Steven L. Smith, Bellingham, WA Home Inspector (King of the House)

head_left_image

My Bucket Has A Sink Over It

I remember an old song about some guy with a bucket that has a hole in it. I am afraid that the words escape me. But, regarding buckets, I can tell you  that, when a home inspector sees a sink trap with a bucket under it, he or she looks pretty carefully.

I would say that, about fifty percent of the time, the bucket is strategically placed there because there is a leak from the sink or the trap. The other half of the time somebody just has the bucket stored there and uses it for some other purpose like pulling it out when they are cleaning.

My advice is this: If the sink leaks, fix it -- lose the bucket. If the sink does not leak, and you are trying to sell your house, then move the bucket out from under the sink so you do not unduly raise the home inspector's radar. Inspectors work from clues and a bucket right under a trap is a clue that the inspector better take a pretty close look and, heaven forbid, the inspector might even jump to the wrong conclusion.

Thanks for stopping by,

Steven L. Smith

GeoLogo207

22 comments • Steven L. Smith, Bellingham, Wa. Home Inspector • December 23 2009 11:31PM

Comments

Steve---for sure---love it when they are full of water and running over:)

Posted by Charles Buell, Seattle, WA, Home Inspector (Charles Buell Inspections.com) 8 months ago

Charlie,

I see way more buckets than I want to in this line of work.

Posted by Steven L. Smith, Bellingham, Wa. Home Inspector (King of the House Home Inspection, Inc) 8 months ago

Is NOT seeing buckets on your "bucket list?"

Posted by Charles Buell, Seattle, WA, Home Inspector (Charles Buell Inspections.com) 8 months ago

I agree, lose the bucket, fix the sink.  Even if you are not selling your house, for $10 you can gain some space under your sink, and save your cabinet.

Posted by Paul Piedra (Sabre Realty Group, LLC) 8 months ago

Steven, that was a very clever title to your post and made me want to read it, and I am glad I did.  Good job!

Posted by Rick Pelleriti-MBA (Ascent Home Loans) 8 months ago

Steven,

 I remember that song from when my younger brother watched Sesame Street!  I think Harry Belafonte sung it.

There's a hole in my bucket, dear Liza, dear Liza,
There's a hole in my bucket, dear Liza, a hole.
Then fix it, dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry,
Then fix it, dear Henry, dear Henry, fix it.
With what shall I fix it, dear Liza, dear Liza?
With what shall I fix it, dear Liza, with what?
With some straw, dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry,
With some straw, dear Henry, dear Henry, some straw.
The straw is too long, dear Liza, dear Liza,
The straw is too long, dear Liza, too long,
Then cut it, dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry,
Then cut it, dear Henry, dear Henry, cut it.
With what shall I cut it, dear Liza, dear Liza?
With what shall I cut it, dear Liza, with what?
With an axe, dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry,
With an axe, dear Henry, dear Henry, an axe.
The axe is too dull, dear Liza, dear Liza,
The axe is too dull, dear Liza, too dull.
Then sharpen it, dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry,
Then sharpen it, dear Henry, dear Henry, whet it.
With what shall I sharpen it, dear Liza, dear Liza?
With what shall I sharpen it, dear Liza, with what?
With a stone, dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry,
With a stone, dear Henry, dear Henry, a stone.
The stone is too dry, dear Liza, dear Liza,
The stone is too dry, dear Liza, too dry.
Then moisten it, dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry,
Then moisten it, dear Henry, dear Henry, moisten it.
With what shall I moisten, dear Liza, dear Liza?
With what shall I moisten, dear Liza, with what?
Try water, dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry,
Try water, dear Henry, dear Henry, try water.
From where shall I get it, dear Liza, dear Liza?
From where shall I get it, dear Liza, from where?
From the well, dear Henry,dear Henry, dear Henry,
From the well, dear Henry, dear Henry, the well.
In what shall I fetch it, dear Liza, dear Liza?
In what shall I fetch it, dear Liza, in what?
In a bucket dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry,
In a bucket dear Henry, dear Henry, in a bucket.
There's a hole in my bucket, dear Liza, dear Liza,
There's a hole in my bucket, dear Liza, a hole..

Posted by Paul Guenther- Chicago Title- Chandler, AZ (Chicago Title Insurance Company) 8 months ago

I love this.  Talk about unintended consequences.

Posted by Lenn Harley, Real Estate Broker, Virginia & Maryland (Lenn Harley, Homefinders.com, MD & VA Homes and Real Estate) 8 months ago

Steven, it is better than having a sink with no bucket under it. Had that happen yesterday...

Merry Christmas

Posted by Michael Thornton - Nashville, TN area Home Inspector (Complete Home Inspections, Inc.) 8 months ago

How about the moist cleaning rag hung on the trap. That makes you want to pull your hair out because its wet and you aren't really sure why.

Posted by James Quarello - ASHI Certified CT Home Inspector (JRV Home Inspection Services, LLC) 8 months ago

Maybe next time before they have an inspection the sellers may want to look a little closer at the little things.

Have a great day

Tony

Posted by Tony Grego - 317-714-8080 8 months ago

Steven:

A bucket under a sink is usually a certain sign of a problem. I cannot think of another reason anyone would put one there.  If there is no problem, they should definitely lose the bucket for appearances sake.

 

Posted by Claudette Millette - Metrowest Mass Buyer Broker (The Buyers' Counsel) 8 months ago

Paul beat me to giving you the lyrics, Steven! His voice, however, is much better than mine so that was a good thing.

Posted by Irene Kennedy Realtor® in Northwestern NJ (Weichert) 8 months ago

Great tip!  I'm certainly always on the lookout for buckets

Posted by Rob Kelly (RE/MAX Alliance) 8 months ago

I was also going to share the lyrics with you. I think the song is about ongoing bickering about how to fix the hole in the bucket. What about bickering about how to fix the leak in the sink?

Posted by Melissa Zavala Realtor® North San Diego County Homes (Broadpoint Properties) 8 months ago

Thanks for the words. Now we need something themed to the old story about the leak in the roof and the guy does not want to fix it. No need to when dry, too hard to do when wet.

Posted by Steven L. Smith, Bellingham, Wa. Home Inspector (King of the House Home Inspection, Inc) 8 months ago

The song Paul gave you isn't the one.  I think the song you were thinking of came from Jimmy Rodgers sometime in the late 50's or early 60's.

Posted by David Helm, Bellingham, Wa. Licensed Home Insp (Helm Home Inspections) 8 months ago

I always keep my eyes open for buckets as well and that the p-trap is missing a cleanout

Posted by Al Wright - Affordable Home Inspections (Affordable Home Inspections) 8 months ago

Steve, I wish you buckets of good luck and success in 2010.

Posted by Joe Pryor.com REALTOR® Oklahoma Investment Properties (Redbud Realty) 8 months ago

I always enjoy seeing them in the attic also. 

Posted by Jeffrey Molloy (Check Mark - Westchester Home Inspection) 8 months ago

Joe,

Thanks and the same back to you.

Posted by Steven L. Smith, Bellingham, Wa. Home Inspector (King of the House Home Inspection, Inc) 8 months ago

David,

You were pretty close. Jimmie Rodgers was before Hank Sr. Link below.

Hank Sr.

Posted by Steven L. Smith, Bellingham, Wa. Home Inspector (King of the House Home Inspection, Inc) 8 months ago

You are right if it looks suspcious fix it or the buyer will tell you the fix is far more expensive than it is in reality.

Posted by Cindy Jones-Northern Virginia Real Estate & Military Relocation Services (RE/MAX Allegiance #1 RE/MAX Company in the World) 8 months ago

This blog does not allow anonymous comments