Chicago Duplex Down Rehab

Our 2nd floor tenants here mentioned the ceiling in the kitchen was showing some water damage again after the last big snowstorm. I figured I had already patched that area above the kitchen with lots of tar last year, but apparently to no avail. I've know since I bought the building that the roof needed to be completely replaced, since much of it was rippled and many of the joints with the parapet walls were tearing.  I made the mistake of hiring some fly by night contractors to put a layer of paint-able rubber membrane on over 5 years ago, and I thought that would hold it for awhile, but the membrane already had started coming off in the same year.  At that same time, I did get some estimates for a 'modified bitumen roof' for about $10K.  Once of the estimators took a sample of my existing roof, and said there were 7 layers of roof, and what looked to be the original gravel roof! So, obviously, this roof needed to be completely torn off. I contacted a numbe...

After a failed attempt to get the permit plumber to redo the tub valve install, I did it myself today. Not pretty, my first attempt at joining copper pipe, but no leaks! I used a dry towel under the pipes to check for any dripping after 2 hours.  Thanks to Ed (again) for letting me borrow his MAPP torch.  *HOT* I had to remove the valve parts completely, do a lot of cutting, and rejoining.  Since the bottom of the center was now too close to the sides, I had to use two 'street elbows' to take a detour into the Tee. The blue cloth at the bottom didn't have a drop of water after a couple hours.  Both valves were completely open.  Now the valve trim sits right on top of the tile, no gap (the original problem).