It's starting on Tuesday and I'm so scared.

[The empressof all]

The work crew is starting my bathroom remodel on Tuesday. I'm separating my weird bathroom with the two toilets into one full bath and one three quarter bath. We'll finally have a bath attached to the master and the other will be attached to the hall.

I've put this off now for almost a year---I just couldn't imagine dealing with the mess.

In one room They're tearing out a double vanity and a shower. They'll create a wall, install a tub, vanity, move a toilet, tile floor and tub surround, replace lighting and paint. In the other room they're installing a new heater, changing faucets, installing a shower, tiling floor and shower walls, painting and cutting a hole for a door.

They say it will take two weeks.....I think they lie......This guy has great references and I like him but............

:scared: :scared: :scared: :scared:

[NMDemDist2]

1. that time estimate sounds about right

but it'll be a mess

but think how happy you'll be when it's all done

go RIGHT NOW and take us some "before" pics :bounce:

[The empressof all]

2. Here it is in all it's messy glory

I couldn't get a good angle to give you the complete picture.
Right now I'm in the midst of getting stuff out of them. They are a dirty filthy mess. The rooms have weird angles so you can't see the other toilet which is on the other side of the gaping hole in the wall. Yes, that is a walk through shower and a door to the outside on the other side. Don't you just love those dated curtains which have been there since before I moved in? We rarely use that back bathroom now so I normally just close it off and forget about it. The wall will go where the shower is now and the double vanity will be replaced with a single. A tub will go where the wall will be built and the toilet will be moved closer to the new vanity. I'm putting in tuscan colored tiles on the floor and around the tub. (The big size) The new vanity will be dark wood with a black marble top. The fixtures will be in brushed nickle. I'm putting the same tile in the back bath but will keep the vanity in there and probably put a white wash on it. I'm thinking of doing both bathrooms in a pale yellow with cream trims.

[Kingshakabobo]

3. Unless they are REALLY fast I would say closer to a month.

Sounds like fun though. Think of how nice it will be when you re done.

[Warpy]

4. Gee, you could have taken out one of the toilets

and put in a bidet, saved a lot of money and outclassed all your neighbors in one fell swoop.

[The empressof all]

5. It was a hard decision

We thought about just knocking out the shower and making it one big glorious, decadent, mega bath. These are the only facilities on this floor though so we ultimately decided that having the extra bathroom would add value to the house. I'm not planning on being here for more than 5 more years. It's too big of a house for just the two of us and my daughter will probably be gone by then. Frankly, I'm not much of a yard person and I have 5 acres here.

I'm so ready for the condo..... Or at least a much smaller and already renovated house.....with a big patio.......and very little grass.

[jschurchin]

6. Being afraid is natural.........

however, if your guy has good references and is competent 2 weeks sounds right.

I just got done installing a powder room and laundry closet(stacked washer/dryer). Demo took one day, framing, plumbing, electrical and drywall took about a week. Painting, one day. Trim and installing fixtures took a couple days and I did it myself. So if he has a crew 2 weeks is safe.

Enjoy your new bath and powder room!!!!

[shanti]

7. look at the bright side

at least you have a second bathroom to use! i gutted my ONLY bathroom last year and remodeled from the floor up. it took my contractor THREE WEEKS to finish it completely, and the room was very small, 5x8!! i was tearing my hair out! it's very stressful to have a stranger in your house. i'm still pissed about him inviting one of my neighbors (who i am NOT friendly with) into my home when i wasn't there to look at it tho :mad:

i love my bathroom now tho:) i replaced the tub (very very difficult, tight squeeze), tiled the surround, new fixtures, toilet, medicine cabinet, tile floor, vanity, corian top, and sink fixtures, replaced lights, door, AND painted. i think i got a deal. the contractor (very slow older dude) agreed to do it for $800! 2/3 of the way in, he got pissy with me because he signed for such a small amount and basically dragged his feet the rest of the way.

take it one day at a time - you can do it!
peace

[The empressof all]

8. THEY'LL BE HERE IN TWO HOURS

I'm kinda feeling stressed out about this. Just how much destruction dust is going to get kicked up. My bedroom is right next door and they are cutting a hole for a door between the rooms. Is my bed going to get covered with crap? Should I cover the computer that is about 12 feet away from where the hole is cut. Is this going to smell really bad. I know these are probably questions I should have asked already......but.......


Why didn't I just go visit my sister for two weeks.....


:scared: :scared: :scared: :scared:

[NMDemDist2]

9. cover EVERYTHING!

move the computer if you can, hell move it even if you "can't"

it shouldn't smell bad though......

make yourself up a bed on the other side of the house, you'll be glad you did (edit to add or downstairs)

take PICS!

:hug:

[The empressof all]

10. That's what I thought too

I had this discussion with SO last night and he thought it was gonna be no big deal. I'm going to go ahead and cover the computer for today and move it tonight. It's too late to move the bed today, I'll cover it as best I can and remove all the blankets and pillows.
I'm so freaking out...... :hi: :hi:

:scared: :scared: :scared: :scared: :scared:

[Longhorn]

11. The contractor should cover the open doorways with plastic.

My husband covers the floors and the openings to seal off the dust and debris as best possible. It's probably not a bad idea to put some sheets over your bed and computer anyway, though, since sheetrock dust can find its way all through the house.

It will be a mess and you'll get tired of it but you'll be glad you did it in the long run. Good luck!

[NMDemDist2]

12. make up a bed downstairs

think of it as indoor camping

:bounce:

[The empressof all]

13. SO is now moving the bed upstairs

The bathroom (s) getting done are downstairs. Gosh I guess that look of fear and rage in my eyes got him moving.....He hasn't even had his second cup of coffee yet. Just him moving the bed has relieved 50% of my anxiety. I'm a little compulsive about dirt on my bed.....Shoot I don't even like anyone sitting on it. (But that's a whole other ball of wax)

[NMDemDist2]

14. there ya go, that's the ticket

you'll be happier to have a sanctuary away from the noise and mess

hang in there TEoA :hug:

it will be SO worth it in the long run.......

[eleny]

15. Good!

I'm glad that you're moving stuff.

When we were having windows removed to have bays installed in their place, the installer said that many people wish they could just leave the house. I enjoyed it because it was a gorgeous Fall day and the raw opening looked great. BUT - when we had to have the dining room ceiling replaced, I went shopping! It's a ranch house. They knocked the whole ceiling down and I could not stay to watch. I got back when the noise and calamity stuff was completed and the attic was exposed. I was glad that I missed the drama. So, you aren't alone in freaking out a little. Your nest is being disrupted!

Hugs and best of luck with all this.

[The empressof all]

16. Well, I survived Day One

Boy are you all gonna get sick of me posting about this! You would think a grown woman would be able to cope with this disruption...but you know it's my bathroom god dang it and I need it!

They took out everything but one toilet and the vanity that is staying. I can still temporarily use it when they are not here which is great cause my arthritic knees do not like the steps.

They left everything pretty tidy and my ugly curtain is still up.





They haven't cut the door to the bedroom yet. I'm concerned because there is plumbing and electrical there that may make it more complicated than we thought.

[Stinky The Clown]

17. Looks to me like you got a reasonably good contractor ....

..... judging from your end-of-day photo. I see accomplishment and I also see clean-up from the day's work.

That's a good sign.

[troubleinwinter]

20. I agree! Pretty tidy. Good sign of a conscientious contractor.

[NMDemDist2]

18. wow, nice clean up

you should be in great shape in no time

:applause:

and thanks for the pics!

[eleny]

19. Ooooh! The house's innards!

Congrats on making it through today. One day and one surprise at a time. Don't forget to - bre-e-e-eathe.

[troubleinwinter]

21. I cooked in the garage for six weeks!

...on a coleman stove (with a kid & husband) and washed dishes in the laundry sink... washing machine was my "kitchen counter". I musta been younger then!

Then, we had a blue porta-potty in the yard for a week! Traveled across town to the parents' for showers. I musta been younger then!

Remodeling builds character! And nice homes.

Thanks for sharing your pics and experiences!

[The empressof all]

22. Update

I'll try to get in-progress pictures up tomorrow. The front bathtub is in and the tiling is going on as we speak. All the plumbing is done. They just need to connect it all. My daughter NOW thinks the yellow paint SHE chose is too yellow. The contractor is calling it the Big Bird Bath....Just to annoy her....Gotta love him.

I haven't seen the back bath yet. They have that door blocked off.

It's gonna be good.

[NMDemDist2]

23. superb! and they seem to be staying on schedule too

I'm so glad it's going smoothly so far (knock wood)

so are you glad you moved the bed? is that working out for you?

[The empressof all]

25. Yes we moved the bed and computer upstairs

Of course, I developed a bladder infection two days ago. Those stairs are killing me..... The tile is down now in the front bath and the yellow is kind of growing on me. The light fixtures aren't in yet so I'm looking forward to seeing how it looks when it's lit.

These guys have been terrific. I'm going to have them bid on my next big project. I'm putting in a new french door in my bedroom and have to replace some sub floor then major flooring replacement. I'm thinking of the Pergo that looks like tile in there. With my dogs and husband's resistance to removing his shoes carpet just won't work for us. I'll get some smaller area rugs for the bedside.

Next year I'm aiming to do the kitchen!

[NMDemDist2]

26. carpet is overrated IMO

it's just a big dust collector and hell on allergies

if you have any kind of family or life, carpet gets nasty in like, 12 nanoseconds

[The empressof all]

27. Thank-you

I too have always thought Carpet was well, just kind of disgusting. I never feel like it's truly clean even after professional shampooing. All those little nooks and crannies are just terrific hiding places for all kinds of who knows what. Then when you factor in people dragging crap in on their feet---Oy!

Believe me, I am by no means a clean freak but, carpet just has always kind of grossed me out. With my dogs and family, my Pergo on our first floor has been an absolute god-send. I sweep it up and wet-jet it when I absolutely need to. I am so looking forward to getting rid of the carpet I still do have in the house.

[NMDemDist2]

28. have you ever pulled carpet out and seen what was underneath?

:puke:

just saying,.......

[The empressof all]

29. I just did that in my bedroom

This is in a poorly constructed addition to the house. It's just old linoleum on concrete and unattractive plywood flooring. Very very ugly. I've found that houses built in the 70's out here in PNW didn't get a lot of attention to details during building. I knew it wasn't going to be a hidden treasure when I pulled it up. But after living with 10 year old carpeting sprinkled with puppy poop stains...anything is better. You know I can't wait to put that Pergo down.

[NMDemDist2]

30. we have pretty much landed on a house in NM but haven't visited the

inside yet

it lists carpet as one of the flooring types but also hardwood

I am praying it's hardwood under the carpet LOL

and since the house is well over 20 years old, I may get lucky

[The empressof all]

31. I can't wait to hear how you like NM

SO and I have been toying with the idea of moving down there ourselves in a few years. I've never been so we need to visit first. I have a feeling though it might be the place for us to go. Santa Fe will probably be too expensive for us but we're going to downsize so maybe even a condo would work for us. I don't think I can handle the heat too much in the south and SO wants to be close to ski slopes.

[NMDemDist2]

32. there are plenty of places with high elevations that are cool in the south

but ski slopes are mostly up north by Colorado I think

but I love the heat so I am already dreading the winters at 3100 elev :rofl:

[Warpy]

45. Ski Apache is on the Mescalero Rez right near Ruidoso.

[Warpy]

44. If you like mountains and don't mind a little snow

check out Silver City and Ruidoso.

If you like to fry, check out Roswell.

There are a lot of nice little towns in this state.

Just be careful. A friend calls this the Land of Entrapment because people who move here never want to leave.

[Warpy]

43. The people who had this house before me

had 3 dogs, three cats, and a bunch of birds. They also didn't believe in either house training or cleaning, by the look of things.

I painted the interior with that carpeting down and dripped all over it. Then I started pulling it up.

You can tell which rooms were closed off to the dogs. The hardwood floors are BLACK just outside the doors.

It's a good thing I weave rugs. Handwoven rugs hid a multitude of sins.

[NMDemDist2]

46. yuck

there's a difference between having dogs and letting the dogs ruin the house

but I pulled up every inch of carpet in this house cuz it's just gross IMO

plan to do the same thing in the new old farmhouse when we get there

[Stinky The Clown]

47. Did you ever try oxalic acid on the black stains?

It often works pretty well on oak that gets darkened like that from puppypee.

It *is* an acid and it *does* require care when you use it, but no more than, say, oven cleaner.

[NMDemDist2]

48. good tip! thanks

cuz the (hopefully) new house has some wood flooring in it

I have no idea of the condition yet

[Warpy]

49. It's on my list

for when the floor finish gets bad enough that I want to refinish the whole place.

My list stretches from here to the moon. This poor little house was in very, very tough shape. It needed a friend badly.

[Stinky The Clown]

24. Pour vous

[NMDemDist2]

33. where's the pics?? n/t

[The empressof all]

34. They're coming

I can't find the cord to attach the camera to the computer. I'm hoping my kid will find it when she gets home as she moved the computer for me. Soon....I promise.......

[The empressof all]

35. NEW PICTURES

The front bathroom is almost done. I'm not big on the color but I'll live with it. It's hard to get a complete shot.




And here's the new tub with one of my "guys"



I have functioning toilet and water in this bathroom but can't use the tub for a few days. Still needs all the little extra's installed.

[NMDemDist2]

36. NICE!!!!

that is beautiful TEoA!!

can't wait to see the "Big Bird Bath" too :rofl:

[The empressof all]

37. This is the big bird bath

The yellow is quite a bit brighter in person!

The rear bath (master) has the shower in but they haven't done any tiling in there yet. Probably another week for that one. That bath will be a much lighter shade of yellow. It has a sky light so it's going to be very light and bright in there.

[NMDemDist2]

38. wow, it doesn't see very yellowy yellow to me

:shrug:

[The empressof all]

39. It's pretty yellow

It's not that bright, vibrant, primary color yellow....but it's up there on the yellow scale...At least for me. The kid picked it out since this will be her bathroom. I only have to live with it for a few years anyway.

[NMDemDist2]

40. thass right! you're gonna come check out my old farm house

next summer right?

:bounce:

[Stinky The Clown]

41. I **like** it.

I really like the vanity .... and the way you have tile on the side of the tub. Very 'fitted', as they say in the UK.

Yellow is a very fashionable color these days. Admitedly, its 'out there', but it works. We hgave it in our kitchen (more orange than yellow and **very** hot) and in our master bedroom (more creamy yellow, but still very much yellow). I suspect it goes well against that tile color.

Is the floor tile the same as the tub face and wall?

[The empressof all]

42. The yellow is growing on me

The floor is the same as the wall tile. The shadows in the room alter there color significantly. The tile guy was having problems with the tile adhesive so after this picture was taking they removed all the tile from the walls, cleaned them and they're re-tiling today. I love my guys! If anyone in the Seattle Area (north-east end) needs work done I couldn't recommend them more highly!