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Q: Why is China's plumbing so bad?
Ever notice how many toilets in restaurants, bars and even offices don't allow you to drop a big one? The problem seems to affect every other toilet in this country and no toilet - whether squat or western - is immune. The other day I came out of a toilet in an office building and the Ayi practically ran in as soon as I left to make sure I didn't do a big bad number 2. Disgusting topic I know, but why can't they just get their plumbing in order? Bowel movements are a natural bodily function and is an inescapable part of life...therefore the proper "provisions" must be made to ensure the smooth and efficient handling of this reality!
I don't understand your question. The quality of plumbing seems to be at the same level as e.g. electrical installations, ventilation, etc.
I can only think of a few things that have less user-friendliness than a Chinese bathroom.
This is the reason, why there is lot of MSG and other laxatives used in food here. The reason is to change your BigOne to an semi-liquid fertilizer,just right after you come back from lunch. And when all toilet stalls in office are full ...
Scandinavian is right regarding the same level as the other utilities but I think it goes further than that, it is the same level as everything else. There seems to be a mental state here that says provided the minimum is done to complete the job that's enough. We see it with service in shops, restaurants and all other service industries. You know what I mean that "I got the food to you what else do you want? Oh, on time,hot, desert after main course. Oh no I just bring food to table" attitude. There is no awareness of the benefits of doing a good job, or the satisfaction of having done a good job. It is like we have done it this way for 5,000 years and it always worked so why change it. The really strange thing is they do change things, like the toilets. That is a big change over a hole in the ground but they never seem to follow through on it. Another post here a while ago asked why American Standard urinals and toilets where used so frequently, and this in a country that invented porcelain. It almost seems like there is a glimmer of wanting better but no idea of how to achieve it so just copy or import, but when they get it they then hook it up to some medieval drainage system. Oh well that is China, I'm into my third year here and it never ceases to amaze me,sometimes really good and sometimes ten miles beyond terrible.
xinyuren:
Oh, my god, you just expressed my thoughts exactly. It's like you copied my brain. I'm decorating a house now and the only good service I received was from a slate quarry that only exports to the West! Good comment.
ambivalentmace:
i decorated my own house here and installed everything myself, the last house everything tore up in less than a year, bad grout job, ceiling falling apart in 8 months, but you still have to cuss and scream and threaten to kill people to get quality material to work with to do the job right yourself.
my chinese wife thought i was crazy but i told her if it cant be done right , it want be done at all. when i told her house painter it the paint peels in less than 2 years , can i come in your home and kill you for telling me a lie, he left, good riddance.
the bad thing is when you have the money to pay for quality and you still cant get quality, service or product, makes no difference, just enough to get by for everything.
Scandinavian:
I could probably have ranted on until I got to the rest of the things. But alas, I was stopped by the fact that most toilet "hardware" I see is of the brand "American Standard" and also due to the fact that the toilet in our apartment is probably on the list of things I'd be least likely to throw from the balcony.
Probably because the builders are from the country and all they know is a squat to a big pit of which the gas heats the home, or stinks the place out.
I bought a home in Nanning and the stink in the morning was like living in a sewer. The smell was coming from the plug hole in the sink of both bathrooms. I was lucky enough to have space under my apartment and was able to cut out the right angle bends and replace them with "U" water trap, not a difficult job if one is technical minded. If you don't have access I suggest that you insert the plug and add water.
