The Bathroom Is Done

February 02, 2021

The Bathroom Is Done

Hello, friends!

I am here to share the completion of our bathroom! It has been some time since I updated the blog about the progress of this project! Fear not! It was completed in early-July. Since then we have been very happy with our new bathroom! We've found a storage solution, a TP solution, built a radiator cover, found the perfect shower curtain, found the perfect rug, and found the perfect art! The project seems like it was a very long time ago (covid?) and at the same I can't believe it is actually done! (covid?) Let's go back.

To say we were disappointed with the timeline is a complete understatement! As a reminder-our insurance claim for the leaking toilet was filed the first week of MAY. We found out at the end our project that there was some drama between the subcontractor, his boss, and subsequently with the main contractor. Our timeline was, sadly, the victim. I was extremely frustrated being beholden to this dynamic. I know we had a choice in the contractor for the work, but this company that our insurance recommended was very professional, on time, and did what they said they would do. This was a hard lesson in asking about subcontractors. Asking about timelines with subs. We ended up being displaced from our home for nine weeks because there was no working shower! This was definitely NOT what I expected.

I mentioned in my previous post that I hoped to have the sink and tub refinished. It happened! I called around and got some estimates. They ranged quite a bit in price and professionalism. I even found someone who sounded great who could get to our fixtures in three months! Apparently this niche of the home improvement industry is lacking in people well-trained and interested in the work!

I ended up going with the lowest price out of necessity. The person who I hired was a bit gruff and was not the best communicator. We had a large misunderstanding about where would be easiest to do the refinishing of the tub. I thought it would be easier to do the process "un-installed" in our workshop. Well, it turns out that is not the case. A lot of the refinishing product got on things in the workshop, including tool bags and flooring. It was a huge nightmare. Once the fixtures were installed the next day in our "all white" bathroom they looked dingy. <Picture my face as that frown-y cat from the internet.> After that initial disappointment I realized there were major issues, including a GIANT drip mark that had solidified. Things at our house were very tense for a bit. I finally worked up the nerve to call my gruff refinishing friend and explain the situation. He said he'd be there the next day to re-do the whole thing. There were doubters in my camp, but he did show up and they completely re-did both fixtures installed in the bathroom for no extra cost. The tub and sink look transformed and I'm very happy with how they came out!! It was worth every hair-pulling-drama-filled moment. They look pretty good for a $75 tub (Kohler!) and $100 sink!

The final day (more or less) that the contractors were in our home was the same day as Mr Gruff was there doing his second attempt. They wrapped things up quickly painting walls and ceilings, putting up trim that I forced them to prime and paint first. ("Here's some primer! And a brush! For the trim!!" 😬) At the end of the day, we were able to move home.

There were still some things to complete. One "fun" thing that happened as cleanup and completion happened was that paper was pulled back up from the flooring and stairs, and plastic that had been hanging to protect the rest of the house was taken down. Due, perhaps, to the length of time these things had been taped down, virtually all the paint that had been in contact with the painters tape came up with the tape. Quel Nightmare. This culminated in some touchy conversations with the subcontractor's supervisor. In the end, they agreed to repair the stairs (which if you recall I had painstakingly worked on for what seemed like years.) I still have to return to the front hall and fix the trim around the doors that were damaged. That waits for another day!

Otherwise, we now happily have a completed bathroom! Our vision of a vintage bathroom came to life! It seems impossible now that we lived so long with the previous bathroom. I think back and shudder. Sparkling new penny tile floors, shiny beadboard walls, a Kohler clawfoot tub, a fun vintage sink, and a whole lot of "clean and functioning properly"!

On to some "after" photos! For "befores" see my previous post! Links for sources at the end of the post!