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Unprotected water lines in walls

3/9/14       
Harold

Website: http://morantzcabinets.com

I am sure this had happened to everyone at least once. Last week we punctured plastic water lines on two seperate installs. One was a home office with base cabinets that had a hidden water line right behind the drywall and the other wad in a master bedroom which was an exterior wall and it was behind a headboard. We have an electronic stud finder that warns us of copper or galvanized pipes, but not plastic. In one case we were working on a large estate home and the only person home was the housekeeper and she not only didn't speak English, but she g
Gad no idea where the water main wad. Turned out it was in the tennis courts. Luckily the floor was marble and the leak was not full force. When the owner came home, while we were waiting for an emergency plumber, she apologiesed and explained that this extension of the houseboats done by a half assed contractor that did not follow codes. Not only wax the pipe not shielded, but it was not in the middle of the stud wall, but just run against the drywall.
Does anyone have anything written into their contracts something to handle this situation? We lose 3-4 hours of install time and sometimes have to return on another day to complete the job after the pipe is fixed. Harold.

3/10/14       #2: Unprotected water lines in walls ...
D Brown

Harold , had a similar incident a few years back . Was installing a run of wall cabinets in a pantry room at about 55" or so up from the floor when one screw did not feel like it bit I backed it out and angled it a little and it still did not feel right , when i backed it out I heard the hissing of water .Talk about panic , and of course the home owners were out of the state .I found the water shut off and turned the water heater breaker off and called the plumbers that put the pipe right in line with a stud they cut with no protection cover .I hit a Copper pipe in the joint .
In your case if the plumbing was not done to code the plumber or home owner should be responsible .

I told the plumbers to send me the bill since I put the screw in, homeowner found out what happened with the location of the pipe and refused to let me pay the $390 and thanked me for saving his new hardwood floor and such , in fact he gave me a rather large gratuity even before I was finished .

3/11/14       #3: Unprotected water lines in walls ...
Gerry

I did hit one water line but the one I will never forget is when I was hanging upper cabinets in an old home & looked down to see the wallpaper below the cabinets bubbling & smoke coming out of the wall from around a electrical outlet. I had hit the stud one the edge and the screw glanced off & hit the main service cable which was laid up against the inside of the drywall and tight to the stud I had missed. We pulled the cabinet off the wall cut the drywall off & put the fire out. They had used wax paper as a vapor barrier & the screw glanced off the main service wire & sparked & the wax paper when up like gun powder. Cost me $400.00 to get an electrician in to repair the wire. I now own a stud finder that finds live wires ;)

Fire & floods all in a days work in the cabinet business.

Gerry

3/19/14       #4: Unprotected water lines in walls ...
Adam

I've only hit one while installing a vanity against a finished sapele wainscotted wall. Thank god it was a high end house and the plumber had installed one of those valve panels.

There must be thousands of screws in the pvc drain pipes.

4/3/14       #5: Unprotected water lines in walls ...
Jon Andrew Member

Website: http://www.cadcondesign.com

As a former plumber of 7 years, It is standard practice to install stud guards everywhere the pipes pass through the walls where an installer of drywall,Cabs, etc., would most likely hit it.

As far as damages in contract, Please see below from http://www.albrightstoddard.com/blog/bid/217715/A-GUIDE-TO-CONSTRUCTION-CONTRACT-C
LAUSES

Very good info here.

VII: ALLOCATION OF RISK CLAUSES

In some cases the owner may not be willing to accept the risk of unforeseen site conditions. For example, smaller owners who, unlike a governmental entity or large corporation, may be more interested in a firm price (even if it is high) than in suppressing overall bids on a large number of projects. A one-project owner does not have the consolation that lower bids are being received on all other projects. An owner who is willing to pay for a firm price can insist on a contract clause that shifts all of the risk of cost overruns caused by changed conditions to the contractor. A contractor who agrees to such a clause should be prepared to conduct a thorough site investigation. A contractor should negotiate for enough time to complete the investigation and analyze it before submitting final construction bid prices. Such a clause, to be effective, should protect the owner from claims based on implied warranty, mutual mistake, impossibility, impracticability, or unjust enrichment.

A Guide to Construction Contrat Clauses

4/4/14       #6: Unprotected water lines in walls ...
Adam

Jon,

Yes, I'm quite aware that the plumbers generally put nail plates on the studes where they have been drilled. It is the building code. Often the studs are no on layout(16"OC). You can mark a wall for studs and screw directly into a horizontal pipe which is about to go through a stud. More commonly a vertical waste stack can be placed anywhere and has no nail protection.

It is very easy for a stud to be off layout slightly and the installer screws on the edge of the stud missing the plate.

These are all rare events. However, I know I've screwed into a stack vent.

4/6/14       #7: Unprotected water lines in walls ...
Mark

If I have any doubts as to the location of plumbing, I will remove, and replace drywall behind a cabinet in a heart beat.

The second there is water damage of any kind these days the lawyers are going to start playing the "mold" card.

Even if the plumbing is not located properly, and or adequately protected. You are sort of at the mercy of the homeowner. They could be reasonable, and understanding or they could very quickly lawyer up in an attempt to hold you responsible.

2/22/22       #8: Unprotected water lines in walls ...
Randy Duff Member

I found the water shut off and turned the water heater breaker off and called the plumbers that put the pipe right in line with a stud they cut with no protection cover .


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