Plumbers Rut

This weekend we've been putting in our laundry room Belfast sink and at points have reached the depths of plumbers rut - sounds so much like 'builders butt' l used it for the title ;)

We got the tap and inflow pipes fitted up quickly- thought the outflow would be a doddle after that- aghh- think again!!

The u bend and plastic fittings for drainage were easy enough but the waste fitting 'plug hole' for the sink would not fit snuggly against the porcelain and so we were advised to use a plumbers bond and seal- so we did, let it set for 24hrs but when we ran the taps this morning it sprung a leak where the plug met the sink edge- scream!!!

Tomorrow l'm going directly to the builders merchant for a cement type bond that glues it all together so fingers crossed that will work!

I love going into this particular builders yard - I love the patter, jargon and constant mic taking. Some women might be put off by this but here are some tips l use to get me through (tongue-in-cheek):

• Wear old clothes and roll up your sleeves

• Tie your hair up in a scrunchy - a few dirty marks to the face helps

• These guys are very relaxed so keep your actions to a minimal and tone level- if there's a coffee machine - grab one (not the machine- a coffee-lol) and don't keep staring at your list if you've brought one.

• Look confident but don't take it too far. Mirror the actions of those around you- relax your body posture but again, don't take it... too far.

• Don't ask for the sizes you want, ask what sizes they have - most things are sold in lengths (think meters) or sheets. Most blokes in the yard still deal in inches rather than millimetres so don't try to be clever.

• Never look like you're not sure what you're talking about – Google it before you go round so you're at one with the lingo and options for the job. If you are having difficulty with a project ask the guy what he thinks- get to know his name so next time you come in you can say, “Hey Davy, you got some brass 15 mill compressed elbow joints through the back?”. This looks good.

• Adopting a hard man swagger should be a no go if you're a woman- use your feminine attributes to your advantage - stand tall if you know what l mean and toss out a compliment or joke – this always creates a bit of jovial banter.

• If all else fails look at your list like it's written in brail and blame it on your husband's writing- say you're going to go figure this out and get out of there quick smart.