Old faucet. (I don't know if I'm using the right term -- the thing to turn the water on.) In this case, it was a very old plastic and metal thing, which you pulled out to turn on, and pushed to turn off. The cleaning people came, turned it on to clean out the shower stall, and... it wouldn't turn off.
The plumber had to cut off the tile, cut through the wall to get access to the pipes, cut through both pipes to replace the unit, and then install the new one. (He also replaced the shower head, but I think that was because it came with the faucet part at the hardware store.) The shower does not have a separate shut-off valve, and there was no other access to it other than through a wall.
This took 5-6 hours. I'm not pleased with the cost, not by a long shot, but for "oh crap the water has to stop NOW," I don't believe I was ripped off. If I'd been able to plan its replacement better, and hire a handyman, it probably would have been quite a bit less.
The part that I do hate is that I'd been thinking of replacing it for a while (I absolutely hated the old one, it was too hard to use), but I just put it off a bit too long.
Re: for all that is holy
The plumber had to cut off the tile, cut through the wall to get access to the pipes, cut through both pipes to replace the unit, and then install the new one. (He also replaced the shower head, but I think that was because it came with the faucet part at the hardware store.) The shower does not have a separate shut-off valve, and there was no other access to it other than through a wall.
This took 5-6 hours. I'm not pleased with the cost, not by a long shot, but for "oh crap the water has to stop NOW," I don't believe I was ripped off. If I'd been able to plan its replacement better, and hire a handyman, it probably would have been quite a bit less.
The part that I do hate is that I'd been thinking of replacing it for a while (I absolutely hated the old one, it was too hard to use), but I just put it off a bit too long.