# Shoestring Toilet



## Alias (Jan 23, 2012)

And this is how you flush the toilet.  Yes, those are actual shoestrings and they have been there awhile.  Total length is about 6 feet and you pull up.

View attachment 1640


View attachment 1640


/monthly_2012_01/572953e48ac72_309W.2nd-01-11-2012-TenantComplaint002.jpg.7d616ca57cc5c33354d3bdf591c71a0f.jpg


----------



## pwood (Jan 23, 2012)

Why is everbody always pickin on me? Charlie brown! good call  sue.


----------



## Alias (Jan 23, 2012)

pwood -

This plus the leaking toilet & kitchen sink, the wonderful woodstove, and some electrical & structural anomilies caused the posting.  This is the second substandard house in my jurisdiction that the same tenants have moved into (and out of) in the past year.  How about three in one year?


----------



## gbhammer (Jan 23, 2012)

Give them your number so they can call before they move in.


----------



## fireguy (Jan 23, 2012)

Another fine example of a you all listing.  Is there a place I can get a set of the "you all" codes?


----------



## mark handler (Jan 23, 2012)

TO BUILD A GOOD HILLBILLY HOUSE YOU NEED TO BUILD THE STEPS FIRST


----------



## Alias (Jan 23, 2012)

gbhammer said:
			
		

> Give them your number so they can call before they move in.


You are probably right, I need to check it out for them.  Of course, if I do that, I won't have the surprise of a new complaint!


----------



## MtnArch (Jan 23, 2012)

mark handler said:
			
		

> TO BUILD A GOOD HILLBILLY HOUSE YOU NEED TO BUILD THE STEPS FIRST


The rusted brake drums and frame matches the stone work - maybe they should feature this on HGTV?


----------



## RJJ (Jan 24, 2012)

LOL! Mark great Photos!


----------



## pwood (Jan 24, 2012)

fireguy said:
			
		

> Another fine example of a you all listing. Is there a place I can get a set of the "you all" codes?


they are adopted by reference in the building codes  for the great state of jefferson and the state of confusion!


----------



## jim baird (Jan 24, 2012)

Mark, you been sneaking around here snapping pics of me and my brothers?


----------



## Alias (Jan 24, 2012)

pwood said:
			
		

> they are adopted by reference in the building codes  for the great state of jefferson and the state of confusion!


Boy howdy pwood, y'all got that right!

 LOL


----------



## Alias (Jan 24, 2012)

jim baird said:
			
		

> Mark, you been sneaking around here snapping pics of me and my brothers?


Nah, he just made a visit to my neck of the woods in northern CA..........


----------



## Daddy-0- (Mar 1, 2012)

Mark....is that you?


----------



## Alias (Mar 12, 2012)

Went back to reinspect today.  The woodstove has been replaced with a better, non-compliant woodstove.  It's a Fire View made by the R. L. Stevenson Co. of Rogue River, OR 1970-80's vintage.  In the picture the door is on the right side of the stove which is about 20" from the living room wall.    No manufactures instructions so, CMC rules apply for clearances and reductions.  The person who installed this fine specimen of a woodstove (and it is in wonderful shape), used 1/4" "Hardibacker The Ultimate Cement Board" on the rear wall for the wall protection attached with sheet metal screws.  Not the intended use for this product......!    There is no permit for the woodstove.  I informed the homeowner that she a) needed a permit for the woodstove installation, b) this type of woodstove is no longer legal to install in CA as it is not EPA rated, c) hearth is inadequate, d) cement board is not an option for protection.  
	

		
			
		

		
	

View attachment 1243

	

		
			
		

		
	
 Woodstove 
	

		
			
		

		
	

View attachment 1244

	

		
			
		

		
	
 Hardibacker Cement BoardI informed the homeowner that she needed to have an electrician check the wiring as I noticed some anomilies with my tester.  I also questioned why they sheetrocked over the door from the back bedroom into the bathroom.  Their reasoning, too hard to shut two doors to use the WC.  So now you have to go through the kitchen, living room, and front bedroom to access the bathroom from the back bedroom.  This is a two bedroom house with the bathroom in between.  Anyone know if this is a problem?So, the saga continues.  This is another stellar rental in my jurisdiction.  *sigh*

View attachment 541


View attachment 542


View attachment 541


View attachment 542


/monthly_2012_03/572953c2ccc1d_3-8-12newwoodstove2.jpg.f87aeefcf6df89c68a08829d2931e4c8.jpg

/monthly_2012_03/572953c2cf717_3-8-12newwoodstove3.jpg.6e46bb4ab4838a9d4addb6f4791e19ae.jpg


----------



## mark handler (Mar 12, 2012)

Alias said:
			
		

> Went back to reinspect today.  The woodstove has been replaced with a better, non-compliant woodstove.  It's a Fire View made by the R. L. Stevenson Co. of Rogue River, OR 1970-80's vintage.  In the picture the door is on the right side of the stove which is about 20" from the living room wall.  No manufactures instructions so, CMC rules apply for clearances and reductions.  The person who installed this fine specimen of a woodstove (and it is in wonderful shape), used 1/4" "Hardibacker The Ultimate Cement Board" on the rear wall for the wall protection attached with sheet metal screws.  Not the intended use for this product......!
> 
> There is no permit for the woodstove.  I informed the homeowner that she a) needed a permit for the woodstove installation, b) this type of woodstove is no longer legal to install in CA as it is not EPA rated, c) hearth is inadequate, d) cement board is not an option for protection.


Sue

Make sure they provide Manufactures Lit and instal instructions


----------



## pwood (Mar 13, 2012)

mark handler said:
			
		

> SueMake sure they provide Manufactures Lit and instal instructions


  sue,

  look for a metal plate on the back of the stove that would give the clearance to combustibles. it is usually hidden from sight and takes a mirror to read


----------



## mark handler (Mar 13, 2012)

pwood said:
			
		

> sue,  look for a metal plate on the back of the stove that would give the clearance to combustibles. it is usually hidden from sight and takes a mirror to read


Sue

Make sure *they* provide Manufactures Lit and install instructions

YOU SHOULD NOT NEED TO SEARCH FOR IT


----------



## Alias (Mar 13, 2012)

It's a moot point right now.

I will not accept the stove installation due to:

1) No permit

2) No information or literature from stove manufacturer.

3) Wall and floor protection is inadequate at best.


----------



## Alias (Mar 13, 2012)

pwood said:
			
		

> sue,  look for a metal plate on the back of the stove that would give the clearance to combustibles. it is usually hidden from sight and takes a mirror to read


pwood -

I found the manufacturer's plate behind the door.  Unfortunately, due to the proximity of the side and back walls, I had to lay on an old linoleum floor between the stove and the wall to read it.

I realize that times are tough but, when your first recycled woodstove is red tagged, don't you think you would call the building department before purchasing another used woodstove?  Oh, wait a minute, that means you have to actually be responsible.

I don't think I would be so persnickity but it is a rental and we have had several woodstove fires in the past couple years due to tenant idiocy.  One rental house was almost lost due to a toddler, a woodstove, and a Christmas tree. :banghd

My job is health and safety, right?


----------



## Pcinspector1 (Mar 20, 2012)

Does that guy's shirt on the left say "got beer" on it?

pc1


----------



## gbhammer (Mar 20, 2012)

Pcinspector1 said:
			
		

> Does that guy's shirt on the left say "got beer" on it?pc1


How about the guy on the right, he either has a mermaid on his arm or a tattoo of Ace Frehley.


----------



## mark handler (Mar 20, 2012)

hillbilly girls







hillbilly phone booth


----------



## pwood (Mar 20, 2012)

mark handler said:
			
		

> hillbilly girls
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 I enjoy the handler family reunion photos, thanks for sharing!


----------



## MikeC (May 27, 2012)

Alias said:
			
		

> So now you have to go through the kitchen, living room, and front bedroom to access the bathroom from the back bedroom.  This is a two bedroom house with the bathroom in between.  Anyone know if this is a problem?


IPMC 404.4.3 Water closet accessibility. Every bedroom shall have access to at least one water closet and one lavatory *without passing through another bedroom*. Every bedroom in a dwelling unit shall have access to at least one water closet and lavatory located in the same story as the bedroom or an adjacent story.


----------



## mark handler (May 27, 2012)




----------



## codeworks (Jul 5, 2012)

let me guess, the cone of silence and the official throne?


----------



## Alias (Aug 3, 2012)

Okay, I'm officially stumped as to how to handle this :censored.

Owner got the original issues addressed and I removed posting.

A tenant then moved in and complained of mold.  She moved out and called me after she moved.

I just got a phone call from the last tenant that the toilet is discharging under the home into the crawlspace.  She complained to landlord and plumber was never called.  She has moved but will be bringing me photos and a letter.  She also tipped me off that it is back in the paper for rent and, as an aside, landlord is refusing to return her $700.00 deposit.  I referred her to legal aid for that matter.

So, I am on tenant #3 with new complaints and no invitation to visit while occupied.

This place is obviously in need of a major remodel and owner has no money, skills, etc. to do so.  Has anyone had to deal with something like this before?  How did you shut the slumlord down?

Sue


----------



## LGreene (Aug 6, 2012)

I bought a house once that had an old woodstove set on a "hearth" made of the white crushed stone that people use for landscaping, and nothing behind it but paneling.  The insurance company wouldn't insure the house until we pulled it out.


----------



## Alias (Dec 5, 2012)

Houston, tenemos un muy grande problemo.

Tenant #4 called me last week.  I met her at the house and did a walk through. Nothing I could really do but did get entry to the house.  Boy, it sure stunk!  Same old carpet and linoleum.  This tenant has taken out the sheet rock between bedroom and bathroom.  I thanked her for letting me in and told her that there wasn't much else I could do at this point.

Tenant called me this afternoon and requested copies of the photos I had taken.  When I asked why, she said it was because the landlord/landlady had busted the door locks and dumped her stuff in the backyard.  Tenant has possession of the house until the 8th of this month (per tenant).  Landlord is claiming there is dog feces all over the house, which I saw no evidence of when I was in the house. I gave the tenant the name of the local legal aid lawyer and told her that this was landlord/tenant but I would talk to the legal aid attorney if needed.

There is a 'for sale' sign back in the front yard.  I am stumped as to what else I can do about the problem.  Any suggestions?  How do I make this stop?  I am dealing with owners who are renting a second place and buying this place, plus a language/comprehension barrier.  Wife speaks English but understands zilch about home maintenance and husband no habla ingles.

Sue

If you get this far, thanks for reading.


----------



## peach (Dec 22, 2012)

oh, so now you are going to put the family out of their home?  How heartless of you, Sue


----------



## Alias (Dec 25, 2012)

peach said:
			
		

> oh, so now you are going to put the family out of their home?  How heartless of you, Sue


Didn't have to do anything, tenant moved.  House is for sale and I hope someone buys it.

Sue


----------

