My Free Bathroom

Almost There!

2014-04-04T08:54:00.000-05:00

I realized this week that I am almost there! I am so thankful that the city building inspector has given me some extra time to complete the project. I have emailed him every Friday with a status update and he has been great to work with.

However, I think I am ready to schedule the final inspection! I am hoping to schedule an inspection for this coming Monday. This week I was able to paint the walls and to install the shower doors. I also was able to prime the rest of the walls. Which means we can start cleaning the drywall dust that sits on every horizontal surface of our house!

For the decor, we decided to go with gray walls, white trim and doors, black furniture, and yellow and red towels and decorations. More on the black furniture later, but here is a picture of the walls painted gray and also the shower doors.

Drywall & Tile

2014-03-27T16:16:00.002-05:00

Throughout the last month I have been incredibly busy hanging drywall, taping, sanding, applying more mud, sanding again, adding a little more mud, sanding, and now finally painting and laying tile.

One of the difficulties of using materials obtained for free, especially when installing drywall, is that I have had to work with small pieces. This has usually not been a problem, since this is a very small space, but it has been a taping hassle. I was fortunate enough to get several sheets of drywall at no cost thanks to a Craigslist find last year! In the end, though, I purchased a few more sheets just to finish the drywall.

Then came the fun of taping, mudding, and sanding. This is one of those jobs that really is not hard, and anyone can do it. It just takes so long when you do not have the "touch" of a pro! The guys who apply mud every day have an amazing ability to apply just the right amount of mud in the right places with a steady hand, resulting in very little sanding! We do-it-yourselfers, well, we just sand a lot and re-coat - A LOT!

After installing all the drywall and taping the inside of the bathroom, I switched my focus to installing the tile in the shower and on the floor. I used some 8" X 8" tiles on the shower walls. They are a little big for typical shower installation, but a picked up a ton of them for $10, so I used them. I did not have enough tile to make the floor look nice, so I purchased some at a discount store in Grandview, MO. In the end, it cost about $100 for tile, thinset, and grout.

Right now I have the tile done and the walls of the bathroom primed. I have to give a big shout-out to my friend, Larry Stock, who took a few hours out of his Saturday to help me spray knock-down texture on the ceiling of the bathroom and on the ceiling of the hallway. If you live in the Kansas City area and need some work done on your house, give Larry a call. He owns and operates A Guy With Tools, and he will take care of you!

A few nights ago I put the first coat of white enamel on the doors and trim. Tonight I will apply the second (and hopefully) final coat.

We are almost there!

Here are a few pictures of the progress.

This picture shows the tile work in the shower.

Here you can see the built-in shelving next to the shower.

Here we are looking out from the shower.

Here is a panoramic shot looking out from the shower. No the tiles are not that crooked - it is the distortion from the camera.

Shower Base and Backer Board

2014-02-13T21:08:00.002-06:00

One week ago I was happy that I mostly passed the framing, plumbing and electrical rough-in inspections. Later that night, Easton wanted me to install the switches, outlets and light receptacles. Then we had light in the bathroom! Over the weekend I installed the Boca plates, the fire boards and also applied water-proofing to the baseplates. I emailed pictures of my work to the inspector and he gave me the go-ahead.

Next up is the shower inspection. The inspectors want to know that builders are not putting drywall under the tile in the shower, so I have to get another inspection after installing the backing board in the shower.

Last night I plumbed the drain into the shower. The drain placement wasn't perfect, so that required a bit of work (and frustration). This afternoon I put up the Hardi-backer underlayment boards in the shower, as well as one piece of drywall on the ceiling above the shower.

No, I didn't get the hard-backer for free. Honestly, I am not getting much for free at this point. But more on that later...

It is starting to look like a bathroom!

I Passed the Inspection! (Mostly)

2014-02-06T10:07:00.003-06:00

I am feeling relieved right now. The city building inspector just left and I am wearing a smile because I passed the inspection! Well, I mostly passed the inspection. I have a couple of items I need to add/fix, and then I can move on.

First of all I need to add Boca Plates to the few areas where the PVC drain and copper water supply lines pass through the framing. Honestly, I figured he might ding me on that one. I just wasn't sure if I also needed them on the places where the electrical lines pass through. Fortunately, the code says that as long as the wires or pipes are 1.5 inches deep, no plate is needed. So, I only need to buy a few plates.

The second thing I need to add are fire blocking at the points where my drop ceiling meets the walls. Once again, I thought he might ding me for this. I recently learned about fire blocking at a very helpful basement finishing website (http://www.ifinishedmybasement.com/framing-basement/fire-block). While I didn't fully understand how to apply it to my situation, I did learn from the article that if the inspector mentions it, I shouldn't give him the deer-in-the-headlights stare of confusion. Rather, I acknowledged it and asked the inspector where all I needed them. Luckily, I only need them along a couple of walls.

Finally, (and on this one I feel a little embarrassed...I should have done my research). I didn't know that I was supposed to use treated wood on the bottom plates of the wall framing. Luckily, I will not be required to rip it all up, but merely need to seal those board with some kind of wood sealer.

So, give me a couple of hours some night, and I will be ready for drywall.

The next inspection? I will need to install the shower pan, install the wall treatment behind the tile (Hardi-Backer) and then call for another inspection. They just want to make sure that I am not putting drywall behind the tile in the shower.

Finally, the inspector told me that the one year deadline is not absolute, but that as long as I stay in constant communication with their office, I will be fine. I will pretend I did not hear that, though, as I generally need hard deadlines to get me motivated.

Here we go!

Progress Pictures

2014-02-06T06:31:00.000-06:00

As I noted in the last post, I am ready for the building inspector to check out my framing, plumbing and electrical work so that I can start hanging drywall. Below are a few pictures with descriptions. Taking good pictures of a framed room is so difficult because there is so much junk in the background! (I trust that you will forgive me - I had to put all of the collected materials somewhere!) Plus, let's be honest - you have a few piles in your basement as well, don't you - you just aren't bold (or stupid) enough to put pictures of them online.

In this first picture, I have tried to show the new "hallway" that I built. Because the bathroom is situated in the back half of the basement (which is unfinished), I don't want guests to feel like they are entering the dark, cold, creepy portion of the basement just to use the facilities. That would feel like a typical basement bathroom. I built this little hallway to make it feel like the bathroom was a part of the family room. From this picture, you can kind of see that I removed the door, built a wall on the right, and rough-framed for the same door to sit at the end of the little hallway. I considered opening up the entire wall and enlarging the family room, but the furnace and hot water heater sit about 6 feet back from that new wall, and I didn't want to make a closet access to them, but chose to keep them (and their noise) hidden in the darky, dingy portion of the basement.

In this second picture (to the right), I have attempted to show the shower area. I have a 48"X32" shower pan to install. The fixture will be installed to the right, and I built a support wall on left. On the far left side of the picture, you can see a portion of the small space in which I will build a linen closet (similar to what I built when I remodeled by upstairs bathroom).

You may also notice the framing that I built to hang drywall at the ceiling. In order to get the ceiling to the required 84" height, I will have to put it right under the HVAC ducts. (I asked the inspector and he said it was okay).

In this third picture (to the left), I have attempted to show the corner just inside the bathroom where the vanity will go. On the right side, I have a receptacle for two light switches- one to turn on the two main recessed light and the exhaust fan, and one to turn on the vanity lights. Next to it is the first of two GFI outlets.

In this final picture, I am standing outside of the bathroom looking in. To the far left is the new doorway I built at the end of the new hallway.

To be honest, I am excited to put up some drywall. With just a few hours of work (and lots of white dust!) it will really start to look like a bathroom!

I am really praying that I pass the inspection this morning, as I have 35 days to pass the final inspection!

The Building Inspector is Coming!

2014-02-05T10:24:00.000-06:00

Early in January I realized that I was getting close to a deadline. The building permit that I obtained for my bathroom project expires after 1 year. I remembered that I applied for it in March 2013 and reality set it: I better get going! Then I dug out the permit application to see when in March. It is March 13! I really better get going!

I have been slowly working on the framing and the plumbing. Although it took a while, I decided to use copper instead of PEX, since the rest of the house is plumbed in copper. I learned just how important flux is. At first I didn't use nearly enough on the joints and became very frustrated. Once I figured out I need lots more flux, then it went fast!

Then came the framing. The hardest part of framing was framing around the HVAC ducts in order to hang the ceiling. Lots of hammering in extremely tight spaces!

This has been a lot of work! I was glad to hear Erica tell me yesterday that it is finally starting to look like a bathroom. That was good encouragement.

I finally started the wiring a couple days ago. I learned from the inspector that bathrooms require a 20 Amp circuit, wired with 12 gauge wire. Ouch! I had plenty of white, 14 gauge wire, but alas, another trip to the store!

Yesterday's snow day really helped and I finished the wiring last night, cleaned up my tools, swept and vacuumed. This morning I called City Hall and scheduled a rough-in framing, plumbing and electrical inspection for tomorrow morning!

Wish me luck, everyone!

Pouring Concrete!

2013-12-02T22:28:00.001-06:00

This morning I dragged a garden hose downstairs, hooked it up to the main water supply, and prepared to pour some concrete. My good friend Larry Stock, who owns and operates A Guy With Tools, a local handyman and contracting company, loaned me a concrete trowel and a plastic mixing bin. I had purchased 4 bags of Quikcrete (using their handy estimator tool on the company website). I also had a bag and a half of Quikcrete that I had scored from a Craigslist ad. My four year old son, Easton, was more than excited to help pour some concrete, so he used a small garden spade to help mix the water.

I quickly realized that I would need more concrete, finished as much as possible with the bags I already purchased. The two older bags had a few hardened chunks in them, but I broke up the chunks with a handheld sledge and mixed them up and added them to the mix.

As Easton poured water, stirred cement and helped to trowel the finished portion, he only stepped into the mix once. I hosed off his shoe and when he discovered that his shoe, socks and pants were wet, he was done for the morning and found a video game while I finished the job.

In the end, I had to purchase three additional bags, but I was done by noon. I left the part surrounding the shower drain open so that I would have room to adjust the drain to match the opening in the shower pan. I am pretty inexperienced with concrete, so I mixed it too wet. Several hours later, it was set up and beginning to cure.

Total cost for the concrete: $28.61

Total cost for the project so far: $304

Not-So-Free

2013-11-27T18:00:00.000-06:00

When I began this project almost two years ago, I dreamed of doing this entire project for free. I know - a crazy dream! Can you really take a framed, stubbed half bath and expand it to a full bathroom and finish the entire thing for free? Maybe!

Okay, maybe not, but we are trying! I figured there were a few things I would never find for free on Craigslist. Nobody is really going to give away copper tubing and fittings, right? After all, thieves will pull the wires from houses under construction, strip the insulation and sell the copper!

At this point in the project, I just need to get it done. I can't wait around for free stuff to show up on CraigsList. So I am pretty much buying what I need at each step. Later today I will buy 14 2X4s and 6 bags of QuikCrete for the floor. It is okay, though! It is time to get the project done! I will keep looking for deals for what I need, but I will also buy what I need at the time.

So here is a financial update on this project, having just completed one stage.

Building Permit: $231.00

Cutting the floor to plumb the shower drain: $7.20 Thanks to my friend Brett, all I had to buy was some plastic drop cloths to cover the vents, washing machine, furnace, etc.

Shower drain supplies: $97.88 (I bought some 2" ABS pipe at the Habitat ReStore to vent the drain, and since I am not using it, I am hoping to re-sell it on CraigsList. Hopefully that will bring this price down.)

Water lines supplies: ? (I just bought some copper tubing and fittings today for about $80, and I hope to return some of it, so we will see...)

So as of now this project has cost me $275, including the permit, but not including the water line supplies.

Maybe I should have called this the one thousand dollar bathroom project!

I passed the first inspection!

2013-11-25T15:48:00.000-06:00

Some people have the project that will never end. This has felt like the project that will never begin. After one year of collecting materials, I finally got a permit in March, but then didn't really start the project. I knew that the first part would be the hardest for me, as I have no experience cutting into floors and plumbing drains. So I waited, procrastinated, etc. I finally asked a friend to help me cut into the floor. Then I waited some more, did some "research" on how to properly plumb a drain, and waited longer...Yes, I am a classic procrastinator.

I cut the main toilet drain!

Like most procrastinators, I need a deadline. And I discovered on in the fine print of the building permit. If I did not start the project within 6 months of the application date, the permit would be void. Likewise, if I don't finish within 12 months, the permit will be void. I already paid way to much for a crazy permit, I don't want to pay for another!

So last week I dove in again. I knew that I wanted to connect the shower drain to the main line, but wasn't sure if there were code issues with doing that. Just to make sure I was doing everything correctly, I stopped by City Hall and talked to the building inspector. He said I could do it, but told me that I needed a back-water prevention valve to insure against sewer water backing up through the shower drain. That cost me $40, but to be honest, I was worried about this issue anyways. After all, a shower drain in a basement is a virtual floor drain, and backups are nasty, and tend to ruin nice bathrooms! However, he also told me that since I am running only a 3 foot drain to the main line, I could wet vent the drain and would not have to run vent pipes! That saved me some money! I am glad I talked to him!

On Saturday morning, armed with everything I needed, I cut into the main line. It was do-or-die. After all, there would be no flushing in our house until it was all glued back together. I purposefully waited until I had plenty of time, with many hours available to run to the store. (You don't start this kind of thing at 9 PM) It took longer than expected, but I got it done.

You must use a "Y" connection when tying into a drain line!

This afternoon, the building codes inspector stopped by and approved the drain system and told me I can fill my holes, pour concrete, and move onto the rest of the framing, plumbing, and electrical!

Note the cool clean-out access for the backwater valve!

Back At It...Again

2013-09-25T17:24:00.001-05:00

The building codes department of the city of Raymore called me last week to inquire about the status of the project. I was glad to tell them I had started the plumbing and the framing, as the building permit expires if you do not start the project within six months of issuance of the permit. I was embarrassed to tell them I was not far along.

But I am feeling a renewed energy for the project. (In the last few months I have been working on building a nightstand for my daughter. It was suppose to be a birthday present....last January!) Two nights ago I did more framing and plumbing prep. Unfortunately the batteries in my drill died and stopped me for the night.

I am determined to get this project finished! Hold me accountable, my friends! Let nothing stop me!

For in a few weeks, I will have pictures of a framed bathroom, completed plumbing and completed electrical!

By the way, here are a few pics of the nightstand that I made using mostly scrap wood. I only had to purchase one 18" X 48" board, which I used for the top and for the bottom shelf.

I Finally Started Construction

2013-05-04T21:42:00.000-05:00

A "point of no return" is just that - the result of a decision or action from which there is no going back. Kind of like the minute your toe leaves the diving board. You will get wet. After a year of gathering materials and, honestly, just procrastinating, I cut a big hole in my basement floor. And we are not looking back. This unused space is on its way to becoming a working bathroom.

This bathroom was designed and roughed in to be a mere half bath. But we realized that we needed one more full bathroom in order to make it easy for guests to shower. It is not too difficult to add a shower - except for the drain. The drains are already plumbed for a sink and a toilet, but not for a shower. In order to add a shower drain, I have to connect to to the existing drains, and vent the line to an existing vent pipe. That means cutting a trench in the concrete. Not too difficult, right?

I was initially going to cut the floor with a circular saw equipped with a masonry blade. It probably would have worked. But it would have taken a long time. It turns out that the floor was 5" thick in some places, so it would have taken a really, really long time! When my friend Brett heard about my project, he volunteered to bring his gas powered concrete cut-off saw with a 14" blade. That did the trick. It even has a water line attachment, to which we connected a garden hose. Nice! We vented the room and covered the doors, furnace and laundry machines with plastic. I ran the wet vac and Brett sawed the floor. He broke up the concrete and I pried out the chunks. It went fast!

The shower will sit here

We thought we were done - but if you know how construction projects work you already know that we were not done. We assumed that the sink drain connected to the toilet. So cut the trench and find the pipe, right? Wrong. It turns out they weren't connected. So we cut another section, going around the toilet drain, and I will have to tie it in there.

Here is where we tie into the drain

So my basement sits with a long trench inside a soon-to-be bathroom. Next I will plumb the drain line and the vent. Then I will frame the walls and run the water pipes. At that point, I get to call the inspector and hope it passes.

Thank you, Brett Parsons for helping me! If you live in the Kansas City area and are looking for a massage therapist, give Brett a call. If you are a looking for a chiropractor, give his dad, Charles, a call. They work together at Parsons Chiropractic in Peculiar, Missouri. You can reach them at (816) 7791022.

One more thing - I discovered a new tool today. Of course, I have heard of a hammer drill. Who hasn't right? But did you know that Makita (and maybe a few other companies) make a combination hammer drill/chisel? Basically, with the flip of a switch. you can turn off the rotating drill and use the hammer feature only as a chisel. Want one for yourself? Here it is at Amazon. (And yes, I get a small commission if you buy it)

Amazon.com Widgets

It's Go Time!

2013-03-18T07:29:00.001-05:00

After a full year of collecting sheetrock, shower pans and Sakrete, it is time to move to the construction phase of this project. My plans are finalized and I know what to do. Now it is time to dot it. I still need a few items, but at this point I will have to either buy them on the day I need them, or hope to still find them. Enough waiting... let's go!

The launch of the construction phase was initiated by the application for a building permit. I guess I should have done my homework. I thought a building permit for a 100 square foot bathroom would only cost $50 or so. But after applying for a plumbing permit, an electrical permit and a general permit, the final cost was $231. Oh well. Someone has to pay for the inspectors' salaries- and the conservative in me says it ought to be those using the services and not the general public taxpayers. And a building permit really connects me to some additional resources. For instance, when I applied for the permit, I asked the inspector if building code allows me to connect PVC pipe to ABS pipe. He was able to save me a lot of research time by giving me the official answer. (Which, if you are interested, is "yes, provided you use the proper fitting).

So, I must ask for an exception to the "free" part of this project. In this crazy endeavor to do a free bathroom, I cannot conceive of how I could ever obtain a building permit for free. And yes, for this project of this extent, and especially since I am broadcasting its progress to the world, a building permit is necessary. So, with your permission, I will not count the cost of the permit in consideration of the free-ness of the project. If that is not okay with you, you might want to then think of this as the $231 bathroom.

Step one of the project will be to cut the floor and connect a drain line from the shower to the current drain at the sink. My friend Brett has a large concrete saw and has volunteered to help! (That will be much easier than using a carbide blade on my circular saw). Anybody have an electric jackhammer that I might borrow to break up the concrete? (That would be much easier than using a sledge hammer)

So here we go....

Floorplan Re-Design

2012-12-06T21:32:00.002-06:00

Yes, I am still working on this bathroom project. After almost a full year of gathering materials and planning the project, it is now time to start working. I am almost ready to submit my application for a building permit.

As I put the project plans on paper, I decided to set some of the actual pieces in place to get a better idea of the layout. Since I am not an architect, what looks good on paper doesn't translate well to an accurate mental picture of the finished project. My suspicions were correct. My original floorplan was much too small.

I know what you are thinking. I should have done this much earlier! However, it required moving one of the framed walls. It was a no-going-back-now moment! So in order to relieve the ultra-cramped space, I decided to move the wall further out and turn the shower ninety degrees. This will create more space for a person going into and coming out of the shower.

The only problem is that now I need more tile to cover the floor and more drywall to cover the walls and ceiling! Oh well, it is time to move forward!

Having said that- here is the revised floorplan:

For reference, here is the previous version. Notice that space in front of the shower. I now know that 3 feet is not enough space!

Full Sheets of Drywall

2012-09-06T11:15:00.000-05:00

I couldn't believe it when I saw the post. Full Sheets of drywall! The guy had recently finished his basement and had leftover drywall. He lived in one of those outlying towns that many people think are "way out in the country" when in reality they are merely the outer edge of the metro area. In other words, one of those towns that will be overlooked. I told him I couldn't come until the next evening. Someone had already asked for it but failed to show. He offered it to me.

Sorry for the boring picture. Drywall is not very photogenic.

So we took a little family drive and picked up some drywall. It is not easy to transport full sheets of drywall, plywood, or anything that comes in a standard 4 foot by 8 foot sheet. The inside of my minivan was purposefully made to be a tight four foot width!

It worked out, though. We stopped for ice cream on the way home. Later, I unloaded six full sheets of drywall in the blazing August heat, carrying them downstairs, around a tight corner, and stacked against the wall.

He also gave me a few cut-offs and partial sheets. Don't laugh- they will go farther than you think they will!

By the way, if you have ever wondered what is the real name for this stuff- "drywall" or "sheetrock" the answer is, drywall, or even gypsum board. Sheetrock is a very popular brand of drywall, which, because of its popularity, has become a common term of reference. (Kind like folks in Oklahoma who refer to any kind of soda pop as "coke." Seriously, a coke Sprite?)

I Bought Some Lighting!

2012-09-03T11:00:00.000-05:00

If you read the title, you may be wondering if I am giving up on the free part of this free bathroom project. Not really, but just kind-of, sort-of. You may remember that I sold a few items that I originally obatined for free and then decided not to use. For instance, that white 6 panel door- sold it off for $10. So before purchasing these lights, I was up $47. Now I am down to $32. For all you math geniuses, I spent $15.

But I got 3 lights! And that is probably all I will need in this small bathroom.

Here is the story. I have been searching hard for lighting! Vanity lighting, recessed lighting, track lighting, natural lighting, or you name it. For a while I thought I would have to settle for flashlights! When it comes to lighting, there is not much of Craigslist. And what there is leaves much to be desired. Not that I am complaining about free, mind you. But remember rule #2- this bathroom has to be visually appealing. No avocado green toilets, no glitter-infused clamshell sinks, and no yellow brass chandeliers!

After having no luck finding lighting, I saw a listing for some items removed from someone else's bathroom renovation. Those items included 2 recessed "can" lights and a vanity light that sits above the mirror. I offered him $5 each- or $15 for all of it. Now they are mine! Here is one place the spray paint comes in. When done correctly, spray paint can add a quick, evenly-covered coat of bright paint over rusty tin, such as the baffle of a recessed light. Good as new!

Lighting is really important in bathrooms. Many bathrooms feature small square footage and small windows. The result- a dark, claustrophobic bathroom. In my project, the bathroom will have no outside windows and will only have seven foot ceilings (neither by my choice). I need to do everythign I can to make the bathroom feel spacious! That means I will need lots of light and lots of bright, fresh colors on the walls, floors and ceiling! For this reason I will most likely wire all three lights to the one wall switch so that when you walk in and turn on the lights you are flooded with lots of light!

Paint: To Antique the Vanity?

2012-08-31T10:42:00.000-05:00

I was at home. The location listing on Craigslist showed Belton- our sister city (and arch-rival!). I knew I might need some more paint to complete this bathroom project. The picture also showed a can of white spray paint- and I have a very specific need for some of that! So I loaded the kids in the van, drove a whopping 3 miles and received a load of used paint from a guy who was cleaning out his garage.

Of course, it was a hot day, and as he kept himself busy cleaning out his garage, his young kids were playing in the sprinkler in the yard. That inspired my two kids, and before I could get the paint out of the back of the van, our sprinkler was dispensing water to the giggly delight of Olivia and Easton.

Seriously, though, I found in the pile of paint a nice surprise: a couple of cans of antique paint. You know, the kind you use to make new stuff look like old stuff. Erica has been consdering painting my beautiful vanity black to add some pop to the bathroom. At first I was cool to the idea, but the more I think about it, the better it sounds. How about a black vanity, antiqued and distressed?

Below is a sample picture of a new, made-for-retail vanity, with a distressed-black color. The color scheme would then be: black vanity, white sink, toilet shower base and wall tiles, and earth-tone tile on the floor. Any thoughts?

Source: www.homeportfolio.com

The Long Awaited Bathroom Update: A Shower Faucet

2012-08-28T22:15:00.000-05:00

Has it really been two and a half months since I posted the last update? Wow! Sorry about that! Honestly, the progress has been slow. There are a few reasons, and about eight million excuses. First of all, Craigslist made some changes and shut down a couple of my favorite search-assistance programs (more on that later). Second, I am down to a small list of items that I need, so my searching is very specific these days. Third, I have been crazy busy with church activities, family vacations, family fun, etc. Finally, we have experienced the hottest Kansas City summer in sixty years. So basically, if I wasn't running somewhere with my family, I was sitting on the couch in the air conditioning.

I have wondered if anyone other than a few local friends follow my progress. I was pleased to hear from an old friend that he enjoys reading the updates in this crazy project. So I will keep writing!

What treasure might a small box hold?

My first find of the summer was a big one! Actually, the packaging was rather small. An offer on Craigslist for a small box of plumbing parts containing the guts of a bathroom update. The picture showed a shower faucet valve and knobs. After several emails and attempts to connect, I finally piled the kids in the car, drove for what seemed like forever, and found the house with the small box of plumbing parts sitting on the front porch.

When I got home and opened the little potential-treasure box, voila a shower faucet, complete with the rough-in valve housing, valve stems, knobs, shower head, arm, and plenty of flanges. From a quick online search, it seems that these kits start at $80 at the local big box home improvement store.

From top: Shower head and arm, valve housing, knobs, flanges

This was another one of those really specific items that I wondered how long I would have to wait to find!

What To Do With Eight Inches?

2012-06-09T20:43:00.000-05:00

In a previous post, in which I shared the first draft of the floor plan, I noted that there will be about 8 inches between the edge of the left edge of the sink and the shower wall. What to do with eight inches? Comments included suggestions to build shelves of some kind. So what about this: I can make the bathroom a bit larger, so that the space will be 12 inches instead of just 8. I will fill the entire space with a wall, and then create built-in shelves above the sink, in which to store rolled towels, baskets, etc.?

Here is a sample picture I found online. This picture was on a blog that described how to build built-in shelves and included lots of ideas. You can find the page here.

What do you think? (And no, I will not have the oval mirror or or the table-top sink.

Here is my only concern. This is a very small bathroom- only 55 square feet, plus some closet space. Plus, by necessity it will have low ceilings- 7 feet- due to the HVAC vents running over the room. It will feel small, so everything in the design must help it to feel larger than it actually is, so that it will feel normal. By building out the wall to accommodate built-in shelves, I will be losing/covering available cubit footage.

Maybe I will do some research into open shelving and present a few options in my next post.

Remodeling Is Expensive: Part 3 - the basement storage room doors

2012-06-08T09:17:00.000-05:00

In this series of posts, I am attempting to show that remodeling is always more expensive than we think it will be.

No one wants to see this mess from their family room!

Our basement includes a huge storm shelter. It has four concrete walls, a concrete floor, and a concrete ceiling that doubles as the stoop/slab on our front porch. It runs the length of the house, so it is huge! A framed wall separates it into 2 rooms. While we are not seeking refuge from a tornado, these two rooms store our camping supplies, hunting supplies, a boxed Christmas tree, and pretty much everything else. The door of one room enters into our basement family room. The other door enters into the kids' play room. And in the winter, the uninsulated storm shelter pours cold air into the adjoining rooms. The doors also show the unsightly mess in the storage rooms.

To help insulate the rooms, and to hide the mess in the rooms, I decided to install two doors. How hard can it be right? and how expensive can it be? A couple of doors and we are done, right? (Wrong! Remember how we tend the grossly underestimate the expenses involved in remodeling projects?)

Last fall I discovered ReStore, a building materials donation and resale store operated by KC's Habitat For Humanity. Check them out here. I found two matching doors that were the right size for the doorways. They were used and I couldn't beat the price- $10 each! What a great deal! I could put doors on the storage rooms for like $20!

New door for the family room!

For this project, I made the mistake of not putting my list of materials on paper. I just kind of bought 2 doors and dove in! (It's too late now, right? These doors are non-refundable!)

I returned to ReStore one week later for 2 door strikers and 6 hinges. Total cost: $6.50.

The doorways were rough-trimmed with 1 X 6 pine boards. I needed more wood to make door jambs, as well as door casement trim. One trip to Lowes: $36

Oh yeah- door knobs. As it turns out, the extra knobs I thought I had did not match at all any of the other knobs in the house. So I bought 2 sets of round, polished brass knobs. And weatherstripping the doors will do no good if there is a gap at the bottom creating drafts. 2 door sweeps needed. A trip to Home Depot: $29

Oops. I need more weatherstripping. Yet another trip to Lowes: $6

In the end, a project that started with two $10 doors turned into a $78 project. I know, that is not a lot of money. But it will still take a long time to re-coup that in energy savings. However, the doors look a lot nicer than the quilt that hung in that doorway!

New door for the playroom!

Lesson learned- projects never cost $20! Sit down, think it through, and put it all on paper.

Apparently, underestimating the cost of a project is not something new. Even Jesus talked about it. Check it out:

“Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? ²⁹For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, ³⁰saying, ‘This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’ (Luke 14:28-30)

Remodeling Is Expensive, Part 2 - The Bathroom Remodel

2012-06-05T07:53:00.000-05:00

We really love almost everything about our house. Before we moved in we painted several rooms, and then of course, decorated and painted others within the first year. But most rooms needed little more than a fresh coat of paint in a contemporary color. The upstairs bathroom, however, needed more. The floors featured a brown linoleum that was intended to look like parquet. Unfortunately, vinyl just never looks like real wood. The walls were a cloudy light blue, with a terrible boarder touching the ceiling. Behind the door was what looked like a sad attempt at a linen closet, but with no doors, just really narrow open shelves.

Ugly Vinyl!

So, we decided to dive in! A friend told me that installing tile was not hard. I practiced with simple 12" X 12" square pattern in our master bathroom (the one guests never see). And my friend was right- it was not too bad! So for the main bathroom, I decided to try a pattern with multiple sizes of tiles. For a couple hundred dollars, we could have a new bathroom!

For this project, I really tried hard to budget correctly. We kept the bathtub, planned for only a fresh application of stain and polyurethane on the existing vanity/sink, and used a white toilet that we had in our basement. I made a full list of materials and priced them before we dove in. We figured out how to pay for the project within our budget. I estimated that it would cost at least $350 in materials. So we gave ourselves $400. Then we dove in!

The project went well. I wasn't exactly sure how I would enclose the wannabe linen closet, but luckily I was able to enclose the bottom half and then install permanent open shelves in the top half- using mostly leftover materials from other projects. (You see, we really will use that extra piece someday!) The tile-setting went well, and I didn't break or mis-cut too many pieces, creating unnecessary waste. However, as I began to mix the grout, I realized I had picked the wrong color. Too late to return it, I had to buy another bag of grout. Oops. Setting the toilet turned out to be a challenge and required a few extra pieces. Oops. In the end, we were spent $535 on the materials. $135 over budget.

Then came the decorating part. Before starting the project, we purchased a large print of a couple of wooden boats on a beach. We really liked it and decided to use it as the focal point for our decorating. A great shower curtain, wood blinds a modest rug, and sink accessories added a little more to the cost. And then there were the baskets. The final pieces to complete linen closet 2.0. Constrained by size, we found nice brown baskets, and just had to pay the price. Total cost for the decorating items, not including the picture: $175.

In the end, a little over $700 gave us a new bathroom. I love the new bathroom! The tile pattern looks good. The colors look good. Sure, there are a few things I could have done better, but most people would have to look closely to find them. But in the end, it was pricey- at least for this cheapskate! It was definitely not a couple hundred dollars! No Way! But hey- remodeling is expensive!


The final version includes a door on the bottom and baskets	on the shelves.

Get Real: Remodeling Is Expensive! Part 1

2012-06-03T21:44:00.001-05:00

As I written in the past, I am horrible when it comes to estimating the costs of home repair and remodel projects! I mean well, and I don't mean to lie to myself, but when I know what something will truly cost, I won't do it! I am just too cheap. But when I am half-way through a project and already over budget, I am motivated to just pay for it because, well, no one wants to live inside a remodel project!

But this ready, aim-a-little-bit, fire, and aim-again process is stupid! And expensive! And marriage-straining! And definitely not Dave-Ramsey-Approved!

Deep Thought: why do we make excuses when we go $1,000 over budget, but we scream at a contractor who goes $10 over his bid?

I think there is something in us that kicks against the reality of what things cost. I was surfing the web for bathroom layout and design ideas, and one page featured the samples and suggestions of one professional remodeling company. The site claimed that $1,000 spent on your bathroom will get you no more than new paint, a new shower curtain and maybe a professional tile cleaning. But any substantial improvement to your bathroom will cost well over a grand! Are you serious? Yes.

At that point I ask my, "what if I do all the work myself? I could save a bunch of money, and yes, I will probably screw up a few things and have to go back and fix them. But I will save a bunch of money!"

However, I need to remember this: I will still spend far more on materials than I first think I will.

In my next 2 posts, I will share with you the real costs of 2 of my recent projects: a large main bathroom remodel, and a very small project of installing 2 doors to our basement storage area.

A Van Full Of 2x4's

2012-05-30T07:49:00.000-05:00

I am building my bathroom in a space that was rough finished for a half bath. The walls are framed, and the plumbing is in the floor. But only for a half bath. That means I could drop in a toilet, attach a sink and be mostly done! But that is not good enough for me. Since our overnight guests usually stay in the basement, we really want to have a full bath for them. And when our kids hit the first birthday that ends in "teen" it would be nice to have an additional full bathroom. (Last one out of bed has to shower in the basement???)

But in order to change the bathroom formerly planned as "half" to a "full" I will have to do 2 things. The first part is easy. I will have to move one wall, then fill in the empty spaces. Oh, and I will probably have to build a support for the ceiling under the heating ducts. We call this framing. I have a little experience. But hey, that is what the internet is for, right? I will also need some lumber- several 2X4's. They are called studs. And guess what? I found some...on Craiglist. A family in Greenwood finished their basement remodeling project, which included removing a few walls. The leftover studs? In my van!

The second big challenge in this half-to-full conversion will be to install a drain for the shower, and to tie it in to the existing drain line of the toilet and. And all of that takes place under the concrete floor. Yes, I am sure that will take a few posts to describe (and maybe a few weeks to complete) whenever I get into the execution phase of this project. So why am I talking about it now? Because at this house I also scored a couple of bags of concrete to help me patch up my holes I will have to bust out of the existing floor.

Not nearly as cool as a pickup, but the minivan will have to do.

Floor Plan - version 1

2012-05-28T13:27:00.003-05:00

Now that I have collected sufficient materials and supplies, it is time to formalize the design of the bathroom.

"Wait a second," you might object, "shouldn't you have designed the bathroom before you started collecting the materials?" Good point. I imagine you might raise this objection based on previous experiences where friends jumped into some project without a plan only to give up due to poor planning. In reality, I have had a plan all along. Said plan resided mostly in my imagination, but I seem to be capable of including many details in my imagined plans. So now it is time for formalize the plan. Here it is. Really nothing special, and just the basics, but it is the starting point for the rest of the plans.

The entry door is on the right side, and is designed to shield the stool, in case of accidental entry. The sink is just to the right of the door. The shower is on the other side. The door on the lower left opens to what we will call a closet, but is the space beneath the stairway that connects the basement to the main floor.

Our next major decision is what to do with the space between the shower and the sink. Presently there is about eight inches, which is too big to leave open, but too small to do anything significant. Luckily, we have as much space as we need to put the left wall wherever we want it. We may either move the left wall to the right, with nothing between the sink and the shower, or move it farther, creating enough space for a cozy linen closet/shelves. Any thoughts??????

By the way, if you are wondering, I designed this floor plan very quickly with a great piece of software. SmartDraw visual processor software allows you to quickly create any kind of visual drawings, from flowcharts, to PowerPoint presentations, to building floor plans and landscape design. After I created the floor plan, I opened a new file and created an elevation plan for the wall at the top of the floor plan that includes the sink and shower. For designing floor plans, the software included several pre-designed shapes for all rooms of the house. The floor plan only took about 30 minutes to create.

The software is available for a free download and seven day trial period. And you know me- I like things that are free! Unfortunately, you only get to print your designs 3 times in the trial version, and it includes a huge watermark (I had to manipulate it to get the drawing above to show without the watermark covering the toilet). In the end, the price of the full version is just too expensive for an occasional or single-project user, like I would be. It costs $197 for basic use, and $297 for business use, which includes PowerPoint integration. It is a great way to get an initial design!

I sold the 6 panel door

2012-05-26T15:13:00.000-05:00

Sometimes this project seems very tedious. But whenever I feel that way, I remember that a project like this will often feel tedious. This is more than just a home remodeling project. It is a challenge to see if I can really complete it at no cost. But that comes at a price, too, although maybe not of a monetary nature. Sometimes I drive a few more miles that is realistic to get something not all that great, but needed for this project, nonetheless.

So here is an example of tediousness. Remember that white 6 panel door that I drove way to far to get, only to be stood up? Well, I eventually received it. A few more doors later, and I now have at least two others that will match the rest of the doors in my house. So I listed the six panel door on Craigslist. But really, not for much less than you could buy a new one. And a month or so later.... a call from someone who wanted to buy it.

So, the door is out of my basement, and I have a little more cash to buy the few items I can't find for free.

We are getting there....slowly but surely.

Finally....A Shower!

2012-05-16T21:10:00.000-05:00

What is the most expensive item in a bathroom? The shower. Even a cheap vinyl shower stall will cost hundreds. Homeowners know this, so when they tear out their showers, they realize they can recover some of the costs of their do-it-yourself bathroom remodel by selling their used shower on Craigslist. For hundreds of dollars! In my ideal world, I hoped for a one-piece fiberglass shower stall. I even found one in a nearby suburb for only $10! But it was 48" wide and the seller told me that he was selling it because he couldn't get it into his basement, where he had intended to install it. Since I have a tight corner at the bottom of my basement stairs, though which I cannot pass a Queen sized box spring, I realized I would not be able to wrangle a four foot shower stall through it either.

My next option? A shower pan. You know, the base of the shower, above which I could put tile on the walls. Also a very common option. But again, most homeowners were selling used shower pans for over $50. Still a huge savings compared to a new one, but a lot more than my goal of free.

The final option? Build a shower pan with a 2x4 frame, concrete to slope the floor, a rubberized membrane, steel mesh, and finally, a surface of fine concrete. AKA- expensive and hard work!


With a bit more cleaning and conditioning it will be as good as new!

And then it happened- My Craigslist auto-search program sent me an email describing a shower pan and matching shower doors in a nearby suburb! FREE! I quickly called the man, told him I could come that afternoon or evening, and sealed the deal. Awesome!

So now I have the biggest items! I am almost ready to start!