Non-Garden Project Part 2

 Construction began on November 13th.  The first week was devoted to demolition, which is now 95% complete.  Demolition took longer than it might have because we are retaining some parts of the original, including the bathtub, mirrors, and cabinets.  This demands slower, more careful demolition. 

The remodel doesn't rearrange much, because the basic layout of the bathroom was fine.  The remodel does three things:  

1. fixes the shower leak and its associated issues
2. fixes a few quirks we did not like about the layout
3. installs more durable, easier-to-clean surfaces than the original materials.  

1.  The shower leak damaged a section of the sub-floor and one part of the framing of the shower.  The sub-floor section will be replaced and the damaged corner of the shower will be re-framed. 

2 a. The shower entry was originally on the right in the photo, with a glass insert on the left to let in light.  We're exchanging the positions;  the glass insert will be on the right and the entry on the left.  In addition, there will be a glass door on the shower entry, where before there was none.  With no shower door, showering in the winter is chilly.  A door will make it more comfortable. 

Damaged area to be replaced is circled:

2 b. Here's the first photo of the post again.  One quirk we wanted corrected was the step around the bathtub (where the wiggly white line is).  The step made getting into the tub both awkward and dangerous.  It also made the room feel smaller than it really is, because the step made the floor of the room look smaller.  

In the 90's, a sort of stairway-to-the-bathtub was the Trend, and like many Trends, it was a fairly stupid idea.   The room already has a more spacious feel with the step removed.

2 c. We're adding a bathroom door!  Another fairly stupid Trend Of The Past to correct was the lack of a bathroom door.  We want to preserve the interesting arch in the bathroom entrance, so the door to be added will be built something similar to this: 

3.  The walls and floors will be porcelain and ceramic tile, and the other horizontal surfaces will be synthetic quartz.  These surfaces will be more maintainable and more easily cleanable than the original stone, which required regular and pricey polishing/resealing.  We're also getting a new (but proven-to-be-good) kind of grout, which will not need periodic resealing. 

The original surfaces were a soft sandstone which deteriorated.  It became pitted by water contact.  We were not able to select surfaces when we bought the house and would have never chosen stone for a shower had we known the maintenance issues involved.  

The cabinets will be reused and given a darker stain.  They are good quality and still in good condition.  Why put stuff into a landfill if it is still good and of a classic style?

 One weird mysterious thing the demo revealed:  there were electric plugs hidden behind the cabinet drawers.  What the ?!?!?

My guess is that the builder was planning to put two small vanities instead of one long one, leaving an empty space in the middle of the wall.  What do you think?  

Now that demolition is essentially complete,  the next part of the project is framing/sub-floor repair, and a small amount of  "rough" plumbing, "rough" meaning the plumbing inside the walls.  "Finish" plumbing is work done outside the walls, such as installing faucets.  The shower head is moving to the wall to the left of the new doorway; everything else will remain in place.  We're changing to quarter turn (ball) shut off valves as well.  

All this is Not Gardening.  Sorry.  Rest assured, I am Out There.