I didn’t make it

I wanted to get my utility room finished by the end of this week-end but I ran into just too may problems in the latter stages and was unable to. It started with the waste system for the sink. I can honestly say that over the years I’ve run dozens of PVC waste systems using the special glue that is needed and never had a joint leak. Not one.

When I ran this one, which will probably be my last one ever as I don’t intend to ever build another new house or make changes to this one’s system when it’s all done and dusted, two joints leaked. I don’t know whether the ‘slow’ glue I used is actually now ineffective or what, but the only way to ‘fix’ a leaking plastic system, which as I say I’ve never had to do, is break it out and re-do it.

But that was impossible with this one due to everything being built-in and the lack of access, so I had to look for other ways to stop the leaks. I tried applying the special glue around the outside of the joints but that didn’t work. Then I tried running superglue around the joints because that can also ‘melt’ PVC, but that didn’t work either.

I then had the idea of applying small widths of the super-adhesive, waterproof aluminium tape that you use to seal leaky roofs, around the outside of the joints and that seems to have done it, without looking too much like a ‘bodge’, which I hate. Then when I checked the joint from the sink waste running into the trap, I also found that was weeping slightly as well.

I hate French plumbing components as I’ve said here many times because from my experience their quality is almost uniformly abysmal. The joint in question was a supposedly fool-proof push in, quick connect system that was guaranteed leak proof. I know, why didn’t I just buy a cheaper trap that you can screw together yourself that you know practically for certain will not leak? Maybe next time – but hopefully there won’t ever be a next time.

I took it apart and applied some joint sealant paste, which shouldn’t be needed, and it looks as though it may have done the trick, but I won’t know until the sink is used for a while, and in the meantime I’ve wasted at least 3 hours, perhaps nearly half a day, on leak problems that should never have arisen.

The next problem that I came across this morning was when I found that the flexible tap connectors that were supplied with the mixer were too long to connect to the hot and cold water supplies. Both Leroy Merlin and Brico Depot only open until 1.00 pm on Sundays (and they’re both unusual in that as other suppliers remain closed all day) and I thought about dashing out to get some shorter ones. But I then decided that my time would be better spent on getting the wall cupboards up.

That ultimately led to my last problem of the day which was, once again, to do with one of the pipes on the wall. The hot supply from the heat pump descends the wall to connect to the manifold that is now behind the 50 cm wide floor mounted cupboard. In doing so it passes right through the 50 cm wide wall mounted cupboard directly above it which has to be cut away to take the pipe.

I tried doing it with the cupboard fully assembled but although the cut-outs in its side and bottom came out OK, the large slot that I had to cut into its back panel was way off. The only solution will be for me to buy another sheet of white fronted hardboard and use the old ruined panel as a template to make a new one. That won’t be too difficult but it’ll be for tomorrow, so that’s when I decided to call it a day.

Now the pics, starting with the worktop fully installed and firmly fixed with the cut out for the sink.

This shot shows the tiny space in the side of the floor unit through which I had to route the sink waste. If I’d know I would have extended the hot water pipe and moved it to the right by a couple of centimetres or so. This would have avoided the problem which really couldn’t have been foreseen.

Here’s a close-up of the sink cut-out which I sealed to prevent damage to the worktop should any water seepage occur, which hopefully it won’t.

Now some shots at the end of the day showing the stage reached with the two large wall cupboards permanently mounted and the third smaller one just hanging in place.

Next a view of the worktop and sink unit. The waste seems now to be working without any leaks but the mixer, although permanently installed, is not connected to the hot and cold water supplies.

Here’s how the wall cupboards look. They have gone in well and will end up looking exactly the same as the ones in the kitchen.

The last shot shows how the hot water pipe passes through the 50 cm wide wall cupboard. The old, ruined back panel is not in place in the picture.

So work on the utility room should, all being well, be finished tomorrow. I wanted to then press on and build my new cloaks cupboard but I see that after tomorrow we’ve got several warmish, dry days forecast with only light winds. So I’m thinking that maybe I should use them to clean and service my aircraft, which have been severely neglected over the many months that I’ve dedicated to my house-build and are sorely in need of attention.