Author Topic: Adventures in renovations... again  (Read 5056 times)

lighter

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Re: Adventures in renovations... again
« Reply #15 on: June 16, 2025, 11:15:25 AM »
So, the old, very short, but solid wood vanity is going.  The new one requires bar top protector to be poured.....I need to get a round sink and oiled rubbed bronze faucet.

Considering running new flooring through hallway and master bedroom.  Would be smart thing to do, ime. 

It looks like the 3"x6" blue glass tiles will be used extensively through the bathroom.  Maybe to the ceiling on every wall. 

The thought is calming.

Black pebbles with black grout on shower floor?  I think, yes.






lighter

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Re: Adventures in renovations... again
« Reply #16 on: June 17, 2025, 09:51:01 AM »
Contractor brought a "feller" with him this morning, for demo.  They're cutting the shower in two, now, and filling house with poison gas/burning 45 yo plastic SO BAD.  I hope they're wearing respirators.....
guessing they're not.

I turned off AC, opened windows for cross breeze, and took pug outside.

We're tiling everything, so all wallpaper covered sheetrock is going.....I think I've stacked 40sf of tile in bedroom attached to that bathroom......the "gas" interrupted my process. 

Contractor doesn't want to tile behind new vanity, but I'm thinking we will, if I have enough tile.
They now have classic rock going ....I was wondering when that would start.
I have a twitchy bad feeling around helper Robert.  He's argumentative with Biggy, and has tossed his tools once already, reminding me of nutter contractor.

Will pay him cash,for the day, and assume that's the end of him.  Certainly, won't be introducing him to DDs.

The pug finally calmed down. 

I'm going to put a blanket up in hallway, while holding my breathe.  I think my respirator is at lake.  I know it is.






lighter

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Re: Adventures in renovations... again
« Reply #17 on: June 17, 2025, 10:32:59 AM »
Biggie had me join him in the poison gas chamber, to point out shower plumbing NOT inside the wall.  Will pick up supplies and address that tomorrow.

I now have a headache, and no, they're not wearing respirators, but seem to be getting along fine.

The last disagreement, I understood, was around the tiny blind they removed, and I wasn't saving .....
Biggie: "It's metal."
Robert: "It's plastic."
Biggie: "It's metal ."
Robert: "It's plastic."

Me, thinking ....."Throw it in the damn trailer and keep moving, for Pete's sake."

lighter

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Re: Adventures in renovations... again
« Reply #18 on: June 18, 2025, 05:44:57 PM »
Robert helper man is done at my job, but it's ants to work with Biggie, full time, again.  Not happening, according to Biggie.  The guy has no driver's license. 

The tile, now that I've unpacked 200sf of the stuff, is really duck egg blue.  Too much gray and green to be anything else.  I'm taking a moment, to have a beer, and celebrate it for a moment.
::swooning::.
It's magic, for me.  Frosted.  Just very yummy.

Biggie and I picked up the shower components today.  The tile place was completely under water during the hurricane. They're just emptying their tile warehouse, as of yesterday.  Everything is 1.99 SF.....and covered in mud.  I found little black penny tiles.....Matt finish. Just right, but tasted of sadness and ruin.  They have 2 prices ....
Regular and flood.









lighter

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Re: Adventures in renovations... again
« Reply #19 on: June 20, 2025, 08:33:45 PM »
Contractor has shower system in, ready for tape.  Most of the plumbing and electrical is done.  Lots of tape....not many wire nuts... contractor appalled.

He's decided to put a door in, and build a deck off his main bathroom, with outdoor shower, to solve his outdoor shower problems.  Where once he felt I was a bit mad, he now sees the beauty. Yup. 

Should finish up plumbing, electrical, framing, put up remaining Schluter backer board and tape off tomorrow.  Likely won't get to tiling till Monday.

I'm well pleased with the progress🪷

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lighter

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Re: Adventures in renovations... again
« Reply #20 on: June 24, 2025, 07:02:03 AM »
Contractor's tile saw blade trial run was a disaster yesterday on glass tiles.

He ordered a $90 blade, arrives today.  Will see.

He'll have the shower tile installed today, hopefully.....was supposed to be yesterday.

Taking pug for early morning walk, before it gets hot.

lighter

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Re: Adventures in renovations... again
« Reply #21 on: June 24, 2025, 02:20:50 PM »
I had Sherwin Williams mix a water based urethane trim enamel as touch up paint for duck egg blue glass tiles.  It's pretty darned close.....I can't see the difference.

It's a 2 hour dry time vs 72 hour dry time of oil base paint.

Contractor has a blown brake line and dump truck stuck in the mud, full of gravel..... couldn't be here today.

This gave me time to do a proper clean up, of work space, tape off bedroom floor, resolve tile issue and bathe/see to pug.

Tomorrow will be go go go. I plan to tile everything low, bc I can't stand to see Contractor on his knee replacements....makes me weak and queasy, literally, to watch.

He and I have found out mutual respect mojo. I adore his wife ...we get along well. At first, contractor didn't want any help at all. 
I stepped back. 
Now, he asks me to go on material runs, and has accepted I'll be tiling too.

Man it's HOT!




lighter

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Re: Adventures in renovations... again
« Reply #22 on: June 29, 2025, 07:56:10 AM »
Day 697 cutting 6"x3"
glass
tile.🫩

Two days ago, there was much despair....mostly in my part.  Contractor less so.

Yesterday, we came close to finishing. At the end of the day, I cut tile for 2 niches/one with a shelf.  (After, I went to nearby movie theater for truffle Parmesan fries with garlic aoli and ketchup....no movie.  Just the frues.) Today I paint the flaked off paint tile edges, and select tile for balance of bathroom walls.  I can smell the barn.

Chances are I never consider glass tile again....well.  Maybe for a backsplash.  It's such slow cutting!!!!  And the touch up....and exact paint matching and waiting for it to dry😭

::happily running to admire it::.

If I didn't absolutely love it, I would have scraped off the first 2 feet, and done something else. I am not kidding😱

Ready to buy the toilet.

The faucet arrived.....sink's en route.

The exterior door, to outside shower, has 7/22 arrival date listed, but is likely to arrive sooner.

I'm excited about the vanity.  6 big drawers.  How nice will it be to never have to dig through another stuffed cabinet, in that bathroom, again?!?! Woo hoo!

Lighter



lighter

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Re: Adventures in renovations... again
« Reply #23 on: July 01, 2025, 09:02:43 AM »
Der boden is in, and he is spectacular!  There's  different To VP plank colors involved, so threshold selection took a bit of time.  I ended up at store where flooring came from. SO good!  Did the hallway, also,   4 thresholds, in all.  Furring up threshold where LVP meets kitchen tile. 

If today goes well, all tile will be installed, but for the wall where exterior door going in.  It's set for 7/22 delivery, still. 

 The "helper" tire out old flooring, trim,vand helped with install.  I couldn't watch, and went upstairs, which was first time I left the job while contractor here.

Floor protector paper down, this morning.  Waiting for contractor to arrive.  8 boxes of 1'x2' tiles in CrV.  Bullnose on site. 

Been shopping shower doors.  I haven't bought a ready made shower door.  Ever.  Thinking will be short, hard to clean and generally disappointing   Any advice?

Lighter




sKePTiKal

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Re: Adventures in renovations... again
« Reply #24 on: July 01, 2025, 09:12:35 AM »
Stock a couple of squeegess. Tell guests to use after every shower. I despise glass doors to clean!! One never gets them squeeky clean; water spots & soap remain - always.

Yes, one can RainX them and that helps - but you HAVE to get them spotless first. Hol recommended a 5-7% vinegar and citric acid spray and it DOES help, but the vids I've watched repeat the process 2-3 times and scrubs with 00 steel wool (beware scratching!!)

I'd go with shower curtains as my preference. They can compliment the decor; are washable; and relatively inexpensive to replace or change up.
Success is never final, failure is never fatal.

lighter

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Re: Adventures in renovations... again
« Reply #25 on: July 01, 2025, 11:32:25 PM »
I ended up ordering a 79" tall bypass door on a black rail,with a bottom track.

It's coated glass, and won't break apart, in case of accident.....easier to clean.

I'm a squeegee queen.....one in every shower, but maybe I'm the only one using them.  At the lake, I shower in the bathroom needs a cleaning.  Sort of dread showering there, bc of that. Squeegee, then dry the wet bits. 

FYI, standard readymade shower doors are very short.  79" is tallest, but have to look for them, and they're more expensive....some double.  Custom are triple, or more, the cost.

I'll use the RainX tip.  Thanks, Amber.🌞