Water leakage - plumber or general contractor? (sink, ceiling, installed)
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Happy New Year all! Long time reader, first time poster... hoping to get some pointers from the more knowledgeable folks here.
We bought our house a couple of years ago, and we're now running into a plumbing situation. We noticed that there is a constant leakage under the sink causing the water to collect in the little cabinet underneath in our master bedroom. Water seems to be coming from behind the wall, and it looks like there was some work done by the previous owners as some patch work on the wall is visible. Long story short, I need to get this fixed but I am unsure whether I should hire a plumber or a general contractor as it'd require someone to deal with the drywall, check the carpet condition and make sure that there is no puddle in the crawlspace, etc.
Please suggest if this is a common plumbing issue that a professional plumber can handle, or is it better to let a general contractor take care of the problem?
Let me know if anything is unclear and need more details.
"We noticed that there is a constant leakage under the sink causing the water to collect in the little cabinet underneath in our master bedroom. Water seems to be coming from behind the wall, and it looks like there was some work done by the previous owners as some patch work on the wall is visible. "
I am confused by these statements. Is there a leak from the p-trap underneath the sink or is there water leak inside the wall. If it's the later, than you may see water penetrating through the ceiling below. If there is a leak on the p-trap, it may need re-adjusting or replacement. Not a big deal can it's a simple DIY. Plenty of video out there if you search the web.
A plumber should be able to handle the job. A GC won't even bother it's too small a job. You could also hire a good handyman which will be cheaper than a plumber
If it's just a P trap then you may just need to tighten the fittings but you said its behind the wall. Most likely a soldered fitting is leaking. Cut the drywall and have a look see if the water is coming behind the wall. You'll have to replace drywall if it's wet anyway
"We noticed that there is a constant leakage under the sink causing the water to collect in the little cabinet underneath in our master bedroom. Water seems to be coming from behind the wall, and it looks like there was some work done by the previous owners as some patch work on the wall is visible. "
I am confused by these statements. Is there a leak from the p-trap underneath the sink or is there water leak inside the wall. If it's the later, than you may see water penetrating through the ceiling below. If there is a leak on the p-trap, it may need re-adjusting or replacement. Not a big deal can it's a simple DIY. Plenty of video out there if you search the web.
Post a picture if you can.
The leak seems to be inside the wall. I could see the moisture on the wall and the leaked water is running along the wall and settling below at the base of the cabinet. Hope this makes sense. There is no water/moisture directly under the sink (ceiling of the cabinet).
I'll try to post a picture later.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Electrician4you
A plumber should be able to handle the job. A GC won't even bother it's too small a job. You could also hire a good handyman which will be cheaper than a plumber
If it's just a P trap then you may just need to tighten the fittings but you said its behind the wall. Most likely a soldered fitting is leaking. Cut the drywall and have a look see if the water is coming behind the wall. You'll have to replace drywall if it's wet anyway
Great, that's good to know. I wasn't sure if it's reasonable to expect a plumber to cut and replace drywall without making the repairs obvious.
It is definitely not a P-trap. I looked at it first and was hoping that was the issue because I am somewhat comfortable working with a P-trap. This issue just seems a bit more complicated as I can't find the exact location and I keep thinking it's leaking behind the wall, which is outside of my comfort zone and want to have a professional look at it.
The leak seems to be inside the wall. I could see the moisture on the wall and the leaked water is running along the wall and settling below at the base of the cabinet. Hope this makes sense. There is no water/moisture directly under the sink (ceiling of the cabinet).
I'll try to post a picture later.
Great, that's good to know. I wasn't sure if it's reasonable to expect a plumber to cut and replace drywall without making the repairs obvious.
It is definitely not a P-trap. I looked at it first and was hoping that was the issue because I am somewhat comfortable working with a P-trap. This issue just seems a bit more complicated as I can't find the exact location and I keep thinking it's leaking behind the wall, which is outside of my comfort zone and want to have a professional look at it.
Thanks again for sharing the info!
As a rule most plumbers can repair drywall but they usually farm it out to a drywaller. They just include it all in the cost. Some exclude drywall but they usually know a drywaller they can refer. A good handyman can do the job from start to finish
A general contractor is one who usually arranges for the plumber, the carpenter, the dry wall, etc etc to do a job. You pay a premium for that service. A handy man can generally do it all and cheaper. A plumber is just going to do what he's licensed for, plumbing. He may refer you to a drywaller.
Update: had a plumber come out this morning to check the leak. Turns out that the leak was behind the wall, caused by an overtightened brass valve that had cracked. There were two small (yet strong) streams of water spouting out of the crack and hitting the back of the cabinet wall. I noticed the leak because excess water had found its way inside the cabinet.
The plumber applied a quick patch to slow down the streams of water, so the leak is now dripping straight down. He'll be replacing the valve tomorrow. Here's a short clip of the leakage: Water Leakage - YouTube
The pipes are actually going into the shower on the other side of the wall.
Next on the list: handyman. Eventful start to the new year
You should have an access panel installed so you can get to that valve. Doesn't do a whole lot of good inside the wall, and it's probably against code too.
What is the purpose of the valve? My initial reaction is eliminate it.
I would have expected the plumber to have what was needed to deal with the issue while there or at least stop the leak completely until he returns.
The drywall repair can wait until one is ready to do especially as it is out of sight plus I would want to be sure the problem is corrected before I seal it up.
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