Back Bedroom Remodel - The Start

With overnight guests expected in eleven days, it's probably about time to finish another bedroom. Like the front bedroom, the walls were not primed before they were wallpapered.

Also like the front bedroom, the walls haave at least six layers of paint on top of multiple layers of wallpaper. The first step in clearing the walls is to peel off all the paint with a 6" putty knife leaving behind the paper backing from the first layer of wallpaper.

Then despite the 100 degree heat we have to fire up the wallpaper steamer. The paper has been on the walls for sixty years so it takes a while to make any progress. While I worked on the wallpaper Luke cut the sheetrock, ran the new electrical and put the new sheetrock up.

And here is one more for our album of ugly wallpaper.

Main Bath Remodel - Before and After

In case you did not see our bathroom before or have just forgotten how truly pathetic is was, here is a little refresher for you.

Dated, ugly, call it what you want, it had to go.

Looks a little better now, doesn't it?
The old vanity top was so sloped that it was hard to keep anything on its surface.

So much better.
Despite our initial problems with the grout, the tile floor turned out nicely.I cannot thank my parents enough for helping us with this project. As a reward I promise next time you visit we will let you use this bathroom instead of the weird little 3/4 bath at the other end of the house.

Main Bath Remodel - Day 10

You may have noticed that I am only counting days that we are actually working on the bathroom. It's been eleven days since we started this project but yesterday we really needed an evening off. So tonight was grout night.

We're getting close to having this completely finished. Just a few more nights until I can take a bath!

Main Bath Remodel - Day 9

Today we rushed home from work to install the backer board. I cut it correctly this time despite my best efforts to screw it up again. We don't really need a backer board on concrete but we have to build up the floor to match the 3/4" hardwood we will be installing in the hallway.
We have now tiled four bathrooms but this is the first time that we only needed to cut two tiles for the toilet. This never happens.

And finished!

We are currently on track to have the bathroom completed by Friday. If all goes well we will have a little free time this weekend to go see Transformers. It's always good to have something to keep us motivated.

Main Bath Remodel - Day 8

Please excuse the terrible photos. It was too dark to get any good shots. I spent the afternoon painting the walls and ceiling while Luke cleaned up the house.

While the paint was drying I installed the vanity light bar and heat register.
I gave the concrete floor a scrubbing and prepped for the tile.

But the tile did not happen tonight. I messed up the backer board cuts for the sewage and clean-out pipes. Of course I did this after Lowes closed for the day so progress will not resume until I go shopping tomorrow. I did assemble the new tile saw and am looking forward to using it tomorrow night.
Tomorrow's Agenda:
Make myself go back to work after a week off
Lay tile

Main Bath Remodel - Day 7

The bathroom is really starting to look like a real room again. Dad and I textured this morning,

spent the afternoon sightseeing, and came home in time to put on a coat of primer.

We also made a run to the dump. Turns out we had 1.15 tons of junk and still did not bottom out the springs on the Ford. As much as I prefer Chevy trucks, this one is really starting to grow on me.
My parents go back to Montana tomorrow and we will be back to just two people working on bathroom.
Tomorrow's agenda:
Paint walls, ceiling and door
Lay tile

Main Bath Remodel - Day 6

Okay, I will admit it. Today's photo looks an awful lot like yesterday's photo. There is an important distinction. In today's photo the mudding is done. My dad has been putting in a lot of extra work so that we can texture tomorrow. Luke spent the morning installing the bath fan while I hooked up electrical for a new 20 amp circuit.

Since Luke was up on the roof adding the fan ductwork, he decided to bring a little company. Ever since she was a puppy Rikka has loved being on the roof. This really made her day.

Luke and dad also spent the afternoon working on the truck. It has been hemmoraging oil since we bought it two weeks ago. Thanks to my dad's mechanical skills we were able to isolate the problem to a bad oil pressure switch and are now leak free; amazing from a Ford.

Tomorrow's agenda:
Texture and prime walls
Celebrate Father's Day Early

Main Bath Remodel - Day 5

We made a lot of progress today, but none of the improvements are photogenic. Suffice it to say dad finished the plumbing and tested for leaks. We hung the sheetrock which made the room extremely dark and hard to get a good picture of. Dad also found time to tape the walls. There is still a lot of work to be done, but we are officially past the 50% mark.

Tomorrow's agenda:
Install bath fan
2nd coat mud
Tile floor

Main Bath Remodel - Day 4

Is it day four already? I can't believe how fast this week with my parents is going. We all slept in a little this morning but dad and I were still able to run errands and locate a new tub by noon. However as we attempted to maneuver it into the house, it became apparent that we had a problem. No matter what angle we tried, the tub was just to big to get through the front door. Fortunately there are few problems in life that cannot be solved by power tools.

In addition to removing the front door and sidelight we also had to pull up the first row of the parquet flooring.
After chiseling out a larger area for the new drain we were ready to move the tub into the bathroom.
The shower is installed and the drain is hooked up. Now we just need to run the rest of the plumbing and we are ready to sheetrock.
The dining room wall is framed back in and will be ready for sheetrock soon.
Though he might be locked in the back yard, Atlas has still been keeping an eye on construction.
Maybe he's trying to prevent Loki front playing with the skil saw.
Tomorrow's Agenda:
Hang sheetrock
Finish plumbing
Hook up electrical

Main Bath Remodel - Day 3

Today we thought we would be installing the tub and running the rest of the plumbing to the bathroom. There were two problems with this plan:
1) The tub we wanted is sold out. They have three right hand drain units and no left hand drains.
2) See photo below

Do you need a closer look?

Before going to bed last night we poured kitty litter in the bottom of the plumbing trench. This morning it was wet. A closer investigation revealed a hole in the drain pipe, then another and another. Once the pipe had been removed we could see just how badly it had rusted. Dad spent most of the day replacing the drain pipe. So until the kitchen/utility remodel this winter we will have to live with an open trench running across half the house.

When not assisting dad with the plumbing, I enlarged the hole in the dining room wall so we could move the new tub in.

Tomorrow's agenda:
Wake up to find the kitty litter in the plumbing trench dry
Find another tub and get it installed