[Wayner]

No, a 9 foot deep hole in my driveway to fix the leaking city water shut off valve. Of course, the valve leaked on my side so its all my cost. So far, the hole, and new valve is about $1650. They kind of wrecked my driveway too, so estimates are from $5400 to $8000 to fix that. I could go the cheap route and just fix the 2 sections, but with a 23 year old driveway with cracks and shale rock pop-outs, that doesn't make sense.

When they built my house I foretold them that this certainly could happen, but it fell on deaf ears. See, it is easy to predict the future.

Wayner

[dflee]

Life does tend to get in the way of our habits. Be thankful it's not
a health issue suckin that money up. Where's your meter at?

Don

[Wayner]

Meter is in the lower level. Of course, rather then running the shut-off valve and water meter into the end of the house, they had to go under my driveway and then of course, under my garage floor.

Yes, it could be worse. But there are things in life that kind of have predictable outcomes. Its one of them "sooner or later" deals. What is frustrating is that all of this could have been avoided. But some one with the city "knew better".

'ner

[Kenneth Patchen]

Wayner,

Two words: new barbecue pit. Ok, that's three words.

I know you're a hard rock fan but this new frustration seems to have left you dazed and confused, if not fragile and close to the edge. Be thankful that the leak is being repaired before your house was transformed into a topographical ocean. Just say Yes to this new reality, have a cool drink and calm down. And don't throw your lps into that hole in your driveway. They'll sound muddy.

I''m full of helpful advice like this so feel free to contact me at any time.

Hang in there,
KP

[dflee]

That should be against code to run under the drive and under the garage floor.
In my profession that is a big no-no. Hope things work out. Look at the bright
side, they aren't messin up that beautiful yard ya got there.

Don

[Wayner]

Thanks a ton KP! That was some pretty good. Yeah, I'm over it. I just was saving to buy my last, nice turntable, and that is going to be put off for awhile.

BTW, one of the gang members at AVA was not so fortunate as his lower level was flooded due to a power outage in his home town in Iowa. He called me yesterday and told me about his electrostatics and power amps being filled with water. Whats worse is that he was under-insured for this kind of back up failure.

Homes with basements just don't make any sense anymore. You  wouldn't build a boat with a hole in it and the only thing that would keep the boat from sinking was a powered onboard pump. That is kind of how our homes are built. Big hole in the lower level. All is good until power failure, or pump death.

Carry on I will.....

I am not Close to the Edge yet.......But I am pretty Fragile right now. It is good to Talk about this stuff as it makes me feel the Union. Even tho there was a hole with a Ladder, I will be Going for the One with the lowest quote so he can Relayer my driveway in, hopefully, short order, I have to Open Your Eyes to the situation.   

[Mark Korda]

Hi Wayner, remember you told me when you were young you were cutting lawns? Until the city marred it up a little, your lawn looks better than the Brady Bunches, which was astro turf. If the pros at Augusta saw that you'd be a walkon head greenskeeper!.....Mark K.

[JerryM]

I sure hope that great big hole gets filled up before it rains. The location of your downspout has the potential to create a maverick swimmin' hole.

[Charles Calkins]

Hi Wayner:

 I agree that now basements are not needed. But when it's 95 outside and 70 in the basement I like that.
  Have  audio and TV gear down there. Got AC upstairs. I use it sometimes.

                                                      Cheers
                                                     Charlie
 P.S.
  Seems that the people who built your house were not on their toes!!

[Wayner]

The people that built the house were not the people that put in the water line. This is a very well built house using 2 X 6 studs on the outside walls, with real 2 X 12 floor joists. 3/4" cdx plywood over everything, with cedar siding and James Harding vinyl cement in the peaks. The house withstood a 100mph sheer wind back in 2010.

The downspout has been re-routed temporarily (crossing the sidewalk) and the hole is filled in. The guys that did that work did an exceptional job, compacting the fill in layers to help prevent settling. The concrete guys are going to use rebar on the whole, new driveway. Should be good to go for the next few decades. Just anxious to get it done with.

'ner

[JLM]

Contractors really don't care what happens 23 years later. 

[plaf26]

Wayner,

That new, hi-end turntable in your front yard looks like it's got a lot of torque, but the tone arm mass looks a little on the high side.

plaf26