Improper plumbing & trying to remodel bathroom/laundry

[zannej]

Countertop samples arrived today. As I expected, Mom selected Formica "Spectrum Blue". Sink for her bathroom has been ordered. A Toto lavatory that is the same diameter as hers but slightly deeper. Next step is to compare the countertop sample with paint colors to see which ones complement each other.

 

[zannej]

Lavatory arrived today. Box was on its side. I haven't opened it yet as I had other heavy packages to haul in and I'm too exhausted & it's dark in the front room since only 1 light works. I have it in a safe spot and tomorrow morning I'll open it up and see if there are any cracks or damage. The outer box sort of ripped when I was carrying it but it has foam corner thingies suspending the other box inside.

 

[zannej]

I don't have my sketchup files from the desktop on my laptop yet. Currently transferring data. But I got bored and re-built the bathroom in a newer version of Sketchup. Figured out some tricks on how to adjust colors & textures. I remembered to group elements (walls, vanity, etc) this time so it's not so sloppy. I did a rough sketch of the tall melamine laminated cabinet where we keep extra tp, bandaids, cleaning supplies, etc. I found a few models I couldn't find before-- namely the correct shower model for Mom's bathroom. I realized the toilet I was using had some funky thing going up the back wall. So I found a toilet with a better bowl and spliced the tank from the other one on to it to make a Frankenstein toilet. I'm sure it's not the right size. I found a curved shower rod (sadly, no double curved one available from 3dwarehouse) and used it to substitute the double curved. Added in some grab bars but didn't adjust the size.

I didn't feel up to messing with redoing the side shelves though. I'm waiting to get the files off the portable drive when it's done transferring.

Anyway, this is what I came up with thus far:

Wall color displays darker and greener than it should for some reason. But the vanity is about right. I got the floor to match a little better. Added a couple towel bars (only approximations of the real ones) trash can, curtains, soap dish (representing the soap dish/toothbrush holder mounted to the wall), softsoap etc. I think it looks ok.

 

[zannej]

I ordered windows for laundry room and guest bathroom. Mostly need it for guest bathroom. They were on sale and it was the last day of sale. ETA at time of ordering was March 28. They e-mailed me to say it will be June 3 at the earliest. We'll have to see I suppose the windows can be added after remodeling if need be. I can leave the shower enclosure uncut until the window arrives and then cut it to fit the new window. Assuming we an get stuff worked on before June.

 

[zannej]

I got my friend to move the wood block that kept shifting to a spot where it holds still better. He didn't realize the old pipe was where the switch had been sitting before. Took the mounting bracket off of one of the old pressure switches and used it on the block. Got my new hammer drill attachment to drive the 3" screws in. Hasn't jammed since (and I'm about to go check it again).


Still need to get some sort of protective cover over the switch/cables because the default cover won't fit the way the wires are running.

 

[zannej]

Wood block had to be trimmed in the area where the rod moves because the bottom nut kept getting stuck. No pics yet.

I also mentioned in another thread that I annihilated the blackberry bushes out back. That gets me closer to being able to fix stuff up back there.

My To Do List:

• Finish cleaning up debris in yard
• Finish connecting PEX to kitchen sink & outdoor faucet
• Landscape to prevent weeds & nettles from growing back
• Install awning over back door
• Finish demo on old bathroom
• Repair subfloor/doorsill
• Install new back door
• Rough in plumbing
• Install new flooring in laundry room (former bathroom)
• Update electrical
• Install insulation and wall panels
• Paint
• Move washer & dryer to new laundry room
• Install flooring in bathroom
• Install new fixtures in bathroom
• Install new windows
• Add landings to back doors and get proper steps

Hoping my friend will be able to help more now that he got his vision back in his left eye (hit his head hard and it moved the blood clots)

 

[zannej]

The windows arrived. They are MUCH lighter than I expected. Double pane southern exposure rated with argon. They wouldn't do the custom order for tempered glass so I will put a film on the window (and put a small curtain over the window area). I already have some decorative film to put on but I'm thinking of putting on something like this https://www.amazon.com/S8MC-Window-Security-Safety-Clear/dp/B00FRLJTZO/ to reinforce the windows. I know it is supposed to go on the outside but I'll be putting it on the inside.

These are the windows I got (they were on sale for under $100 each): https://www.lowes.com/pd/ReliaBilt-...ment-White-Single-Hung-Window-Half/5001996943

 

[zannej]

I got bored again. Not enough energy to clean but enough to sketch my bathroom roughly.

I haven't bothered to do cutouts until I know more about the measurements and I roughly placed things. Omitted the chest of drawers, towel bars, faucets, mirrors, etc. I'm thinking of getting a small stool or bench seat opposite the toilet (but bumped over so its too close) or a laundry hamper or something. A seat would be nice-- especially one with storage.

I'm still trying to decide what sort of surround to put around the cast iron tub. I may have to cave and get some waterproof drywall to put up around the tub so I can do a glue-up surround.

As for Mom's bathroom, I have better sketches using the colors from the samples of the spectrum blue formica, a wall color she liked, and the behr deep river paint. It is very blue but she loves blue

Here is a closeup of the side shelf above the vanity. There is a thick heavy mirror sitting on top of it as well as a messed up lamp and other junk.

top view of the room (with the new colors). Right now the walls look like the ones in my bathroom but with green stripes instead.




This is what it would generally look like with the shelves unpainted (mom didn't like the white vanity):

I've since added the electrical outlet above the vanity (in the exterior wall) but haven't done screenshots yet. I wonder if I can tap in to that to add a vanity light above. Even something small and lightweight would be nice because, other than the cruddy lamp on the side, the only light is hte ceiling one (that does not work).

 

[ekrig]

That is a serious level of sketchup skill. Vice nice!

 

[Eddie_T]

I saw a house in a magazine once that had a hinged mirror that covered the window when using it but swung out of the way when not needed. As I think about it · · · it may have been a built in medicine cabinet door when closed. Mirrored shutters might work in a small space · · · anyway, just musing · · · I like the unique.

 

[zannej]

Mirrored shutters would be a neat idea. Not sure if she'd agree to it. I need to find new curtains for her bathroom. The fugly green ones have to go. Maybe I could clean up the ones from the kitchen (if I can find them).

I can't use my laptop for the time being so I don't have access to the sketchup files from the laptop at the moment. I need to find my portable drive. I think it fell under my desk. This computer is having some issues-- saying it isn't genuine since I had to clone the drive. Hoping I can find the code to fix that.

After I get the adapter to charge my laptop I'm going to try to do some cleaning. .

 

[zannej]

I forgot to clarify that I did not draw some of the objects. I got the toilet (which I modified- spliced together two different ones), the shower, shower rod, shower curtain, grab bars, towel bars, applique, toilet paper roll, sink, faucet, soap dish, magazine holder, laundry basket, window, curtains, trash can, and vanity light from 3dwarehouse. I drew the room, modified the color pattern of the floor, drew the vanity, shelves, tp holder, and large cabinet. The TP holder and side shelf near the vanity took the most work since they have curves.
Oh, I also didn't make the door. That was from 3dwarehouse bc I'm lazy. LOL.

 

[zannej]

I got the floor from the ensuite bathrooms and put it in the guest bathroom (I'm hoping to have enough leftover to do the whole bathroom. If not, I'll figure something out.
Added some shelves and tweaked a few things. Still trying to decide on a space saver. The oak one I wanted went way up in price.

I'm debating on whether to have a switch for just the vanity light over near the vanity or if I should tie it in to the wall switch from the overhead light. I'm thinking it might be better to do the latter and then have one or two GFCI outlets over by the sink. I have a shaving station next to the door so I think the only thing that would need to plug in near the sink would be to charge a toothbrush & for a water pick. Shaver and hair dryer could be on the side with the door. I ordered a cheap light on amazon that can go over the medicine cabinet. I changed the tp holder to a regular recessed one instead of a custom built. Worst case if my brother brings his phone into the bathroom he can set it on the back of the toilet, whatever shelf/space saver I put up, or the shelf behind the sink. I want to bump it forward a little for plumbing clearance. The weird circle after the towel ring is to protect the wall from the doorknob.

I also changed the color and size of the flooring in the laundry area. Still debating on color of cabinets. Either blue like the door or white. Or maybe a different shade of blue entirely.

 

[havasu]

I just noticed you have 202,000 views on this thread. Could you tell us what you've done to this point?

 

[zannej]

Thus far I've purchased the shower/tub unit, toilet, showerhead, shower arm, valve and trim, vinyl plank flooring, vanity light, vanity, window trim, bathroom door, windows for both rooms, knob for the door, mag-vent for the dryer, back door, pet door for the back door, knob for the back door, and some light switches and plates.
I installed the dog door and painted the back door.
Run PEX for the current washing machine but will need to add pex for the changes (I have the fittings to make the changes- I'm hoping the pex to the washing machine can be moved over to supply water for the tub.
I cleaned the hallway and laundry room but my brother pushed a bunch of trash and laundry out of his room into the area so its a total mess again. Started demo on the walls for the current bathroom but had run into a snag with waterlines (that are now disconnected). Gonna need my brother's and friend's help to get my brother's mess cleaned up again so I can finish demo. Need to throw out and/or relocate stuff that is piled up in the bathroom.
Then I need to figure if I want to use regular wall panels or put up drywall (although I'd use waterproof kind).

I've mostly done measuring and planning. I need to get the joist locations established & figure out how badly damaged the floor is under the washing machine.

I feel bad that I haven't made much progress on this yet. I'd wanted to rough in the plumbing for the new location of the washing machine as well as to the sink and toilet but friend didn't feel up to it & its in a spot where I'm too fat to fit.

I need to stop procrastinating. I think if I get the area cleaned up enough that I can finish some demo, I can figure out what needs to be done to fix & level the floor & get the back door installed. Need to figure out where my prybars and sledgehammer went. I want to slowly build the whole house in sketchup (not that it would make any progress on the actual house work).

I just realized the dog door size was wrong on the door so I fixed it. But I really need to work on the actual house and not 3d models.

 

[zannej]

Mom changed her mind about the vanity light. Doesn't want the one we bought for her bathroom to be put up. So, I got a rechargeable battery one that sticks up and has a magnetic base so the light can be taken off and charged. It has 2 remote controls. So she's happy with that and will let me put it up after we paint her walls. She picked a different color paint for her cabinets (a lighter blue from some paint I found on clearance).

I didn't want to disappoint havasu & after my water supply lines were hooked up in my bathroom, I had no reason to not do attempt #3 at leveling mix. I had to make more than intended bc of a derp in mixing ratios but it worked out because I needed more. Filled in some pits, spread it around and filled in some divots. Accidentally stepped in it though. But I'm going to sand it when it dries a bit more. I'll give it several days to dry thoroughly since I put some on thicker than I should have. It isn't anywhere that will be walked on at least. Additive should make it dry faster. It thickened up fast in the bucket. RIP bucket.

 

[zannej]

Its all dry now. I gave it a light sanding. After this picture I realized there was some stuff spilled on the closet flange so I took a metal scraper and removed anything that stuck up. The very dark stuff is dry. I was trying to figure out what it was and then I remember the additive splashed down in those spots when I was mixing. So the additive stained the floor there. Doesn't matter since it will get covered. up.


This is after I scraped the lumps of stuff off the closet flange. I also scraped the stuff that was covering a screw.


I will need to get a new tub surround. I have these ugly yellowed plastic panels glued up to old wood panels. It was printed wood panels with a mural of ducks. There was only a tub when and no shower when we first moved in.


Side panel is pulling away from the wall

I'll see how it looks and feels when the flooring is down. I still want to build a small toilet platform to make the toilet just a teeny bit higher but I can do that later on because I'm using a Better Than Wax ring so I won't need to mess with wax.

I need to sweep up and vaccuum before I put the floor down and hope there isn't a crease in the sheet vinyl. If there is, I'll just deal with it.

 

[zannej]

My sketchup approximation of the area I've been working on:

Looks a lot nicer in Sketchup. LOL. Flange and supply line positions are approximate.

Need to get it flattened out. Right now it won't straighten up because I have toolboxes and other stuff sitting on the part I need to move over. I need to pull from the back left corner (off camera) and straighten it out more. Once its down and flat I will need to clean it thoroughly. CJ on the flooringforums suggested using a push broom for flattening it out. Will walk on it without shoes after I clean it up more.

 

[zannej]

I worked on this a bit but still need to bring in my push-broom. I swept and vacuumed on top of the vinyl (box with the leveling mix powder fell over and spilled on it). Shopvac clogged up on a styrofoam peanut. No idea where it came from- unless a mouse brought it in. Discovered a couple of mouse holes in the wall and mice chewed the edge of the vinyl in a couple of spots. I also re-vacuumed under the vinyl. I adjusted the way the vinyl was lying as well. Need to flatten it, secure it, and mop it. (I want to secure it before mopping. Also need to fill those mouse holes with steel wool and trim up the excess vinyl. I hope I can find the flooring tape I bought.
There is a reddish stain on one spot on the vinyl. Not sure what it's from but I intend to put a bath mat over that spot anyway.

 

[zannej]

I got it flattened better and did some sweeping and vacuuming both on top of and under the vinyl. Found the flooring tape. Shopvac got clogged so I need to clear it to vacuum more. Once I am completely happy with how it is lying I will start taping (after taking care of mouse holes). Took some pics and am exhausted.


I still need to get the part near the door flattened again but I need to trim some back where it overlaps the carpet. The really filthy stuff will be cut off. Its going to suck trying to do stuff around the door since I'm not taking it off as I need to keep cats out. I plan to tape corners down just in case so it won't move once I have it completely flat. I want to tuck it under the carpet a bit-- will use plastic putty spreader thingies for pushing it under after I gently lift the carpet. I plan to run it up the toekick a bit. Have to fix that little tear near the vanity but it snot a big deal. I'll probably fix it with the flooring tape.