Tried to save $50 fixing a leaky pipe myself, ended up paying $300 for a plumber Sunday

I thought I could just tighten a compression fitting under the kitchen sink last Saturday. Water sprayed everywhere and I had to call an emergency guy at 3x the normal rate. Has anyone else learned this lesson the hard way?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_julia16d ago

Last Christmas I tried to swap out a toilet fill valve myself and the whole thing cracked when I tightened it. Flooded the bathroom floor and had to call a guy who charged me $250 just to show up on a holiday. Now I just watch YouTube to figure out if it's an easy fix or if I'm about to make things way worse.

gibson.oliver16d ago

Jumped right into that same trap myself a few months ago, @the_julia. Thought I could swap out a garbage disposal with a simple youtube video and ended up breaking the drain pipe off in the wall. Spent my whole Saturday mopping up water and calling around to find someone who'd come out same day. Wound up costing me about $350 and a lot of pride. Now I've got a hard rule if it involves water and I haven't done it before I'm calling a pro from the start.