August 23, 2009

  • Hell’s Kitchen


    Here’s an update from my last post:  The plumber determined that the muddy Niagara Falls in my kitchen was caused by 2 things.  Namely, the drainage pipes under my unit in the garage, were sloping upward rather that downward.  Since I live in the bottom unit and have 2 condominiums above me, this was not a good situation.  Secondly it appears that someone above me put a whole head of cabbage down their garbage disposal.  With the pipes sloped incorrectly, that was the last straw.  The good news:  no charge to me!  The bad news, my floors are soaked and I have a huge mess to clean up.  It looks like I’m going to be fighting with my Homeowner’s Association too.  They’re actually suggesting that if I did not have hardwood floors in my kitchen this wouldn’t be a problem.  LOL.  I told that to the former owner (who installed the hardwood floors) and we had a good chuckle! 


    You can kind of see the black sludge shooting out of the pipe. (Click for larger view)


    Salad anyone?


    No charge to homeowner!

    Now the Homeowner’s Association just needs to do the right thing!  They have yet to answer the last email:

    Gmail Carey Anthony

    Water Damage
    7 messages

    From: Carey Anthony Fri, Aug 21, 2009 at 2:22 PM
    To: Tony Allison

    Hi Tony,
    The plumber left, and my sink is no longer backed up, but my hardwood floors in the kitchen are ruined, and carpet in the outside hallway is soaked.  I’m getting ready to leave on a 9 day trip tomorrow, so I’m not sure how you want to handle this.  Please let me know what to do.  Thanks. –Carey

    From: Tony Allison Fri, Aug 21, 2009 at 2:57 PM
    To: Carey Anthony

    Carey,
    You need to dry your floors with towels and ventilation. Hardwood floors are personal property and the responsibility of the homeowner. If they were the original tile or vinyl floors which is preferable for a kitchen there would not be this problem.
    I will have someone come out and dry the hallway carpeting. Thank you,
    Tony Allison
    Allison Enterprises
    Olive Manor Condos

    From: Carey Anthony Fri, Aug 21, 2009 at 3:27 PM
    To: Tony Allison

    Yes, I’m already drying the floors, but the plumber said they’re going to warp and there may be mold.  And they were the original floors…I moved in with them like this.  Obviously the flood was not my fault, so please advise. 

    From: Tony Allison Fri, Aug 21, 2009 at 3:48 PM
    To: Carey Anthony

    Then you need to get a restoration company only for the floors.

    From: Carey Anthony Fri, Aug 21, 2009 at 4:04 PM
    To: Tony Allison

    OK, thanks. Shall I have the bill sent to you or do you guys go through insurance?

    From: Tony Allison Fri, Aug 21, 2009 at 4:20 PM
    To: Carey Anthony

    You have to turn it into your own insurance. The hardwood floors are an improvement that is the responsibility of the owner no matter who put them in.   The carpet will be taken care of tomorrow.

    From: Carey Anthony Fri, Aug 21, 2009 at 4:29 PM
    To: Tony Allison

    As long as I have no out of pocket expenses.  None of this was my fault.  So someone will have to pay my deductible.
    By the way, when will the other plumber be resloping the pipes? 


Comments (28)

  • Knowing you, I am sure you will get someone to pay your deductibles.   Glad to know that their isn’t any major damage. 

  • wow, you sure get badluck happening to ur place. l o l at least you dont have to pay. and y would someone put a whole cabbage? wouldn it be easier to double bag tie it and throw it in the outside trash?

  • oh, so lethal XP

  • @Dezinerdreams - You know me well!
    @Sc12EeN17aM3 - You would think so, right?

  • @mr_faust - It does look pretty toxic!

  • yeah, that sewer sludge is some sweet shit to be sure! – lol.  don’t envy you because the wood will most likely be junk.  if the association carries the insurance on the building, that insurance should cover the damage regardless of whether it’s original or not.  i agree, this shouldn’t have to cost you anything!  peace, Al

  • Oh, Gee, I did need the laugh…

    So your wood floors
    caused the drain to clog? With that powerful logic, are the association
    people republicans? You are trying to socialize housing though.
    The
    picture of the colorful sink waste would be a cool abstract if we
    didn’t know what it depicts. I may still ask you to print it for
    hanging on a wall though..
    It looks like the plumber visit wasn’t as eventful as the cable guy?
    Andy’s pillow thing was too funny!  I hope you guys come up with something for him! 
    XO
    C.

  • @pukemeister - Yep, guess I have to gear up for a fight.  Thanks.
    @Claudio - LOL. Aren’t you in Santa Barbara? Call me.

  • wow. what a mess Carey! I hope they will come through for you.

  • @ZSA_MD - Awww, thanks!  They always do!

  • And who was the idiot who shoved a whole cabbage down the garbage disposal?? He/she should pay for all the damages!

  • @free2chuze - That, my friend, is the magic question! :(

  • email fight. hate those

  • @vsan79 - yeah, but don’t worry…I’ll win

  • make a real salad out of the veggie and sent it to your nice neighbour who causes all the messes.

  • hope Tony will come to his senses soon and realize that your wood floor did not cause the flood. Stay dry, gly.

  • “If they were the original tile or vinyl floors which is preferable for a kitchen…”

    - Preferable according to whose defintion? Unless it is mandatory
    within a contract or regulation, who gives a sh** what you think
    preferable, Tony!?

    “…there would not be this problem.”

    - And me silly thought the one and only problem here was the flawed
    installation of the pipes that directly resulted in the damage of
    personal property. Defining the result, the damage as a “problem”…
    unbelievable!

    “The hardwood floors are an improvement that is the responsibility of the owner no matter who put them in.”

    - If the hardwood floors were the cause of any damage, then the owner
    would be responsible. If a building installation malfunctions and
    causes damage, then the owner of that installation is responsible. It
    doesn’t matter who the damaged property belongs to, only that the
    damage was caused by you.

    What an ASS! Hang in there and Best of luck, Carey!”

  • @The_Rebelious_Guy - I like the way you think!!
    @David - I hope my HOA reads this David!!

  • Check your insurance clause.   I know in mine, I think in my condo it’ll be my insurance that’ll cover this.  (I also have hardwood in my condo).  Good luck – sounds like you’re gonna have a battle on your hands. 

  • @stevew918 - Thanks Steve.  Will do!!
    @ElusiveWords - I’m always up for a good fight Matt!  Especially when I have “right” on my side!

  • Also, there is the aspect of all that water seeping under the floors,
    even if it’s tile (around the trim and such) an causing that black
    mold.  My son had a similar situation happen in an appt,. they were
    renting – that black mold ended up everywhere, around the tile, under
    the soggy carpet – and they HAD vinyl floors!  I’m sure Carey that hard
    wood floors are totally evil and we should all beware if installing
    them that our pipes may burst in protestation!!!

  • ewww so I’m not sure what that salad picture is supposed to be of. And what a load of bull from the homeowner’s association!

  • Well, it’s good that there’re no major damages to your condo. My washing machine did act up once and flooded my house, but those were clean water, good heavens! Your mess looked kinda of yuck!

  • @Rm2046 - That salad picture is what came out of the drain pipe in the garage!    Thanks for stopping by!!
    @curry69curry - Yep, this is my 2nd flood in 7 years.  They paid for the last one…and they’ll have to pay for this one.  Thanks Gary!

  • I think the word attorney might come into your next email. I am sure you
    know of one who would be more than willing to help you out.

  • i’ve seen the pics and all i got to say is… EEWWW….

  • @rudyhou - Yeah, it was quite a mess!  LOL are you wearing a bike helmet in that picture??

  • yes, weekend trekking on a bike with a bunch of friends.

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