The $800 backflow preventer that saved a strip mall job

We had a job for a small strip mall where the city inspector flagged the old backflow setup. I bit the bullet and put in a new RPZ assembly, cost about $800 with parts and my time. It felt like a lot upfront, but it passed inspection first try and the owner was happy. If we had tried to patch the old one, we would have failed and been back out there for another full day. That one device kept the whole project on schedule. Anyone else had a piece of gear that seemed expensive but was totally worth it in the end?

2 comments

2 Comments

willowc6023d ago

I mean, I get why you did it, but that's a tough sell for me. I've been on jobs where the owner just wants it to pass, and they'll fight you on every extra dollar. Sometimes you can clean and rebuild an old RPZ for a fraction of that cost and it'll still pass. I've seen guys drop that kind of cash on a new unit when a $50 repair kit and an hour of labor would have done the same thing. It feels like we're too quick to just replace everything now.

hill.hugo23d ago

Totally get where you're coming from, but sometimes you just can't take the risk. That old unit could have hidden problems a repair kit won't fix. Failing an inspection means going back, which costs way more in lost time and extra trips. A brand new part comes with a warranty and the peace of mind that it's done right. For a commercial job, that reliability is everything. Saving a few bucks upfront can cost you big later.