Irish friends, David and Maedhbh, have kindly agreed to let us repost the story of their plumbing nightmare which hit their home just before David’s 40th birthday. You can almost feel David’s pain as he vividly and amusingly recreates the events in his diary of disasters.

Thursday: “Kids break en-suite basin. Water leaks through ceiling to downstairs bathroom.”

Friday: “David fixes en-suite basin. David re-plasters downstairs bathroom. Filter valve breaks off under-sink filter unit. Water floods kitchen.”

Saturday: “David fixes filter valve on under-sink filter unit. Tap breaks on under-sink filter unit. David fixes tap on under-sink filter unit but in doing so floods kitchen. Cold water gone from en-suite toilet and tap. Meadhbh’s wallet goes missing in town. Bank inadvertently cancels both Meadhbh’s card and mine. Both credit cards also cancelled.”

Sunday: “Water leaks though ceiling to downstairs bathroom. David fixes leak in hot water tap pipe to en-suite basin. Cold water still gone from en-suite toilet and tap. In effort to relieve perceived air-lock, disconnect pipe in hot press. Water floods downstairs bathroom. Re-connect pipe. Cold water still gone from en-suite toilet and tap. Filter valve breaks off under sink filter unit. Water floods kitchen.”

Monday: “Coffee machine breaks. Coffee-coloured water floods kitchen. De-scaling coffee machine results in descaler-coloured water flooding kitchen. Woman calls to say she found Meadhbh’s wallet.”
 
Tuesday: “Today is my birthday. Happy Birthday to me. I am 40. Car won’t start. Meadhbh tells me I look pale. Just managed to bring water back to the en-suite by turning on the tap in the bath downstairs. Go figure. All leaks are fixed, new filter valve arrives today. All good. Everyday’s a holiday in this house.”

A friend comments to David: “Happy Birthday, Dave! Good weekend then? Oops, sorry! Couldn’t resist. Seriously, hope that next weekend will be so good that it will put the colour back in your cheeks. Just make sure you’re careful when you blow out the 40 candles x
David replies: “Next weekend will the best weekend I’ve had in my forties. Definitely.”

Laurent Stadelmann from Chez-Vous Property Services comments to David: Joyeux anniversaire, David! I usually write “I hope you have had a great day”, but I can’t, based on the saga of the last few days. I am sure it has been an experience you won’t forget. J’espère que les prochains jours vont s’améliorer [translation from French: I hope that the following days will be better]. Cheers, Laurent.
David replies: “Could have done with some of your expertise on Saturday all right. Things have calmed down considerably since. Coffee machine’s still bust though. Caffeine withdrawal is never pleasant.”

David and Meadhbh, we hope that you won’t have to experience such a saga of plumbing problems ever again.

What has been your worst plumbing experience?

Chez-Vous Property Services provides plumbing, bathroom, heating and electrical services in or around Wokingham, Bracknell, Ascot, Reading, Maidenhead and other locations in  East Berkshire. Contact us to discuss your requirements.