Partner hosted plumber while I was at work. We still do not have a flushing loo. AIBU to be peeved?

[JFDIYOLO]

He tugged the chain hard, something broke, it stopped flushing.

After a spell of having to tip bathwater into loo to flush, he booked a plumber who visits.

I get home to find plumber did half an hour, removed broken thing, told him to buy new bit, clean inside bit with white vinegar and fit new bit to it. Then charged £35 and left.

We are currently standing in builders warehouse shop while he stares at internet and wonders round aisles.

Context - I work full time and run a side business. He doesn't.

AIBU to expect that between them they could have got the fecking loo flushing without all this 😡

Are you saying your DH doesn't work, if so he should be in charge of house things.

I don’t see where the husband ‘expected’ op to do anything, in fact given she wasn’t speaking to the plumber and didn’t know the part it wasn’t any help for her to go with her DH to the shop.

List of plumbers' merchants in the area researched and made - local DIY type shops no luck. I will get this sorted if it's the last thing I do. I'd rather go local than Amazon.

But surely … isn't that what a professional plumber is for? You don't go to the dentist to be told 'you'll be needing a filling. Here's the name of the drill bit you'll need to get. And here's my bill.'

@Theunamedcat is right.

But surely … isn't that what a professional plumber is for? You don't go to the dentist to be told 'you'll be needing a filling. Here's the name of the drill bit you'll need to get. And here's my bill.'

You're comparing apples and oranges. You can't drill and fill your own teeth. You can fix your own toilet.

The plumber came and had a look - charged you a bargain for his time and offered you an easy fix which you could do yourselves for free. I'm sure if your DP had asked him to do it, he would, but it would cost you a small fortune.

The dental equivalent would be going to the dentist because you need your teeth brushing. Yes, dentist could brush your teeth for you, buy the equipment and charge you a fortune, or they could give you advice and tell you to go off and buy your own toothbrush/toothpaste so you can do it yourself for free.

OK, so what part do you need?

Lol at a Visiting Plumber. Ground breaking new business concept.

If I was OP I’d be beyond peeved and well into pissed off. Two blokes. Between them they have the time and money and knowledge to do it - and still they can’t just get the damn toilet fixed.

can you just get the plumber back and get them to fix it, if you are happy to pay? I’m amazed he only charged £35 for a call out.

Why did you use the word ‘host’?

Take photos and go to a plumbers' merchant. They will advise what is needed. Or call the plumber and ask him to sort it out.

I'd be annoyed. Assuming he's not usually so useless?

I'd call the plumber up and ask the name of the part again or that he just comes and fixes it.

Sometimes a plumber will say you need a part and that they can get it but they won’t have time to come back today so will rebook it for a week or two. In that case they might also advise it would be easier and quicker and cheaper to do it yourselves.

Plumbers don’t go around with every conceivable part in their van!

and if you weren’t able to easily get hold of it yesterday… clearly it’s not a common part

I like the sound of this plumber

He came out
charged the lowest call out rate I’ve ever heard
concluded that an easy fix but he didn’t have the part
advised customer of part and left

I fixed my non flushing downstairs loo for less than a tenner last year but had to get a plumber to fix the non flushing leaky upstairs loo last month and it cost almost £170. We had to wait almost a week before the initial visit to find out what was wrong and then another 4 days for him to order the parts and come back to do the repairs.

I think £35 is a reasonable price to pay for advice on how to fix the problem, you could get back in touch with the plumber and ask for a quote for him to fix it though.

The issue we have found with tradesmen is that they don't want to do small jobs because they don't make enough money.

Do you have a Screwfix local to you? Would've thought more chance they would be open on Sunday for click and collect than a plumber's merchant.

I'm still eager to know what is this elusive part? I've fixed both loos in the house by fitting a new syphon. Less than a tenner for each and readily available. Unless this is an all singing, all dancing loo, I can't think what part is required.

Op is oddly cagey about the part?!!

Seems you’re determined to make this harder than it needs to be. Rather than trailing round all the local shops, get online and look at screwfix or tool station, you can click and collect the part in a couple of hours. Or god forbid, get it off Amazon for tomorrow. I get people like to shop local, but given how narked you are about having to use a bucket to flush the toilet, I’d be shoving morals to the side and Amazon priming the hell out of this one.

I don't see why she's apparently making it harder? Hey (insert name of husband) please could you get a plumber out to fix the toilet?

Comes home, £35 down and no fixed toilet. How is she making it harder, the money isn't an issue. Between the plumber and the eejit husband the toilet isn't fixed. It wasn't exactly a big ask.

I'd be pissed off about my wasted time, I don't want to spend my day off farting around looking for spare parts- you booked the plumber to fix it not to tell you what to do. Strange plumber not to want to do the whole job that he could have charged more for.
I wonder if the DP has not given the whole story TBH.

You have paid a very small sum for a call out charge and advice. Plumber presumably was unable to fix it but thought it was easily done yourselves and so saved yo the cost of a return trip from himself. Mountain, molehill.

I'm still waiting to find out what this very rare part is!!!