This was a total gut job, and the plan did not call for sticking to the original footprint of the bathroom.

The bathroom remodel in progress, after demolition

The biggest change we made was installing a new shower stall that is almost twice as big as the original shower. The wall behind the shower had to be knocked down, and a new one was built further back so there was enough room. The sink and toilet also had to be moved to make room for the new shower, and we added a new laundry connection for the washer and dryer.

John running new pipe under the floor

The new location of the toilet

The average bathroom remodel of this size takes between 10 and 14 days. This can be a pretty intimidating job from the homeowner’s perspective, but C.J. Plumbing specializes in bathroom remodeling.

Related Post: Who’s responsible for the permits?

We have a team of trusted contractors who we work with on a regular basis to make sure your job can be completed on time and on budget, with minimal disruption in your home. That means you don’t need to worry about finding your own builder or your own electrician. We will bring everyone together.

View of the new sink and shower from the hallway

On this particular job, we worked with Vital Home Improvements and RJL Electrical Systems, both based in East Bridgewater.

View of the new sink and toilet

I learned about this situation through Christopher Hawthorne, a representative I know from TGA Cross Insurance.  Recently, Chris’ co-worker Paul took part in a 3 day walk to raise awareness for breast cancer.

Paul roomed with a man from California who had traveled to Massachusetts to participate. They became good friends right away. During the walk, they saw a little girl holding a sign encouraging walkers. Paul’s group was moved by the youngster, and one of them snapped a picture of her. She became known to them as “The Girl on Belmont Hill.”

The Girl on Belmont Hill

During subsequent walks, Paul’s new friend from California began wearing this picture on his back to encourage others and himself to keep on walking.

In a remarkable example of how small this world is, someone actually recognized the little girl’s face, and shared her story with Paul’s friend.

It turns out “The Girl on Belmont Hill” is named Zoie. Her mother, from Weymouth, died from breast cancer last year, and Zoie and her 13-year-old sister moved in with their 25-year-old sister, who was struggling to get by herself.

The family lived in a home with poor plumbing, leaking pipes, and no heat. Soon, this family friend was on the phone with Paul telling him about the situation.

Paul and Chris reached out the Plumbing, Heating, and Cooling Contractors Association of MA. PHCC is the official trade association for our industry. According to Chris, PHCC of MA Executive Director Tom Theroux and Boston PHCC Director Hugh Kelleher sent out the call for help. A group of plumbers jumped in to install a new furnace before the dangerously cold weather arrived. Other contractors have stopped by the house to drop off basic necessities as well as gifts.

Meanwhile, my friends at TGA Cross have started to collect donations to help this family start 2012 off on the right foot. Their goal is $5,000 and as of this time, they have raised $3,350. If you’d like to make a donation, please visit www.wepay.com/donations/Loris_Memorial_Love_Fund.

And remember, as 2012 gets underway, take a minute to make a donation or support a cause you feel passionate about.

Happy New Year.

Service you water heater every year to maximize the life of the unit.

This is sometimes caused by a build-up of sediment on the glass liner of the tank. Over time, sediment from the water settles to the bottom, collecting on the glass. During the course of a year, so much sediment gathers that the fire has to burn hotter and hotter to heat the water.

Related Video: How old is my water heater?

Not only does this cause your water heater to become less efficient (which means you are spending more to operate it) but eventually, the fire will burn so hot it will cause the glass to pop. That means an expensive replacement!

In order to prevent this from happening, you should have the water heater in your home serviced once a year. Your plumber will inspect the unit for any problems, and flush out the tank to remove all of the sediment. The best part: this is done at a fraction of the cost of replacing the unit, and will help to maximize the life of the unit.

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If the seams are not covered, water and moisture can seap/leak behind. Over a short period of time, this can create mold, which is a serious health risk. Over a long period of time, the surrounding structure can even deteriorate. Both of these problems can be expensive to repair.

I’m not going to say there is a “proper technique” for caulking, but don’t just use the metal gun you can buy at the hardware store. Make sure you use your fingers, too. This will ensure there are no air bubbles, and that the entire seam is sealed.

Just like so many other things, attention to tiny details can make all the difference in the world.

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On the Job: A Broken Water Main
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An automatic water feeder valve will ensure you always have heat with your steam boiler

One reason you may not have heat when you want or need it is because the water level has dropped too low and it is not able to produce any steam.

Our Services: We are boiler experts

One way to keep this from happening is to install an automatic water feeder valve.

The automatic water feeder valve will regulate the water level in your steam boiler

The water feeder valve will regulate the water level in your steam boiler so that it remains at a constant level, never getting so low it can not properly function!

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Video: How old is my water heater?
On the Job: A new shower valve

A new boiler results in minimal waste

This unit was running at 84% efficiency. That means 16 cents out of every dollar spent on the heating bill was a complete waste.

However, the new unit, pictured below, is an impressive 96% efficient. That’s about as good as you can get. It looks a lot different too. That’s because of advances in technology.

The new boiler

There is more good news, too. Because the unit is so efficient, the customer is eligible for green energy tax rebates and credits which will lower the overall cost of the installation.

New zone controls for the boiler

A good boiler will usually last about 15 to 20 years. In order to make sure it continues to run at maximum efficiency for as long as possible, you should have the boiler in your home serviced every year.

This hot water tank works in concert with the new boiler, and sits in the same spot as the original unit.

At C.J. Plumbing, we are boiler specialists.  We’ve been installing steam and hot water boilers for more than 25 years.

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We hired a tree removal service to tackle an ongoing problem at our shop. Over the weekend, we had a large, but very sick tree, removed. It’s always unfortunate when you have to chop down a tree of that size, but it had become a matter of safety. Click to view slideshow.

We believe you should practice what you preach. So, instead of trying to take this tree down ourselves, which, with a lot of courage and a little bit of luck we probably could have — we decided to hire professionals who are trained and insured.

Down the road, you can be sure we will plant a new tree (in a better spot!) to replace this one.

There are many reasons to install a new toilet. Typically, the original toilet is either inefficient, no longer functional, or simply stained from years of hard water or neglect.

Installing a new toilet is a great way to add value to your home

What most people don’t realize is that installing a new toilet can be a great way to save money if you live in an older home.

Older toilets use significantly more water. Through improvements in design and efficiency, toilets that once required 5 gallons of water per flush soon needed only 3 gallons of water per flush. Now, those same toilets need just 1.6 gallons of water per flush. Over the course of a year, that adds up to significant savings on your water and sewer/septic bills.

Also, if you are planning to put your home on the market, you should consider replacing the toilet if it shows signs of age. Over time, many will develop stains from the water in our area. This can be unattractive to buyers, who may think it was not properly cared for.

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On the Job: Boiler repair

This week, we received an emergency call from a customer who had the main water line that runs between their well and their house break. They were still getting water to the house, but the break in the pipe had caused part of their yard to flood. With the ground saturated, the water had also started running into their basement.

We immediately advised them to shut the water main valve in the house, and to shut down the pump for the well. When something like this happens, some people become panicked and forget to shut off their well pump. That means the well will continue to pump water into the line, causing it to spray out of the broken part of the pipe.

The main issue this job presented for us was the location of the broken water pipe.

We are used to dealing with pipes that are in walls, in ceilings, and beneath floors! But, this pipe was located about 7 feet underground. We could have rented an excavator ourselves, but we aren’t trained to work a piece of machinery like that. One wrong move with the joystick, and the customer would have a serious issue with their foundation!

So, we hired S&V Excavation out of East Bridgewater. These guys are real pros! They were on site in no time, and were able to dig right down to the pipe without causing any damage to it. Watch how precise the operator is as he digs next to the foundation:

Once we opened up the trench, which was about seven feet deep, we reinforced the walls. It’s important to remember that anytime you have a trench that is more than four feet you need to make sure the walls are reinforced to avoid a cave in. Once we got a look at the pipe, we found the hole then ran a new section of pipe from just before the leak, through the foundation and into the basement.

We tested the pipe to make sure the leak was fixed for good, then we let the excavator operator fill in the hole. We reopened the water main valve, and turned the pump back on.

It was a big job for the homeowner, but one that had to be done. No one ever thinks they will wake up to something like this, so we did our best to get in and out ASAP, so this family could return to their normal routine!

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On the Job: The cost of a leaky toilet
On the Job: Working at East Bridgewater High School