Plumber needed.

[der]

I wonder if somebody can recommend a good plumber in the Chania area. I live near Platanias which is 15 minutes drive west of Chania. It would help if he could speak English but I can speak Greek(but not perfectly!) if his English is not so good. Any recommendations would be gratefully received. The work is on two toilets which have the almost inevitable leaking from the cistern into the toilet bowl, and some leaking taps as well.

[Drapanias David]

We have used Manolis and Andonis from HYDRAULIC INSTALLATIONS/ΥΔΡΑΥΛΙΚΕΣ ΕΓΚΑΤΑΣΤΑΣΕΙΣ. They are based in the Kissamos area but would no doubt be able to be in Platanias in 20-25 mins. They speak a little English and are very efficient and reasonably priced.

Manolis is on 694 558 4360
Andonis is on 694 648 0076

[der]

Thanks for that. Have you had them do repair jobs like fixing sinks and toilets? We had another guy in some time ago. He welded our outside pipe well but didn't do a good job on inside stuff.

[Drapanias David]

Our cistern was constantly leaking into the bowl. They came and changed the syphon and ballcock and fixed the problem. 30 euros including parts and labour.

[filippos]

Crikey, it's expensive where you are. We had the exact same problem, called a local plumber (literally, by shouting from a café as he rode past on his scooter). He arrived next morning, dismantled the cistern innards and went off to the plumbing supplies shop. On return he had to modify the replacement (the original couldn't be matched) which he installed. All told the job took about 90 minutes and I had to push €20 on him after he asked for €15, including parts (7 or 8 Euros).

[Drapanias David]

Compared to UK plumber call out charges, I'm still happy with the cost

[Kilkis]

As with most things, plumbing components come in a wide range of qualities with an associated range of prices. I know some plumbers who automatically use the cheapest they can find because they know that, in these straightened times, most Greeks want to pay as little as possible. Others will explain, "I could fit this make and it will be €X but I would recommend this other make which will last longer but will cost €Y". Personally I always opt for the better quality option.

Warwick

[filippos]

Personally I always opt for the better quality option.

Ditto. I realised that cheapest usually turns out to be expensive aeons ago. Remember, Warwick, I've been around since Moses.

Perhaps I should have mentioned that about a month earlier I'd bought the plumber a small beer.

[Kilkis]

Think how cheap the repair might have been if you had bought him a large beer?

Warwick

[filippos]

Compared to UK plumber call out charges, I'm still happy with the cost

Absolutely. That's like trying to compare apples with elephants.

[SatCure]

"Leaking into the bowl" is often caused by the "SilentValve" rubber disc, which has worn or collected dirt. Replacing the valve is usually a 5 minute job unless, as in my case, you have a Portuguese-manufactured "Oliver" cistern built into the wall. Annoyingly, the first European stockist I emailed in Holland failed to respond. Even more annoyingly, the other stockist turned out to be in Cheshire, just 10 miles from where I used to live!

Of course they couldn't/wouldn't supply the tiny rubber disc by itself; I had to order the entire float valve unit, which wasn't cheap. Nor was the postage and the unit got broken on the way so I ended up replacing only the rubber disc.

Access was via a slot in the wall so it's lucky that I have "girlie" hands and that my arthritis is only mild.

When the valve in the second toilet started to leak, I ordered the kit then called in a Greek plumber. He was totally clueless so I had to stand over him and give instructions.

Oh, and I discovered, later, that the REAL cause of the problem was low water pressure! When the pressure drops below 1 bar, a tired valve doesn't work properly. I had to replace the pressure regulator alongside the meter.

[Kilkis]

You are lucky that it was only the valve that was leaking. My cistern is built into the wall. The tank is plastic. The plastic cracked so the cistern was leaking into the wall cavity and then running out of a crack in the outside wall. That involved cutting out all the tiles around the cistern, cutting out all the rendering, concrete and brickwork around the cistern, taking out the old tank, replacing it with a new one that is a slightly different size and shape, replacing brickwork and rendering and then re-tiling. I can assure you that cost a tad more than €15 or €30. Fortunately I had enough spare tiles since they are no longer available. I'm looking forward to having to do the one in the other bathroom, for which I don't have any spare tiles. Oh joy.

Warwick

[filippos]

What guarantee do you have that the problem won't recur with the repaired one?

[Kilkis]

None whatsoever. I am told it is a better quality tank and so should last longer but obviously I have no proof of that. The last one lasted 10 years. When averaged over that length of time the cost is not really the problem. The mess is the problem.

Warwick

[SatCure]

You are lucky that it was only the valve that was leaking. My cistern is built into the wall.

Is yours also made by "Oliver" company?

Mine must be at least 15 years old!