The Home Improvement Thread

[Butterfly]

After waiting for almost 6 months for some Thai monkeys to fix minor shit in my home, I have decided to take matters into my own hand and will do the repair myself. None of those lazy Thais want to work these days, even if you pay above rate wages for their time. It would seem that only Cambodian and Burmese are willing to work properly by taking pride in their work at reasonable rate.

These are the things I was looking to fix with costs expectations but couldn't find anyone:

- Floor Drains to be replaced. The "Toto" brand ones are all rusted and crappy, need stainless. Job: remove tile and drain and replace with "Cotto" stainless drain in 4 bathroom. Cost estimate: about 2.000 labor for 2 days, 3.000 parts

- Toilet Unit. Need a better looking one for the master bedroom bathroom. Cost estimate: 700 labor for 1 day (more like 2 hours job), 8.000 for new unit

- Service water tap in toilets: they put some shitty taps that got all rusted instantaneously, and feel like about to break everytime I turn off the water, looks horrible with the rusted water drain. Need solid and stainless units. Estimate cost: 2.000 labor for 2 days, 1.500 parts

Are these costs unreasonable ? and is it really difficult to do it all yourself ? If a rice monkey can do it, why couldn't I ?

The challenge are possible leaks after the job is done and how to solve them,

[phunphin]

buy a bag of grout, your taps , thread tape etc ...wander out the front and turn your water off.
should take the whole day.... and you'll only have yourself to blame if they leak.

[buad hai]

thread tape

Buy one roll per joint.

[Texpat]

and you'll only have yourself to blame if they leak.

That's an excellent point and one often overlooked.

I would be able to accept a leaking faucet MUCH more easily if I did the job myself. Just get right back in there and fix it.

When I pay a supposed professional who comes in and hacks up a job half-assed it irritates the hell out of me.

If you're able to do it yourself (rice monkey) I'd do it. The problem I seem to always face is that I don't have the correct tools.

[Butterfly]

^^ I have thread tape, but I had an idea putting too much wouldn't be a good idea, just a very thin layer on each tap but I am experiencing leaks already, damn !!

[Thetyim]

^
I usually give 7 layers of thread tape.
Works for me.

[lom]

Make sure you get the right gender for the taps, check gender in wall outlets.
Male goes into female in case you didn't know that from before..

[Butterfly]

^^ damn, I only put 2, not wanting to force the thing on the screw

I also changed the pipe extension from some rusty piece of crap to brass (copper), much easier to screw, and smaller to fit in the hole, only HomeMart seemed to sell those

and you'll only have yourself to blame if they leak

It's part of a learning experience so no problem for me,

[buad hai]

The problem with Thai plumbing fittings is that the threads are machine threads, which are straight, rather than normal iron pipe (IP) threads, which are tapered. With the tapered threads you just need a thin layer of tape, one or two wraps, and then screw until it's tight or in the position you want. With the machine threads you have to screw right down to the bottom of the thread. Or, you can put on extra tape, which will also enable you to position a tap properly.

This advice is coming to you from the man who, in 25 years, could never stop his kitchen sink from leaking....

[baldrick]

and put the tape on in the correct direction , looking straight at the thread , down the barrel , go clockwise

and have the tape coming off the roll from the bottom ( underneath ) as you wrap with a bit of tension as then you will find it easier to rip off tight.

[Butterfly]

the threads are machine threads, which are straight, rather than normal iron pipe (IP) threads, which are tapered

not sure I understand this part, you mean the screw inside pattern, correct ? yeah, they seem to be straight. The iron pipe has the "straight thread" outside, not inside, and the extension screw doesn't seem to go all the way down as there is concrete around. Should I also put some tape around the external threads of the Iron Pipe ? not much space to do that ? and how much should I put on the external threads ?

With the machine threads you have to screw right down to the bottom of the thread.

Yeah, not sure if it is the case but it seems to come to a stop when I do. However, could also be the concrete stopping me from screwing further.

and have the tape coming off the roll from the bottom ( underneath ) as you wrap with a bit of tension as then you will find it easier to rip off tight.

Yeah, did that already, quite easy to put.

[Thetyim]

Should I also put some tape around the external threads of the Iron Pipe ?

Yes..

[Butterfly]

^ ok, 7 layers also ?

[Thetyim]

^
Yes and follow baldricks instructions

[Butterfly]

ok I removed another service tap, this time the story is different. The extension is merged with the concrete, can't replace it.

The good news is that I just need to put the tap and I am done, so little chance of a leak like the other one. However, the locals used the 20 layers trick to put a stop to the screw and didn't screw it completely, which left a fair gap between the wall and the cover of the tap (not nice)

Result, the inner ring is full of rust, and the inside threads have become not so easy to screw, solid dirt that can't be removed from them, old tape threads etc... I removed as much as I could, but obviously would need something more strong to clean the inside threads. Is that even possible actually ? or what would be a good technique to clean the inside threads.

Damn, plumbing is a lot of fun

[blackgang]

The problem with Thai plumbing fittings is that the threads are machine threads, which are straight, rather than normal iron pipe (IP) threads, which are tapered. With the tapered threads you just need a thin layer of tape, one or two wraps, and then screw until it's tight or in the position you want. With the machine threads you have to screw right down to the bottom of the thread. Or, you can put on extra tape, which will also enable you to position a tap properly.

Now ain't this a bunch of shit, impossible to make up good threaded pipe installs, silly bastards,, and with more than 2 or 3 wraps of tape to much pressure can not be held without blowing the tape out of the fitting, teflon tape was made to seal metal pores not fill gaps.

[buad hai]

or what would be a good technique to clean the inside threads.

Small wire brush or old toothbrush?

Damn, plumbing is a lot of fun

Says you....

[Butterfly]

Small wire brush or old toothbrush?

ok will try that, maybe some diluted acid with it, or is that too strong ?

[Luckydog]

Fit a Roof Extracter Fan.......old bean.

[Thetyim]

what would be a good technique to clean the inside threads

To do a proper job you would need a thread restorer.
Best of luck trying to find one in LOS.

The best I can suggest is to find something with the same thread size, cut a groove up it, and then screw it in & out a few times with oil on it. Clean the groove out each time.

[erikr69]

.
Male goes into female in case you didn't know that from before..

In Thailand? Seem to be mre options available to some

[DrAndy]

.
Male goes into female in case you didn't know that from before..

In Thailand? Seem to be mre options available to some

well, it is Butterflys thread

anyway, Bttf, use lots of tape, it will just screw up and out of the way if too much

if you really want it not to leak, stuff some silicon in as well

[Butterfly]

The best I can suggest is to find something with the same thread size, cut a groove up it, and then screw it in & out a few times with oil on it. Clean the groove out each time.

did that already, without the oil, a little improvement, but the rust is too strong. I then used a closing screw in PVC, and it went through without a problem to the end as the PVC did not resist to the metal threads. My only problem is with the gap between the wall and the cover, couldn't find a solution, so I screwed the new tab until the first 3 threads and then I positioned the cover to the wall, leaving the remaining threads outside. It seems to work, no leak so far.

Found the exact location of the leak for the other tab. The new extension I replaced seems to leak greatly underneath, so I will have to use the Thai trick of 20 layers of tape to cover that leak, hopefully that should work. Using silicon to cover up the leak seems a bit desperate and not a clean solution, hopefully I won't need it once I cover the external threads with tape, which in itself is going to be difficult to do, as I can barely place my fingers in the hole with the extension.

[gusG]

BF if you have trouble taping the end of the extension in the wall., take the fuker back out, tape one end and put your new TAP on it first, then re- tape the end that goes inside the wall and screw them both in together, does that make sense ??
Pictures please, then we might be able to help you more.

[nevets]

I hope you all know that you have to have a work permit ,and made out to cover the appropriate job and most jobs we wont to do are on the list that we can not.