e-pipe / ace duraflo ... feedback?
hi... we've a slab leak that's soaking our yard... not so much that the water bill is sky high, but it's creating quite a bog on one side of the house... of course, there's always the idea of digging a sump and re-diverting the water, but we really need to fix the leak...
we've IDed the leak to be in a place where we can't re-route plumbing to fix... essentially in one of the supply lines, but since all the pipes are buried in the slab, it's hard to tell where and not sure we want to jackhammer up the floors (and disturb the radiant heat) to find out.
so, the best option seems to be the e-pipe option of lining the pipes with a thin layer of epoxy... it's not cheap at several thousand dollars... but seems to be one of the only options.
any feedback?
the local vendor (campbell, ca.) is all pipe restoration. CA lic# 899259
some things that concern me:
-- the local vendor is asking for a cash payment (and can give me a lower price because of it).
-- the fella (who's really nice) seems to answer on his cellphone as opposed to a front office type situation...
... essentially a few red-flags...
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edit: 06/01/09... we had ACE/all-pipe out several months ago and they did a fantastic job -- my worries were unfounded. i'd highly recommend them: http://redneckmodern.typepad.com/redneckmodern/2009/03/epipe.html
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I think as long as you have a proper contract and the contractor is backed by a surety bond to make sure that the work is properly performed, you should be ok. Even better if they have a warranty for their work. Remember to have a retainage (of final payment) to make sure that they complete their work. This should also be written somewhere in your contract. I have hired contractors in the past that have turned out to be duds and the retainage and surety bond have both helped to protect my rights on the project. On the flip side, if the contractor completes the work to your satisfaction and isn't paid, they have the right to put a lien on your property (after a certain period of time after the work is completed and they have given you notice)...It's a California mechanic's lien law.
thanks, surf: when we met them, i got a good feeling, but i'm often more trusting of the "corporate" solutions... thus the questions...
good, news, though (of sorts)... we've isolated the leak to be a radiant heat leak, no potable water, which should be easier to deal with (i.e.: turning off the room if nothing else)...
that said, if we *did* have potable water leaks, i'd definitely suggest folks check out the e-pipe option... expensive, but not as expensive as rerouting plumbing all over the house...
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edit: 06/01/09... we had ACE/all-pipe out several months ago (we had a different potable leak)and they did a fantastic job: http://redneckmodern.typepad.com/redneckmodern/2009/03/epipe.html
