Went to install a replacement toilet in our 1960s rancher. Long story short: it seemed more involved than I was anticipating, and my situation this week would benefit from the convenience of a quick, dreamless install so I called a plumber and they showed up within 30 minutes of my call.
Plumber - nice guy - proceeds to tell me, “oh yeah, you basically have it right, but all you need is a new flange (a $40 part). Then put the wax ring down (which we already have). Then mount the toilet (which we already have).”
He then proceeded to quote $500. For at most 30 minutes of work - probably 15 minutes for him - and a $40 (retail) part. To install a product that cost a couple hundred dollars. This is symptomatic a failure of a currency. The fact that anyone would consider paying that type of rate for that type of work that would take that amount of time is ludicrous.
I’ll be installing a toilet tonight after my daughter goes to bed.
brock / Brock Wilson
npub1dl…234z9
2025-04-08 18:12:24
Author Public Key
npub1dl3snacnxj9qu5a5llsch0qld4vrvv2s0pv5wh0ntsq80ndz304ql234z9Published at
2025-04-08 18:12:24Event JSON
{
"id": "c2990ac9e4fbc62db7fc926e486d2ca35ae6c272c13dc3e37e8be6e1adef70ad",
"pubkey": "6fe309f713348a0e53b4ffe18bbc1f6d583631507859475df35c0077cda28bea",
"created_at": 1744135944,
"kind": 1,
"tags": [],
"content": "Went to install a replacement toilet in our 1960s rancher. Long story short: it seemed more involved than I was anticipating, and my situation this week would benefit from the convenience of a quick, dreamless install so I called a plumber and they showed up within 30 minutes of my call.\n\nPlumber - nice guy - proceeds to tell me, “oh yeah, you basically have it right, but all you need is a new flange (a $40 part). Then put the wax ring down (which we already have). Then mount the toilet (which we already have).”\n\nHe then proceeded to quote $500. For at most 30 minutes of work - probably 15 minutes for him - and a $40 (retail) part. To install a product that cost a couple hundred dollars. This is symptomatic a failure of a currency. The fact that anyone would consider paying that type of rate for that type of work that would take that amount of time is ludicrous.\n\nI’ll be installing a toilet tonight after my daughter goes to bed.",
"sig": "24769878baa7672a6bfad29f7d24f4ad784299f70a00db8871e3476cf1e168711e4b1ca6d39619d740913a160339bbb3e7d80489b0ce47c7fd90f67442bb9c6b"
}