Recently the wife and I came into a modest sum of money, so decided to remodel our bathrooms. Our kids are grown and gone, so we each have our own baths. They abut each other and we have noticed some cracking in the walls and floor tiles in that area. I should say here that our home is over fifty years old, and is built on a concrete slab.
Prior to commencing our remodel, I decided to call in a Structural Engineer. $300 later I was informed that we have significant subsidence in a 10’x20’ area directly beneath the bathrooms. So, I called in a foundation repair guy. It cost me $150 to find out that the guy wouldn’t touch the job until it was determined that the foundation didn’t have a water leak. So, I called in a leak detection specialist. Another $300 to find out that yes, indeed, I have a water leak, and it’s located directly underneath the wall between our two baths. Which bath to destroy? I chose mine.
The plumbers had to rip out the built-in vanity and all of the ceramic flooring prior to digging a hole large enough for a small sauna.. They found the leak, repaired it, back-filled with concrete, and handed me a bill for $2,700. That problem repaired, I recalled the foundation guy. This time he didn’t charge me, but said the repair would cost me $1,650. We will now be out over $5,000, and we haven’t even come close to starting the remodel. My bath is in shambles, no sink or vanity, just a big patch of concrete, a bunch of broken tiles, a toilet, and a still-intact shower.
Our modest sum of money has now turned into a paltry sum of money. I’m beginning to wonder if Wal-Mart needs a Greeter.
