36 TECHNICAL
Part of the process is the meticulous completion of time sheets , the signing-off of the job card and a client satisfaction report . In the case of longer jobs , a daily progress report is completed and signed off by the client .
For the first call , the ARM team went to replace a burst geyser and found something rather unusual . “ An extension wire controlling the property ’ s access gate motor was attached to the geyser ’ s thermostat . This was a previous job which had been done at the request of the homeowner . While installing the new geyser we disconnected the wire for the gate motor to make it compliant .” Later that day the client phoned to say they could not enter their driveway and wanted the connection reinstalled . “ We had to explain that we could not do so as it would not be compliant , and the insurer requires a CoC .”
In the second job , a home in Sunninghill was being renovated , which included a new bathroom interior . The owner ’ s private builder had already done the tiling and placing of a standalone bath , as well as basin , shower , and toilet – but the water still needed to be connected as the builder ’ s attempt had been faulty . The ARM team were there to give a quote . To determine the extent of the problems required considerable inspection as the pipes were already installed behind tiling and in the floor .
We were met in the estate by owner and landlord Natalie Williams , who explains that the water inlet had incorrectly been connected to the overflow outlet . Until final fitting , the bath was standing on stilts on the ground . The quote would require two options : option one was to cut the base of the bath so as to position the 50mm inlet pipe , but whether there was space for the pipe to work could only be determined , says Mpontshane , once the cut was made . If this proved unfeasible , option two ( less attractive ) was to break some of the floor tiles beneath the standalone bath to fit the pipe behind the tiles . Once complete , the wastewater connection had to be rerouted , a hand shower connector and rail was to be attached and a shower door installed , as well as the installation of a number of other bathroom accessories such as toilet roll holder , basin connection , mirror and window blinds – all material to be supplied by client . The quote was delivered the following day .
In a third job , ARM was called out to fix an apparent burst pipe at a house where the homeowner was complaining of a smell in the bath . “ But it wasn ’ t a burst pipe . We opened out the drain area and found that what was apparently a leak was in fact the waste pipe from the bath . We identified that there was a problem with the waste pipe and trap – with age it had rusted and perished . So , we opened a hole in the wall of the servant ’ s quarters round the back of the house and removed the old pipe to install a new waste pipe and trap ,” says Swanepoel . PA
“ An extension wire controlling the property ’ s access gate motor was attached to the geyser ’ s thermostat .”
November 2020 Volume 26 I Number 09