Today we where setting footers for a Japanese Tea House for a client.
we had decided to rent a bigger tiller then we presently own, in an effort to cut down on time.
things where going great.... it was just after 2 O’clock and the 7th of 8 holes was at 32” deep.
The concrete had been mixed and with only 4” we would be ready to pour.... when we struck a black pvc type
of pipe.
Nothing happened at first and then an anti freeze type liquid began to spurt out from the damaged section of line.
With no idea what exactly we struck, the investigation began.... perhaps it was an old sprinkler system, but it was to deep. Perhaps it was a system for an old spa or pool. Perhaps it was a geo thermal line.... naw it could be. Those are set at 5’ and we where merely at 32”.
Well.... it ended up just to be that. according to the contract....we could if just cleaned up and left.... but that’s not what we do here. Not because we enjoy a challenge but because the client no longer had the ability to cool thier house with our it.
We spoke with the client and offered to schedule a professional geo thermal company to come out.... and assured them we wouldn’t leave till the line was patched.
4 trips to a hardware store, we finally fixed the leak not merely patched it. We then had the AC turned on and all was well.... until from behind the hole coolant again began to fill the hole.
after digging the hole 2x wider we found an additional leak.... not from our auger.... and with a 6th and then 7th trip to the store we had the line fixed.
Again we had the AC turned on and the hole stayed dry!!!!
The clients where so appreciate and seemed to be interested so we explained exactly what we did and what had gone wrong... we sorta kinda left out that we purchased nearly $200 in tools to make the repairs despite the fact that we had what we needed in the shop.... hahahahaha, but isn’t that always the case.... yes we need to get a service truck!!!!
For the four additional hours we spent working on fixing something we had no contractual requirement we never once got frustrated with each other nor the job.
Because just as the old farmer once told me, “when you put things in dirt, things break.”
And as far as the crew....
well.... “It builds character” and frustration never fixed a damn thing, nor a geothermal line.
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