't need to be in the country for that. The agent who was bumping up bills now sends in plumbers, electricians and gas engineers I specify and I get bills sent direct.

 

[Lons]

You're in a difficult position being in Italy but the agent is ripping you off and looks suspiciously like tthey're also getting a cut of the repair bills. I said £200 plus tap and parts so seems I was spot on and doesn't surprise me but the agent is employed by your family and has no right to refuse your own arrangements if you had insurance cover. No wonder the industry has a bad reputation.

 

[Alli]

cost-guide-plumbers

The link above is to 'Which' guide to plumbing costs. They reckon £150+ Cost of tap if isolation valves are needed.

I'm near Hungerford so not that far from Guildford and the estate I work at has big problems trying to get hold of plumbers and the cost is very high to what it should be. But they know they command what price they like because of the lack of plumbers around!!!