Looking on the bright side...

So, I'm trying to look on the bright side of things here. Our home inspection revealed a cracked sewer pipe. (Yup, oh shit). These things are just a tad expensive to fix. Bryn's preschool is closed this week.

So....looking on the bright side....having three guys in the backyard digging big holes and throwing dirt around is incredibly entertaining to a 3 year old. I think she might just watch them all day. Even better because it is raining and there is no way we are going outside to play today.

Not so bright side is keeping the newly diabetic dog who has to pee every 20 minutes in the house or out of the mud. Oh, and having to pay for it.

[Sheherezade]

Oh Nellie....That's depressing about the pipe, but at least the house is still sold, right? When we sold our house in Baltimore it seemed like our profit margin got eaten into by a bunch of little nibbles---something here, there etc. Maybe this will be your only bite--- It's great that your trying to be cheerful! It does sound entertaining for a 3 year old....maybe even a 30 something year old, if you get a cup of tea and forget about the bill....

Angie

[mommax3]

if you get a cup of tea and forget about the bill....

It would take me more than a cup of tea.....maybe a glass of wine or two or three! Heck, by that point I'd be out there playing in the mud with the workmen!

Sally

Well, now the line is bad to the alley. (Or so these guys say, we may need a 2nd opinion).
Good news is that the city inspector is going to let the do a "pull" or something like that. They blast out the old line and slide in a new pipe. That means we won't have to cut down the tree or take out the back wall. Usually the city only lets you do this if the line goes under the garage.

I think I would need heavy sedation to forget about this right now. We are easily talking $5K at this point. Yes, the house is still under contract. Yesterday the buyer accepted our inspection counter-offer. Phew. The only other thing we have to fix is a cracked rafter in the roof (only $250). For you other home sellers out there -- be sure that all the fixes are VERY carefully and exactly worded. We almost signed saying we would replace (rather than repair) the cracked rafter. Replacing would have cost 10x as much. 8O

Our backyard is going to be such a mess where they have already dug. Yikes! Good thing eric didn't put in new sod before listing.

[Sheherezade]

5K!!! Oh dear. Can you get anything covered by your home insurance? My daughter's preschool had a major plumbing redo this year (in and out of the building) --it's a home based center--and the teacher/owner ultimately got it covered by insurance. Any hope there or are you taking the cost out of proceeds from sale? You seemed so calm in your original post. I'll contribute a bottle of wine if you need sedation.....

Angie

[PrincessFiona]

Heck, by that point I'd be out there playing in the mud with the workmen!

I like your style, Sally...even if you do support Bush hehehe

Nellie,

I am Soooooo sorry that this is causing such a stink...errr...I mean....well, I'm so sorry that this crap is....I mean....I hope this gets sorted out really soon

kris

[PrincessFiona]

Angie,

I could use some sedation...how far away do you live?

kris

Nope, not covered by homeowner's insurance. You have to buy a special rider to the policy for that.
When I originally posted, the estimate to fix one crack and put in 10' of pipe was $1,250. Now it could be anything -- $5K is probably a low guess.

But the fact that the city inspector is letting us do this pull thing is huge. Keeps the yard and landscaping more or less intact (just one big hole at one end of the pipe), keeps the 50' tree, and keeps the brick back wall in place. If they had to dig up everything for the pipe, we would be replacing landscaping, cutting down a huge tree, and re-fencing the back yard.

Ugh.

[Michele]

Ugh.

And a diabetic dog on top of it all? I feel for you.