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We have recently noticed water coming up between linoleum sections in the hall bathroom, and we’re thinking that the pipes under the toilet or under the bathtub are old and leaking. (it’s an older house, built in the 50′s). I have also cleaned a bit of mold from around the baseboard, so I think that the leak may have been present for a while. I’m not really sure how bad it is. The water leak needs to be repaired pretty soon so that we don’t experience more mold growth or other structural damage.
What type of professional should we call – a plumber or a general contractor? We don’t need to re-do the entire bathroom – just repair the water leak. (although it would be nice to replace the floor, too!) This is our first house, and our first maintenance problem that we don’t know how to fix on our own. Any advice is appreciated. Thanks!

it sounds like your toilet seal is leaking causing the water to come through the tile, you may have more floor damage than you think, you need to hire a licensed and bonded plumbing contractor who specializes in remodeling work. more than likely your floor will have to be removed down to the floor joists and a new floor installed. the toilet flange is probably cracked causing this leak so the contractor will have to remove this and install a new one along with everything else.

Does anyone know of a book or list of fees charge by plumbing contractors? You know, a flat fee to change / replace an old toilet with a new one?

if it is just a toilet replacement look to pay anywhere from $200 – $500 depending on who you call and where you live. A flat rate is a rare occurance, there are to many unknowns when taking a toilet out, the flange may need replacing, something could be cracked.

Professionally speaking if at all possible, change the toilet yourself if you can it’s not really that complicated. At the least buy the toilet yourself and then call and get estimates as to how much it will cost for an installation. Usually you’ll get a better price on a better toilet if you get it yourself. A toilet replacement with no problems shouldn’t take more than 30 – 45 minutes.

If they insist on using their own toilet, call someone else.

is there a website of local contractors in Minnesota. I have my plumbing company and i need more work! so i want to send letters or emails out to contractors so i can help with their plumbing. Please help! thank you so much!

. https://www.egov.state.mn.us/Commerce/license_lookup.do?action=lookupForm

It would contain generic MSDS’s for typical products used by Mechanical / Plumbing contractors.

No you can’t. The reason is such a book would not meet OSHA guidelines and could result in fines. OSHA says you must have a MSDS for the specific materials you are using. So if you have pipe flux, it must be the pipe flux you are using, not the MSDS from another company. If you are buying Sherwin-Williams Paint, MSDSs from Benjamin Moore will not work. The two products may be totally different. You just have to bite the bullet and set up an internal system so that every time you buy something through a distributor or at Home Depot, you have to get the MSDS from them, on line, or by calling the company directly. Most you can find on line by searching "product name" and MSDS. Also be aware, that on a regular basis, you need to update your book. The pipe flux MSDS from 2009 may not be applicable to what you are buying in 2013. A good rule of thumb is update the books every three years. Also note, NEVER throw away a MSDS. You must keep them at least 30 years according to OSHA, so just keep them forever.