Shower: Bits of progress along with delays

Sorry for the big delays in updating everyone.  Here's where we are at with the main bathroom shower project.

Our demolition is done.  Warning...when you pound on a wall with the intent to knock off heavily attached tile, there will be consequences on the other side of the wall.  We had removed pictures, but didn't expect the medicine cabinet contents to jump out and end up all over the place!

The niches in the wall needed to be removed so we can get some newer larger niches.  The tiles were against the drywall.  I removed the tiles, then banged out the horizontal studs a bit too hard.

Before removing horizontal studs.

We ended up with a hole in the wall through to the bedroom.  My fault. This was unintentional, but as tired as I was removing tiles, I ended up not being as careful in removing the old niche supports.  The shower now sits awaiting the replacement of drywall.  We need to 'patch' the hole which we have enlarged a bit (!) before we get our new niches built in.

Initial hole.

Enlarged for 'easier' repair ?

If we are going to order 1 sheet of drywall, why not order more.  Our bathroom needs one piece and we need about 6 for the wall of the workshop in the basement.

Ordered from Home Depot -

SHEETROCK

Model # 14113411708

UltraLight 1/2 in. x 4 ft. x 8 ft. Gypsum Board

We need a way to pick up the drywall from the store.  The trailer was at the cottage.  We took a trip and brought it home, but it needed electrical work since one of the trailer wires was not connected and we didn't have rear lights.  Whoops!  All fixed now.

The subway tiles have been purchased from Home Depot - 1.75 per square foot compared to 2.99 and up per square foot at Floor360.  I did end up ordering the mosaic tile through Floor360.  I find they are a great source for variety and for allowing designers to be creative in their showroom with their own clients.  I hope to keep a relationship with them.

Subway tile

Mosaic tile

Our shower base guy has been trying to fit us in.  I didn't want the shower base to be installed while I was in Vegas with my mom.  He apparently attempted to come over one morning without a contact call with Don while I was away!  I appreciate the ambition, but I'm glad that didn't work.  Now that I'm back, we will rush to get the drywall, fix the wall, and hope he can come by soon.  I'll be at work, but that's hopefully okay.

This is the old shower base.

Floor tile GONE!

Our shower base guy came through!  He is from Shower Masters.  Don't expect him to use email or other internet communication.  He is a master of showers, not technology - self admitted!  He created our shower base, walls and niche ready to tile.  I'm just waiting for the cement to dry, the mosaic tile to be delivered, and time to tile.

This corner wall will require some creativity to make it look good.

Oh, how pretty, as wet cement goes!

When cement is dry, Don will add more pink water proofing material.

The niche will require some shelves.

I'm a bit overloaded with projects, so starting to get this tile job done will probably take a few weeks.  I'm currently writing a business plan for my Home Decorating business venture (more to be revealed in future posts), we hope to open our seasonal lake cottage in the next week or so, my birthday is coming, Mother's day is coming, we are planning to move our daughter (and trusty creative assistant) back home in June, so there's a bunch on my plate.  All these events require planning.  My main home garden suffers again this spring from a lack of attention.  Thanks to Don for doing some basic work on it and to my trusty perennials for returning even though they haven't seen me in a few years - it seems.

Happy Spring to all!

Bathroom - A little spring fever coming on

I have allowed myself up through the end of April to get through the bathroom portion of my 3 room challenge.  I'm on target of course since I've decided to only do half of the room.  It has been exciting to make progress, but this time of year it is getting tough to keep focus on interior projects.  Our weather here has helped in the sense that the temps have been hovering around the freezing mark. 

Even with the freezing weather, my mind has been turning to other things...visiting our daughter in Ohio, getting taxes done (yuk!), thinking about the last room of this challenge, keeping on budget on this challenge, when will I be able to rake the leaves we left on our lawn last year (there were a bunch), when can we open the cottage, and boy, do I have a lot of clean up to do before even tackling the last room.

It is hard to say what the biggest change is for this bath remodel.  I thought it would be fun to attempt a time lapse photo presentation, so I've been taking shots since January and trying to keep the camera at the same angle.  It's been on a tripod, but I've had to put it away every day.  The pics have been taken at various times of the day so lighting varies, but take a look at this:

Installation of my beautiful counter top

Drilling holes into the bottom of the counter top was stressful.  I needed to do this to install the pieces that would hold the screws in place for the sink supports.  I started out with a drill bit that I thought was a masonry bit, but after almost 1/2 hour alternately drilling and putting the bit into cool water to keep it from melting off, I decided to look up what a masonry bit is.

Notice the tip - this IS a masonry bit

Smoother tip - NOT a masonry bit

With the right drill bit and some patience, I drilled 4 one half inch holes in about 1 hour without breaking the bit or the counter.

After installing the faucet on the counter and the counter on the cabinet and the sink under the counter, we found our drain was not in line with the existing pipes, so I sent Don off to the hardware store.  Three trips later and a bunch of extra parts, we found the right combination to allow the faucet to run and not leak.

What's next?  

The electrician is coming back to do the final switch hookups and to install my lighting.  Which of these lamp shades do you like best?  The one on the right came with the lighting fixture.  The one on the left was a find at St. Vincent's in Verona.

I'll add the mirror after that and make a roman shade for the window.  After some clean up in the shower area on the other side of the room, adding accessories (towel bars, towels, etc), and adding up receipts spent on this room, I'll be able to call this portion of the challenge done.

Can't wait for spring, so here is a little of it, thanks to photobucket.com.

Couldn't resist this one!

Hope you'll check back in two weeks.  I should be sewing up a roman shade.