Tag Archives: Remodeling

4 Tips for Surviving a Bathroom Remodel

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In September, October, and November of 2015, I posted blogs about having my master bathroom remodeled. Having learned a lot through the experience, I’m happy to share four tips to help you weather the ordeal should you decide to do a similar renovation of your own.

Boxes take over my master bedroom.

Boxes take over my master bedroom.

 

1. Move out of the master bedroom for the duration of the work.

This saved time because the contractor could keep his equipment in the room, plus, he didn’t have to cover and uncover my furniture every day. Also, the new cabinets and fixtures could be stored in the bedroom for ready access when needed. Take enough outfits to last one week when you move into your temporary sleeping space. Replace or supplement with additional items on the weekend when construction isn’t happening. Make sure you have all the toiletries, soap, makeup, hair care products, etc., that you’ll need in your temporary bathroom as well.

2. Get a referral for a designer or contractor from someone you know who has had work done recently.

At first, finding a referral proved difficult. Based on responses to my inquiries, I gathered that not a lot of people have been putting money into home improvements since the housing market went bust. I eventually received a referral from my friend Anne. Ironically, Anne found her designer via a flyer. It worked out and Anne was very happy with the result. So although it’s possible to use advertisements to find someone who can do a good job, by working with Anne’s designer I had much more confidence and less anxiety.

3. When setting your budget, decide the maximum you want to spend then subtract ten percent from the total. Use the reduced figure to plan the remodel with your designer and/or contractor.

I was fortunate. After opening the walls, my contractor didn’t find any major issues that required costly fixes. The few minor issues he found could be handled within the original estimate. That isn’t always the case. By keeping a little money in reserve, I was in a better position to deal with unanticipated problems without spending more than I wanted to or could afford. And not having to spend my reserve meant I had a nice bonus to apply to something else—bathroom accessories!

Calder inspecting the work.

Calder inspecting the work.

 

4. If you have a pet, decide what you need to do to keep your pet safe.

Calder is an indoor cat that has never shown any interest in trying to escape from my house. However, with workers and delivery people going in and out, I couldn’t be sure he wouldn’t bolt outside if he got spooked. Also, it wouldn’t be safe if he got underfoot while someone carried a heavy, unwieldy package. So, I decided to lock Calder in my home office when I left for work and let him out when I returned. This required some time to prepare and make the office an acceptable place to keep my cat all day. By not leaving things to chance, you can have confidence that no injuries or issues will occur.

I hope these tips help you have as good of an experience as I did. Good luck and happy renovating!

Can I Use My Bathroom? Yes!

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IMG_7226Hurrah! The work on my bathroom is complete. Is it worth all the trouble I went through? Totally. I couldn’t be more pleased with how it looks. Calder the cat seems to like it, too.  Whenever I allow him in the room, he explores the space like it is new territory.

Now that the contractors have finished their job, I have work to do that I didn’t anticipate. Starting with shelf liner and drawer organizers, I have to try to fill all the great storage space. After that, the soap dispenser and other accessories must be replaced. Hmmm. Now shouldn’t I also get new towels? A new vanity chair is a must-have, too. How about some rugs? The economy of my community is about to get a huge boost.

In a future post, I’ll share some useful tips for surviving a bathroom remodel. For now, in homage to every home improvement show I’ve ever watched, here are some before and after pictures.IMG_7228 IMG_7230

 

Can I Use My Bathroom? Not Yet.

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As I write this, it’s more than a week into the remodel of my master bathroom, and I’m happy to say there have been no ugly surprises. Well, when my contractor, Vince, took the mirror down he uncovered some of the horrible pink and green wallpaper that used to be in the master bedroom. 2015-10 PicI shivered at the sight as I remembered the days spent with my dad trying to get that stuff off the walls. However, I’ll take the memory of monstrous wallpaper over the experiences I’ve heard from other people. For example, my hair stylist found black mold permeated her drywall and had to have men in hazmat suits remove it before she and her husband could continue with their remodeling.

Each day after work, I’ve gone into my bathroom to see the progress. Vince completed almost all the demo work on the first day. Only a small patch of yellow and white tiles in one section of the floor remained. The next day he roughed in the electrical. After that, it took him a couple of days to put up drywall, mud the seams and rough in the shower drain. On day five he cut the niche in the shower. As goofy as it sounds, that has made me the happiest so far. My old shower had no place to put anything except a bar of soap. Now, I will have a niche to put all my stuff and no longer have to risk kicking things around the shower. Yes! Already that makes all my current inconveniences worth it.

To make things as easy as possible, I moved into the guest bedroom. As much as I planned ahead, I’m finding it takes longer to do many things due to the disruption of my routine. I’m also slightly more sleep-deprived because I’m in a different bed.

My cat, Calder, has had to adjust as well. When I leave in the morning, I put him in my home office to keep him safe and out of everyone’s way. He has all the essentials – food, water, and a temporary litter box. I think he likes having an upstairs restroom, but the novelty appears to be wearing thin since he’s begun trying to escape when I take him into the office. So far, I’m winning the fight to keep him in there.

Though the remodeling is going well, there’s still much to be done, and I remain somewhat braced against the unknown. So, please keep sending your positive thoughts my way. It certainly helps! Ohmmmmmm.