And So It Begins

[wdfifteen]

We have planned to remodel the master bath in our house since we moved in 3 years ago. I'm just not interested. We've been remodeling or rebuilding something on this place for 3 years and I'm tired of this sh... crap. We didn't want to live without a master bathroom for as long as it would take for me to do it (years), so we hired a contractor. He's a good one. Supposed to be done in 3 weeks. He started today, and already i can't find my toothbrush.



The design was bad from the beginning. They put everything in the corners. The corner heated Jacuzzi bathtub was the worst. It is so short I would have my chin on my knees to sit in it. I have no idea why European sized people would ever install such a thing. Neither of us has even tried to use it. Storage in the corner cabinet was pathetic. There was space, but everything had to go in through a narrow door. The stupid garage door cabinet was just - stupid.



The room isn't huge, it's 12x13, but plenty big enough to put in a human sized shower. This tiny dorm room shower makes no sense in this room.



The only access to the master closet was through the master bath and down a hallway. Not only was the hallway a waste of space, but the moisture from the bathroom shower, etc went right into the clothes closet. Not a good idea.



There was a perfect place to access the closet from directly from the master bedroom.



Turned out the perfect access wasn't as perfect as we hoped. There was only space between a drain from the 3rd floor bathroom and a cold air return duct to put a 30" door, so the 36" door had to go back. The wait for the 30" door is about 4 weeks.

[Bugsinrugs]

The drain from the upstairs bath can’t be moved?
I just had to move a vent pipe because it was right behind the shower valve and I was putting in a larger valve. Just wondering.

[aschen]

That is a strange layout

I wish you the best of luck, there always seems to be frustrations with these projects

Our master bath really needs an overhaul as well, I will continue to kick the can down the road until we can no longer stand it I guess.

[sugarwood]

What will the whole project cost you ?

[rusnak]

the original bathroom looks like it came straight off of a 1990s Costco floor display.

[Evans, Marv]

We have a walk-in shower in our master bath. Next to it is one of those large tubs with jaccuzi stuff. My wife wanted it and uses it rarely but makes a big deal out of it with lighting and wine when she does. I guess something had to take up that space. I've only been in it once with her and use a middle hall bath with a shower mostly. In your case, would opening up the wall between the bath & closet to sort of make one room and allow a sitting area be a possibility?

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by Bugsinrugs

The drain from the upstairs bath can’t be moved?

It could have been moved. The pipe went into a chase in the ceiling downstairs. We discussed it, and recalled from having opened up the chase last fall to run a gas line that the chase was packed with plumbing pipes and duct work. We would likely have to cut out enough of the ceiling to move some furnace ducts just to get to the pipe. It seemed like the best solution was just using a smaller door.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by sugarwood

What will the whole project cost you ?

I'm hoping to get it under $15k with labor, paint, and hardware.

[asphaltgambler]

Diggin the gold trimmed shower, so 1980's - don't know why you'd ever want to remove that...

[wdfifteen]

Well. The contractor got a wall cut out to move some plumbing around and went to the lumber yard to get drywall. They don't have any. The nearest Lowe's doesn't have any 1/2". He's going to have to "borrow" some from another contractor.
The local place had a shortage of treated lumber over the summer, but now they have plenty of treated but are low on regular 2x4s.

[Nostril Cheese]

The toilet brush goes above the toilet?

[DonDavis]

That's a Loofah, Cheese Meister.

[911 Rod]

When you move out, the next woman is going to come in and say "what was the previous owner thinking?" lol

Looks like a good price. It cost me that for the downstairs 3 pc. bathroom.

[john70t]

The tub fill spout looks like a grab handle. Right in the way of everything. Gymnastics on slippery surfaces.

[sugarwood]

Originally Posted by asphaltgambler

Diggin the gold trimmed shower, so 1980's - don't know why you'd ever want to remove that...

Looks chrome to me

[ben parrish]

How on earth are you getting heated floor for $409? We are working on a plan for 10x10 bathroom and the floor heating is almost 3x that and I am doing the work myself.

[rusnak]

Originally Posted by DonDavis

That's a Loofah, Cheese Meister.

When a toilet is flushed, there is a fog of bacteria and basically poo that is ejected by the swirling water. That's why they say to not put a toothbrush near a toilet. But I guess the loofah is OK if that sort of thing is what a person is going for.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by ben parrish

How on earth are you getting heated floor for $409? We are working on a plan for 10x10 bathroom and the floor heating is almost 3x that and I am doing the work myself.

It’s a Heat Tech 70 square foot mat. $409 with programmable thermostat. Your 100 sq ft is $525.

[wdfifteen]

I knew this was going to be a headache before we even started. It has been about what I expected.
The contractor has been great but:
The shower doors didn't fit - 6 to 8 weeks to get a new one in.
It took forever to find the right fixtures, and I'm still looking for a longer hose for the shower.
The cabinets are not right. They have the right finish, but it was supposed to be clear maple, not distressed maple. One of the doors has a knothole clear through it.
The fronts for the closet were not made right.
The the box of the cabinet sitting on the vanity was supposed to be 12 inches shorter and the sides were supposed to extend down 12 inches below the box, so it rested on the counter top and had a cubby hole at the bottom.
The contractor estimated the job would take 3 weeks. We are 3 weeks in and still no floor, no shower door, and all the cabinet doors need to be changed out once they arrive - in 6 to 8 weeks.

We thought that the drywall work was finished and the torrent of drywall dust we've been living with was over. But - the on-line instructions for the floor show the thermostat requiring a 4"x4" box, which he installed. But the thermostat that came with the kit takes a single gang box - more sawing and sanding of drywall.








The good news is MrsWD and I took down the IKEA-like modular closet fixtures and rearranged them, painted the walls and ceiling, installed a new light fixture, and got it back together in one long weekend.

[greglepore]

Cool. We had a very similar bath here, stupid corner shower, big soaking tub. It was a step down below floor level. First night in the house I went to pee, and walked in the wrong door in the dark, fell down the single step an cracked my head on the tub surround. Came to to paramedics. Refused transport.
We were going to redo anyway, so poured a slab over the existing. Put radient pex in the floor, heated by a little 120v water heater and circ pump. Open shower and freestanding tub.

Good luck w the remodel, sucks while in progress but worth it.