How a Plumber made me realize Just How Lucky I Am

Ever ask for a plumber when in need?  Well I recently did and believe me, plumbers come with a lower reputation than lawyers.  Every response included how expensive they were.  I had several people tell me they knew plumbers but they didn’t like them.  I narrowed down my search to two possibilities.  The first one I called had just received stitches in his hand the day before so he was out.  Onto plumber number two which came highly recommended, was very detailed, loved to talk, pricey but good.  Never having to hire a plumber, I had no idea what I was getting into but took the leap. At least I knew the situation going into this one.

We had a cracked pipe behind our dishwasher and had no kitchen sink for over a week so I was anxious to get this taken care of.  It’s crazy how a lack of a kitchen sink can change your life but it does.  You cook differently, you eat off of paper plates and you hope not to accumulate too many dishes that need to be washed via tubs in the bathtub where the hot water is plentiful.

 

The plumber arrived and like promised he was detailed and personable.  While he was there I had him work on a toilet I have not been able to get right for over 6 months but had been working properly for a few years prior.  I grew up in a home where my father fixed or thought he knew how to fix anything.  Some of those genes passed on to me.  I have done my share of home repairs over the years having some of that “I can fix anything” blood in me.  As promised, the plumber made some kind of remark about my prior plumbing fixes, talked my ear off, was very likeable and very expensive.  I bit my cheek, wrote out the check and thanked him for helping me.  Later on that night, I realized just how grateful I was to have a kitchen sink that was fully functioning without dumping water into the walls and out our foundation.  In addition, I had a toilet that flushed the first time instead of deciding if it was going to work properly or not.  It was the kind of toilet that a family could live with but we would cringe at the thought of company having issues when they visited.  Those worries are now over.
 

Pricey yes.  Did it put a dent in our pocketbook?  Yes, but after thinking about it a long time, I realized how resourceful I can be and all the money I have been able to save over the 21 years of home ownership.  In a way, that was what made the bill a bit harder to swallow.  Looking back, I realized that I am worth my weight in gold for all the times I chose to figure out how to fix something instead of calling an electrician, a plumber or a carpenter.

This job was one that needed to be done and done right.  After all, the pipe is inside the wall and it’s not pleasant to have to open up and close walls to fix things.  In a few days, the wall will be dried completely, I will have weather proofed the wall and replenished the wet collapsed insulation.  The wall will be restored and the dishwasher back (with the help of a family member). 

I choose to look at this experience as one that gives me an appreciation for people who know their expertise and fix things right for years and years to come.  I have total confidence that I will not have a cracked pipe again anytime soon.  I realize I am price sensitive to the plumber charges because I am out of touch with having to use someone outside of myself and a few close relatives to get various home repairs done.  What I do know is that I am very proud to say that even though it may take me a bit longer than an expert to get something fixed, I am more appreciative of my upbringing and the skills I learned as a child growing up and not having to be so quick to be dependent on others.  So instead of looking back on this time when my check balance is less than I would like, I will look at it as a reminder of how valuable I am to our family and the pride that comes along with it.