dishwasher-in-progress

So the guy called about 8:30 - he had to come into town from Madill or whereever he lives. Had to get the dishwasher and supplies. He also asked me to empty out under the sink, which I had already done.

So he came in, I pointed out the issue of the tight fit and he agreed - "There was probably linoleum in this kitchen originally; they just stuck ceramic tile on top of it." He was also concerned about the slightly buckled floor area in front of the dishwasher about which someone else had told me "Oh, old houses just flex and settle and ceramic tile over linoleum is a dumb idea anyway"

(This is, my friends, what you call a Chekhov's gun)

So, some "Hmms" from him, and a few grating sounds later, he stepped out of the kitchen: "Ma'am, did you know you had a hole in the floor under the dishwasher?"

No. No I did not but in retrospect, where the mice (and one packrat I trapped) got in, that makes sense...

He also noted...the rubber drain hose had been all chewed up (%#$&^*@$ mice) and that when the dishwasher drained, it just drained onto the floor....and presumably up under the tile, hence the buckling. ($()*$#). So I will probably have to have the floor taken up and repaired at some point, but right now that is a problem for future me.

I looked at the holes with dismay. "Is there anyway we could block them up? I'd pay you whatever it took on top of the install"

He said that it would take a piece of galvanized metal - wood is too thick for the space, and also, they could just chew through wood again. Smart guy. He also said, "Well, I don't live here so I don't know places that I could get any....but wait, let me call a buddy."

He went out and called, I heard the call end with a happy, "Thanks, buddy, I owe you one" so I presumed it was good news.

He came back in - "I'm running to the lumberyard [one just a few blocks from me it turns out], they can supply it"

So he's there now. If this works, this will solve one big giant problem for me - mice coming in in the fall (and yeah....the occasional packrat, and he pointed to the pecan shells under the old dishwasher; mice can't chew through those). And it will probably solve a future problem of the hose getting chewed through and further spoiling the floor.

Yes, I will need to have the floor redone at some point I presume but like I said, problem for future me.

I'm just glad this guy was pretty good and honest; another dude would have likely slapped the dishwasher in without telling me. And yes, he'll get paid more for the extra work (I told him I'd pay him for the fix as that's over and above the basic install, and at a minimum I'd need to pay for the metal) but if this solves some problems....well, that's good.

But yipes. That must have happened in the 11 or so years I had the other dishwasher; the previous installers were good and I stood in the kitchen and worked and there was no evidence of mice and/or rats....


***

Yup, he came back with a big piece of galvanized metal. Screwed it in. Sounds like he's getting the new dishwasher now - the old one is already out at his trailer. This may wind up going a lot more smoothly than I thought it might.