Bathroom Reno Day 7.45

Today so far has been slow. I'm itching to start doing something significant but know there are some steps that need to be handled first. I did get in the subfloor around the toilet - it's not pretty, but it's solid - even better, it aligns with the rest of the subfloor, after some creative mixing and matching. Unfortunately, about halfway through the process my drill died so I had to go buy a new one - so some more time wasted there. I now feel ready to start tiling but have to get the framing taken care of first around the shower. To do that, I need help - so I'm waiting for some help. Right now, I'm debating about whether I should tile before or after toilet installation. The flange is set very low and it's not moving (cast iron, welded in there). So I was thinking it might be best to put it in first and tile around it but I know that's not optimal. Anyway, to prep for my tiling job I watched the installation video for the Schluter-Ditra that has come highly recommended by many readers. I'm excited to use it!

In the meantime, I think I'll work on replacing the one rotted-out stud and disassembling the exhaust fan. I've really been thinking that we'd keep the one that's already in there - it works fine, is relatively quiet, and provides some nice light at the same time. I feel weird about keeping old things, though, which is totally wrong, I know. But I keep thinking, what if it breaks? It's going to be a lot easier to replace it now than later.

Bathroom Reno - Day 6.26-6.99

I'll admit it, folks: I'm tired. How do I know? Well, when Paul came by to give me a hand this afternoon he pointed to a number of things that need to be fixed before we can start hanging the backer board for the tile. How did I react? I cried. This is pretty much the universal sign of Susie exhaustion. In fact, whenever I call my mom crying she always asks, "Are you tired?" And, yes, I generally am. I suppose all you manly-men out there are saying something like, "There's no crying in home improvement!" I reply, you got to get out your frustration somehow. And, yes, today was another frustrating day.

As I explained earlier, I was all psyched that I was going to get to moving today after ripping out the vinyl and prepping the mostly good subfloor. Then I got to the subfloor around the toilet. I figured, hey, it's just rotten on the top layer of luan. No, it was rotted through several layers of subfloor (there have to be at least five layers on there, including what appears to have been pieces of the original wood floor). It took me several hours to get the rotten layers out. Then Paul came over and helped me think through how to replace what I had removed and then pointed to the many problems with the framing around the tub. One 2x4 had rotted out at the bottom, which will have to be replaced. There is no framing in the center of ceiling so it basically goes for 34" across with nothing - this means the exhaust fan will need to be taken out and put back differently. Then, a lot of the framing is not even square or plumb - heck, in a few places it just doesn't even align. All of these things must be fixed. So why did I cry? I think because I had assumed that since all that board and tile was up there that it would be fine to use what was there. Of course, you know what they say about assuming. Not to mention the fact that there was nothing renovated after 1970 in this house that was done correctly (refer back to kitchen renovation for more drama). Indeed, I remembered later having the same sinking feeling when Paul came by during the kitchen reno, when I was all raring to go, and told me things needed to be fixed first. I think I cried then too.

So, after a trip to Home Depot, I started working on replacing the subfloor. I will be the first to call myself terrible when it comes to measuring - I'm just awful at it and consequently I measure once and cut about twelve times. Anyway, I'm just about there, as you see below - then I get to cut out a few more to get up to the height of the rest of the subfloor. Then I'll work on framing and then maybe, just maybe, I can get to rebuilding this Bangor Foursquare bathroom. G'night.

Bathroom Reno Day 6.5 - The Toilet Always Flushes Twice

I spent the morning removing the old, ugly vinyl floor. For the most part, it came up rather easily. To my surprised delight, the subfloor also was in great shape. A quick measure told me I'll be able to use the Schluter-Ditra with the tile with no problem. I spent an hour or so scraping off the excess glue. What was not in good shape, however, was the subfloor around the toilet:

I thought, hey, no problem. I'll just pull up that bad boy and replace it. So much for my scoffing at the easily removed toilet yesterday. The toilet had its last laugh, I'll tell you. Not only is the top layer of the luan rotted through, but so are all the other layers of subfloor underneath it - we're talking a good four layers of rotted wood. No wonder it was so easy to remove! I'm having a heck of a time getting it all up too. They used regular screws for some of it, which are all corroded and not budging. Sigh. This will plainly be Day 6 trying to wrestle with just this piece. I was all excited thinking that I'd be able to get the new toilet in and get the Ditra down so I could tile tomorrow. Phhht.

Bathroom Reno: Day 5.60-5.99

After finishing the last of the drywall removal (woot!), I took a nice break and got me some of that there iced coffee from Tim Horton's. Then I mentally and physically prepared myself for Toilet Removal 2010. I had done a lot of reading, a lot of This Old House and DIY Network watching preparing for this moment. I went in assuming the worst - expecting all sorts of floor bolt nonsense. I was prepared. I was prepped. I was one with the toilet removal. So, how long did it take, you ask? About 15 minutes. It came off so easily it made me think that the Universe was apologizing for the hornet episode. It was nasty business, don't get me wrong, but I'll take toilet removal over hornet abatement any day. I think the most time consuming part was getting the water out. I used an old turkey baster, which worked well. So, we're calling it a day. I'll take out the floor and start working on the new subfloor tomorrow. Maybe I'll get a new toilet in, but we'll see.

So, demo is prettty much all done - at least what I would consider the worst of it is done. I pat myself on my back for getting at least this far. I'm off the gym to find me a nice shower. Good night, hornets. Good night, John Boy.

Bathroom Reno Day 5.5 - Please let this be the last "thing"

Just in case you thought I was overreacting, I snapped a picture of the nest before the exterminator took it away. Icky. I generally consider myself a pretty tough chick but yuck, yuck, yuck. I have no tolerance for that kind of thing. While I was less than thrilled about the $150 I had to spend on the new shut-off for the house yesterday, I am ecstatic to have spent $125 to pay someone to deal with this. Thank you, Maine Pest Solutions.

I now have the cleanest remodel site in the world - I ShopVac-ed the hell out of that bathroom. Nasty hornet carcasses everywhere. He said they got in around the venting for the exhaust fan. I need to go get some caulk and seal off that bad-boy tomorrow when the stuff dries. He says the stuff he sprayed will be good for a year and it's non-toxic - there is no smell or anything either. So I'm back at it. I have definitely learned my lesson about wearing a hat. No need to rain down insect remains on this head twice. Sarah, you offered to let me use your shower. I may be taking you up on that offer tonight...

Bathroom Reno Day 3.40 - Ew!

Oh, #$%&@! I got around my faucet problem by getting around it - just pulling out the tile around it. I was just pulling out the last off the drywall on the ceiling and guess what I found...a huge-ass hornet's nest in the ceiling. Ew, ew, ew, ew, ew. Yuck! I am now cowering like a child in the next room. Do I call an exterminator? I don't know (and I don't want to know) if it's still active. Once the dead hornet carcasses started to fall I headed for the hills. Ew. Yuck. Nasty. I generally don't have a problem with insects (except cockroaches) as long as they're not living in my house.

Bathroom Reno: Day 5.25

I'm taking a break while I call for backup. I finally got the long wall of tile down and pulled down the rotting drywall on the window side, as you see above. Interesting hole cut out there. I wonder what that used to be. A window, maybe?

But now I'm stuck. You can see my handy-dandy pink screwdrivers have only gotten me so far. I got the handles off the faucets but I can't remove the rest. The tile board behind them is ready to be yanked off but I don't want to break anything in the process. So, I'm hoping for a call back from some friends to help. Any thoughts in the meantime?

So, while the water is shut off, I might start on trying to convince the toilet to leave. Once that's done I get pull up the floor. Getting there...