26 July 2010

Kitchen Sink Drama

There is one thing I wish my husband and I DIDN'T have in common. We're both D-I-shY.

It would be useful if one of us was handy around the house, or better still keen on DIY.

Having said that, if something needs bodging, Andy's your man.

Exhibit A:



This, friends, is the underside of my kitchen sink. A fine bodge I'm sure you'll agree.

Even more impressive when you see this,

Exhibit B:


Yes, my sink is propped up by a bowl, a tin can (Napolina plum tomatoes, no less) and some free newspapers.

This bodge has been in place for two and a half years, since the unfortunate washing up incident. The one where I poured a bowl of dirty water into the sink and the bottom fell off the sink. The one where there was a flood and I cried. That was the day we bought a dishwasher.

As if that wasn't bad enough, the hot tap packed up last year so I am without hot water in the kitchen. It's okay, I can boil a kettle to wash up anything that doesn't go in the dishwasher. And let's face it, most things go in the dishwasher.

Then on Friday the cold tap started to feel unusual, I could tell it was heading the way if the hot tap. I freaked out. I must use that tap millions of times every day.

We Googled for solutions. 177,980 sites offered help with a dripping tap, but none - I REPEAT, NONE - dealt with the tap not producing any water at all. Thanks Google. Thanks for nothing.

We decided to bite the bullet and spend a little money - eek, moths etc. We decided to buy a new sink. We went to B&Q.

They had our sink, exactly the same one. But, as is the way with Sod's Law, it was a returned one, in a battered box. If I'm getting a new sink I want a shiny one, with the plastic still on.

So we picked up everything else that we (and our plumber) would need. We bought new taps, the plumbing bits for under the sink and lightbulbs, a new bedside lamp, more lightbulbs and some lining paper for the boys to paint on. B&Q isn't as bad as Ikea for going in for one thing and coming out with fifty things, but it is still a shop!

In fact we bought everything but the kitchen sink.

Then it dawned on us.

There's nothing wrong with our current sink, it's just everything attached to it that has failed, is failing or has perished. We don't need a new sink. Phew.

Now to find a reputable plumber before the cold tap packs up completely.




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9 comments:

  1. I always use DrainDoctor. I find them really reliable with clear pricing. I have called them out soooo many times!

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  2. Sandy, I know a really good and reliable plumber based in Euxton. I can find his number if you want it. He's not the cheapest but he's always done a good job for me and has yet to let me down. Let me know if you want his details.

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  3. Our last handyman died of a heroine overdose. Doesn't look like I am blessed with good DIY karma either...

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  4. A year without hot water in the kitchen? You must really hate DIY.

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  5. The Moiderer, thank you!

    Kate, yes please :-)

    Met Mum, Oh your poor handyman. I love the phrase DIY karma!

    Mwa, yes, we hate DIY and we hate spending money!!

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  6. Love this post because I totally relate to it. I personally think DIY is a
    man's job (in some things I think it's okay to ignore any rules of feminism), however, my OH hates DIY almost as much as me. We have a list of DIY chores and some are FIVE years old. Whenever I say I'll get someone in to do it, my OH insists he'll sort out whatever the problem is.

    I know I have a leaky bit under our kitchen sink, I'm burying my head in the sand and forgetting about it.

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  7. 21st Century Mummy, I'm glad it's not just us! Can you call a plumber in when your OH is out? Our plumber arrives tomorrow. I'll have working taps again :-)

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  8. Interesting info! I enjoy reading these types of posts.

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