Post #251,122
4/5/06 5:24:54 PM
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Ritchin fratchin frudgeity fack
Item the first: suspicious gurgling in the drains
Item the second: suspiciously mega-green-and-tall grass doin's around the septic tank cover
Item the third: suspiciously bodily-function-smellin' olfactory doin's around said cover
Item the fourth: unsuspicious septic tank pump guy disabused of his lack of suspicion
Result: "Call the department of public health. They will come out and inspect, and tell you exactly what you need to go get raped for." If we're lucky we can move the field to the back yard. If we're not, it's a complete excavation with trucked-in sand and two completely new tanks.
Before we bought the house, the previous owner (of the oh-so-loverly "fix it as cheaply as possible" persuasion) had gotten the septic field fixed with cross-cutting, which is at most a band-aid. Well, the good news is that the band-aid lasted almost a decade for us. The bad news is that the ebony-throated crap thrush has come home to roost.
This is the third year in a row that the house has been able to complete absorb our extra cash at the beginning of the year. Last year was the furnace; the year before the roof. My bet was on the basement seepage this year, but the septic won.
Gah.
Regards,
-scott anderson
"Welcome to Rivendell, Mr. Anderson..."
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Post #251,123
4/5/06 5:27:56 PM
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Maybe you should rename this the BLACKWater Cooler...
Sorry dude, that's a bummer.
--
Steve
[link|http://www.ubuntulinux.org|Ubuntu]
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Post #251,124
4/5/06 5:28:46 PM
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Poo happens :(
Two out of three people wonder where the other one is.
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Post #251,125
4/5/06 5:29:02 PM
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Re: Ritchin fratchin frudgeity fack
Ah, you'd only spend it on shite anyway.
Oh, wait...
Peter
[link|http://www.no2id.net/|Don't Let The Terrorists Win]
[link|http://www.kuro5hin.org|There is no K5 Cabal]
[link|http://guildenstern.dyndns.org|Home]
Use P2P for legitimate purposes!
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Post #251,129
4/5/06 5:45:16 PM
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I was about to complain about having to plunge the shower
I won't do that now. It would be unseemly.
===
Purveyor of Doc Hope's [link|http://DocHope.com|fresh-baked dog biscuits and pet treats].
[link|http://DocHope.com|http://DocHope.com]
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Post #251,132
4/5/06 6:16:30 PM
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If you can live with one turd bowl
[link|http://www.envirolet.com/enmulsys1011.html|http://www.envirolet...enmulsys1011.html] your grey water can be handled by your current system.
thanx,
bill
Any opinions expressed by me are mine alone, posted from my home computer, on my own time as a free american and do not reflect the opinions of any person or company that I have had professional relations with in the past 50 years. meep
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Post #251,149
4/5/06 8:04:50 PM
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$1650 for a crapper????
Gives new meaning to the word "Throne".
Stop looking at my signature!
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Post #251,153
4/5/06 9:12:24 PM
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waterless crapper, vs 10-15k for a septic tank
Any opinions expressed by me are mine alone, posted from my home computer, on my own time as a free american and do not reflect the opinions of any person or company that I have had professional relations with in the past 50 years. meep
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Post #251,157
4/5/06 9:19:21 PM
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Oh.
Well, that's a course of a different holler!
Stop looking at my signature!
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Post #251,178
4/6/06 3:47:55 AM
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Clivus Multrum
- along Box's lines.. [link|http://www.compostingtoilet.com/LITRACK/Articles/ebuild.htm| one of 565 hits]
A few years before his demise, my Norwegian friend Ben Teigland (who had been a sub- for three of the Great architects - Gropius, FL Wright, Henry Hill; I mean, Really) -- showed me some specs re above. [sliding shite - seems the closest translation]
While I didn't follow the progress in US / the inevitable vested interests battles indubitably to ensue, I thought the material he showed me made the case scientifically, and as a practical design: 20 years or so ago.
ie seconding Box's angle.
If/when either of my ancient tanks go to er, crap - I believe I'll move in this direction; enough years now that the approach has likely weathered the vociferous Reactionary contingent, in most locales (but, that's a WAG.)
Luck!
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Post #251,142
4/5/06 7:04:46 PM
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Bummer.
We had to replace the septic system on my in-laws place before we could sell it. It was in Massachusetts, so there were several [link|http://www.marealtor.com/content/title_5.asp|regulations] that came into play.
Make sure to get several estimates. I think the variation was between $12k and $20k for theirs (4 bedrooms, 3 baths). :-(
Best of luck!
Cheers,
Scott.
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Post #251,148
4/5/06 8:03:05 PM
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Oh man...that stinks!
If you push something hard enough, it will fall over. Fudd's First Law of Opposition
[link|mailto:bepatient@aol.com|BePatient]
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Post #251,162
4/5/06 10:21:26 PM
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Holy sh.., Batman!
Septic systems are a thing I plan to stay away from forevermore.
I can still remember having a houseful of company one Christmas in upstate NY. The the downstairs john started to back up. I had to go dig up the snow and then locate the cover with a steel rod and then dig up the dirt to get to the cover. It helps to remember the grass is greenest over the septic tank. Fortunately, the problem was a soap build-up around the "baffle" that was causing the constriction. The coup de gr\ufffdce had been a diaper someone let loose in the process of rinsing it off in a toilet. In those days, ~1966, reusable cloth diapers were used. That blockage was something I was able to clear up. But, not a fun job any time of year.
Alex
When fascism comes to America, it'll be wrapped in a flag and carrying a cross. -- Sinclair Lewis
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Post #251,226
4/6/06 4:09:37 PM
4/10/06 8:28:31 AM
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"Plan to stay away from" what, mr WinnebagoingAroundAmerica?
Is that just a whole lotta nothing in the floor of your RV, then...?
[Edit: Added words I forgot first time around. [Whistles innocently.]]
:-)
Edited by CRConrad
April 10, 2006, 08:28:31 AM EDT
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Post #251,227
4/6/06 4:13:58 PM
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you havnt watched "meet the fokkers?"
Any opinions expressed by me are mine alone, posted from my home computer, on my own time as a free american and do not reflect the opinions of any person or company that I have had professional relations with in the past 50 years. meep
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Post #251,228
4/6/06 4:24:01 PM
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Also Randy Quaid emptying tenement on wheels -Xmas Vacation
Stop looking at my signature!
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Post #251,233
4/6/06 5:57:50 PM
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Sure I have, but what's that gotta do with anything?
No, waitaminnit, maybe I haven't... Is that the newer one; where Crazy CIA Dad et al get to met the other set of in-laws-to-be? Haven't seen that one yet -- but who cares; there were enough (and more than enough) "hilarious shenanigans" where the septic tank played a prominent part(*) in the first one.
Anyway, since it seems you missed my point (humble as it was), I'll spell it out forya:
Alex said he's gonna "stay away from" septic-tank systems.
OTOH, it is well-known here that Alex enjoys driving around America in his RV.
(For an example, wasn't that what he was driving when you met him and mrs Alex?)
The hygienic facilities in RVs are usually based on... You guessed it, a septic tank built into the vehicle.
But, do you really think Alex is going to give up his RV? Naaah! :-)
So he *can't* really be going to "stay away from" septic-tank systems.
So I was ribbing him a little, for saying stuff he can't live up to.
Which has approximately fuck-all to do with *any* film featuring Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro, AFAICS.
*Now* didyageddit?
(*): A bit *too* prominent a part for most people over the age of, say, twelve or so.
[link|mailto:MyUserId@MyISP.CountryCode|Christian R. Conrad]
(I live in Finland, and my e-mail in-box is at the Saunalahti company.)
Yes Mr. Garrison, genetic engineering lets us correct God's horrible, horrible mistakes, like German people. - [link|http://maxpages.com/southpark2k/Episode_105|Mr. Hat]
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Post #251,240
4/6/06 6:24:51 PM
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The suffering continues!
-- [link|mailto:greg@gregfolkert.net|greg], [link|http://www.iwethey.org/ed_curry|REMEMBER ED CURRY!] @ iwetheyFreedom is not FREE. Yeah, but 10s of Trillions of US Dollars? SELECT * FROM scog WHERE ethics > 0;
0 rows returned.
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Post #251,245
4/6/06 6:46:11 PM
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yabbut :-)
the point of the movie reference was like Alex the CIA dad did not want to fix/empty septic tanks. So no dumping! Oh yeah, did you fix the spelling of hole yet? /me dux
thanx,
bill
Any opinions expressed by me are mine alone, posted from my home computer, on my own time as a free american and do not reflect the opinions of any person or company that I have had professional relations with in the past 50 years. meep
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Post #251,514
4/10/06 8:32:54 AM
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Whaddayamean, "fix the spelling"???
That's EXACTLY how the word "whole" is SUPPOSED to be spelt! Don't you know even *that* much spelling?
Seems I'd forgotten to add a coupla words just after that one, though...
So thanks for making me look at it again!
[Whistles innocently.]
[link|mailto:MyUserId@MyISP.CountryCode|Christian R. Conrad]
(I live in Finland, and my e-mail in-box is at the Saunalahti company.)
Yes Mr. Garrison, genetic engineering lets us correct God's horrible, horrible mistakes, like German people. - [link|http://maxpages.com/southpark2k/Episode_105|Mr. Hat]
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Post #251,239
4/6/06 6:23:19 PM
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Please no suffering.
-- [link|mailto:greg@gregfolkert.net|greg], [link|http://www.iwethey.org/ed_curry|REMEMBER ED CURRY!] @ iwetheyFreedom is not FREE. Yeah, but 10s of Trillions of US Dollars? SELECT * FROM scog WHERE ethics > 0;
0 rows returned.
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Post #251,241
4/6/06 6:28:54 PM
4/10/06 8:31:33 AM
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What's that in your pants?
You wanna change history? Back atchya!
===
Purveyor of Doc Hope's [link|http://DocHope.com|fresh-baked dog biscuits and pet treats].
[link|http://DocHope.com|http://DocHope.com]
Edited by drewk
April 10, 2006, 08:31:33 AM EDT
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Post #251,513
4/10/06 8:29:17 AM
4/10/06 9:01:58 AM
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Lotta nothing. You, OTOH, try Depends! HTH!
Edited by CRConrad
April 10, 2006, 09:01:58 AM EDT
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Post #251,250
4/6/06 8:35:27 PM
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Yes, but not quite the same.
It's a "holding tank" until it get dumped into proper sewage system. Actually two holding tanks, one gray and one black. The sinks and shower feed the gray and the toilet the black.
Alex
When fascism comes to America, it'll be wrapped in a flag and carrying a cross. -- Sinclair Lewis
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Post #251,515
4/10/06 9:00:48 AM
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So what, exactly, is (are) the tank(s) Scott (and mssrs..
...De Niro and Stiller) is (are) having problems with, then?
The stuff can't be supposed to sit in that tank for ever either, can it? (What would you do when it gets full; buy another one just like it and bury it next to the old one...?) Naah, AFAIK, the guys with the big suction hose come and slurp it up into their tank every now and then. (Wasn't it them that[*] Crazy CIA Dad [De Niro] spent most of the second half of the first movie frantically calling for?)
Peridocal emptying... JUST like the tank(s) on your RV.
[*]: Originally, I had written "Weren't they whom...", and while I still think that's not actually gramatically *wrong*, it doesn't look quite right either.
[link|mailto:MyUserId@MyISP.CountryCode|Christian R. Conrad]
(I live in Finland, and my e-mail in-box is at the Saunalahti company.)
Yes Mr. Garrison, genetic engineering lets us correct God's horrible, horrible mistakes, like German people. - [link|http://maxpages.com/southpark2k/Episode_105|Mr. Hat]
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Post #251,602
4/10/06 3:24:19 PM
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That goofy guy on Red Green :-)
Stop looking at my signature!
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Post #251,632
4/10/06 6:35:25 PM
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What's wrong with "they who.." ?
As in "was it not [they who]"
Intransitive 'to be'
(which constructs, I tend to check by reversing the order; if it still scans sans awkwardity-like-This-word, s'OK..)
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Post #251,721
4/11/06 9:44:56 AM
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Was De Niro calling they, or calling them?
Would you be calling he, or calling him?
That's what's wrong with they; they're not the subject, but the object of the action.
[link|mailto:MyUserId@MyISP.CountryCode|Christian R. Conrad]
(I live in Finland, and my e-mail in-box is at the Saunalahti company.)
Yes Mr. Garrison, genetic engineering lets us correct God's horrible, horrible mistakes, like German people. - [link|http://maxpages.com/southpark2k/Episode_105|Mr. Hat]
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Post #251,788
4/11/06 3:40:59 PM
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Re: Was De Niro calling they, or calling them?
In the romance languages, say Spanish with estar and ser - the intransitive nature is rendered clearer. In the US, especially now, with deterioration across the board.. there are far more egregious daily screwups (\ufffd l\ufffd 'me and him went to a ') which murder any idea of the er, mellifluous.
'Weren't they [those] whom..' works, technically. I suppose. The elided [those] has to be insertted by the listener. Awkward, that.
I think the phrase, 'they who blah blah', behaving somewhat as an object while-referring-to-a subject (!) scans better; and what "scans better" is oft lost in that kind of analysis as tends towards the turgid. Y'know?
I who be.
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Post #251,663
4/10/06 9:17:40 PM
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Septic systems.
[link|http://www.inspect-ny.com/septbook.htm|Here] is link with a diagram.
[link|http://www.inspect-ny.com/septic/lockwood.htm|Here] is link with some verbiage.
Basically, there is a lot of decomposition that occurs in the septic tank and then the effluent put out into the environment (the leach field). The solids that do not decompose go into the sludge that settles on the bottom. It is this sludge that is pumped out every few years.
Only a little of the decomposition occurs in a holding tank of an RV (or a boat that has one) before it is "dumped".
Alex
When fascism comes to America, it'll be wrapped in a flag and carrying a cross. -- Sinclair Lewis
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Post #251,719
4/11/06 9:42:01 AM
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Ah, I see. I had the English expression all wrong, then.
I thought it meant a closed system, a holding tank that needs to be entirely emptied of all you put into it (rather more often than every few years, unless it were gigantic), just like in your RV.
AFAICR, the kind your usage refers to have some longer name (with "decomposing" or "composting" or some such term in it) in Swedish, which set me off on the wrong track.
Oh well, live and learn.
[link|mailto:MyUserId@MyISP.CountryCode|Christian R. Conrad]
(I live in Finland, and my e-mail in-box is at the Saunalahti company.)
Yes Mr. Garrison, genetic engineering lets us correct God's horrible, horrible mistakes, like German people. - [link|http://maxpages.com/southpark2k/Episode_105|Mr. Hat]
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Post #251,167
4/5/06 11:11:43 PM
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Been there, done that
It sucked.
On the other hand, was far cheaper than your issue.
[link|http://z.iwethey.org/forums/render/content/show?contentid=84791|http://z.iwethey.org...w?contentid=84791]
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Post #251,169
4/5/06 11:19:37 PM
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My condolences
What a crappy thing to happen.
Man, are we all predictable or what?
-----------------------------------------
Impeach Bush. Impeach Cheney. Do it now.
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Post #251,214
4/6/06 1:54:32 PM
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Bum. Mer.
Pun sorta intended...
Bad news, Scott. I echo the sentiment earlier: get several estimates.
jb4
"Every Repbulican who wants to defend Bush on [the expansion of Presidential powers], should be forced to say, 'I wouldn't hesitate to see President Hillary Rodham Clinton have the same authority'."
&mdash an unidentified letter writer to Newsweek on the expansion of executive powers under the Bush administration
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Post #251,215
4/6/06 1:54:49 PM
4/6/06 1:56:23 PM
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It wasn't that good that it needed to be repeated...
(Damn fumblefingered...mumble...sputter...tourist!)
jb4
"Every Repbulican who wants to defend Bush on [the expansion of Presidential powers], should be forced to say, 'I wouldn't hesitate to see President Hillary Rodham Clinton have the same authority'."
&mdash an unidentified letter writer to Newsweek on the expansion of executive powers under the Bush administration
Edited by jb4
April 6, 2006, 01:56:23 PM EDT
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Post #251,237
4/6/06 6:08:44 PM
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ICLRPD (new thread)
Created as new thread #251236 titled [link|/forums/render/content/show?contentid=251236|ICLRPD]
lincoln
"Chicago to my mind was the only place to be. ... I above all liked the city because it was filled with people all a-bustle, and the clatter of hooves and carriages, and with delivery wagons and drays and peddlers and the boom and clank of freight trains. And when those black clouds came sailing in from the west, pouring thunderstorms upon us so that you couldn't hear the cries or curses of humankind, I liked that best of all. Chicago could stand up to the worst God had to offer. I understood why it was built--a place for trade, of course, with railroads and ships and so on, but mostly to give all of us a magnitude of defiance that is not provided by one house on the plains. And the plains is where those storms come from." -- E.L. Doctorow
Never apply a Star Trek solution to a Babylon 5 problem.
I am not merely a "consumer" or a "taxpayer". I am a Citizen of the United States.
[link|mailto:bconnors@ev1.net|contact me]
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Post #254,296
5/3/06 3:22:13 PM
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Got what was probably the final estimate in
Called 8 firms, 4 have responded with estimates so far.
Range is $5600 for the guy who helpfully listed the sludge disposal as an unspecified "extra charge" (according to the other firms, that's about half the cost of the job. Nice try, though.), to $10,800 for an honest full job.
The winner is probably going to be the guy who came in at $10,500, but *including* a foot of top-soil, raking, seeding, and mulching. He's also the only one who noticed that the permit was wrong (it specifies 14' instead of the 16' that is actually required for 3 drains), and he was the only one who took the initiative of calling Miss Dig for us (they map out water lines, gas lines, etc with flags for free). No money down, too: I don't pay unless I'm happy. That goes a long way in my book.
Regards,
-scott anderson
"Welcome to Rivendell, Mr. Anderson..."
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Post #254,297
5/3/06 3:37:52 PM
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a tad spendy, but...
...if you don't pay unless happy that goes a long way.
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Post #254,298
5/3/06 3:42:06 PM
5/3/06 3:44:00 PM
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Sounds like being forced to sewers was a good deal.
Of course, being a champion procrastinator I waited until the last moment. The county, figuring I couldn't possibly be on time, started proceedings against me.
Being a cost estimator by trade (though in a different industry) I had an idea what it should cost. Local contractors bid about twice that and couldn't get the job done in time.
Found a Mexican contractor who came in right on budget, filed the permits, started the next day finished with a day to spare and filed the completion papers.
It was amazing to watch and easy to see how he could meet the price. He had exactly the right number and kind of workers and equipment arriving exactly on time. They worked hard and the moment they weren't needed they were gone to another job and the next group was in (all Mexican crew, of course).
A scheduling genius he was, but he did chase his backhoe operator off to do odd jobs for a while so he could run the backhoe, apparently he really digs riding that thing.
[link|http://www.aaxnet.com|AAx]
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Post #254,301
5/3/06 3:47:03 PM
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We didn't have the option.
Sewer main ends about 200 feet from our lot.
I've been told, however, that even replacing a septic system is cheaper in the long run than ongoing sewage disposal costs.
Regards,
-scott anderson
"Welcome to Rivendell, Mr. Anderson..."
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Post #254,299
5/3/06 3:42:39 PM
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Oi vey!
That's painful.
But, I'm sure you picked a guy who knows what he's doing.
My daughter and son-in-law have a similar system and pay for an annual inspection to make sure nothing goes awry.
Alex
When fascism comes to America, it'll be wrapped in a flag and carrying a cross. -- Sinclair Lewis
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Post #254,302
5/3/06 3:48:24 PM
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Yes, I regret not doing that.
Although the system was on its last legs when we bought the house, and we knew that. It had been cross-cut (a band-aid fix) a few years before. We didn't expect to get this many years out of it, frankly.
Out of sight, out of mind. This time I'll be getting it looked at regularly.
Regards,
-scott anderson
"Welcome to Rivendell, Mr. Anderson..."
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Post #254,333
5/3/06 7:22:46 PM
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ouch but sounds like the right guy
Any opinions expressed by me are mine alone, posted from my home computer, on my own time as a free american and do not reflect the opinions of any person or company that I have had professional relations with in the past 50 years. meep
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