Progress continues - slowly.

So, there hasn't really been a lot to share, but that doesn't mean that work isn't progressing.  It just means that it's unexciting work.  I finished up some drywall gaps, got the cabinets hung in the wall, and am now trying to finish up the drywall taping so that there can be priming and painting.

A few lessons learned - know where your electrical lines are before you take a sawzall to the drywall.  When putting the finished side of the cabinet on the floor to cut, put something under it so it doesn't scratch.  Tape that seam anyway, because you'll probably see it even if you think you won't.

Progress continues.  Pics to come when it's obvious progress!

I took a shower...in my new bathroom!

I know, showers are not usually noteworthy.  But this was the first one in the downstairs bathroom since late June!  How was is possible?  Well, yesterday was a banner day in the bathroom world:

• Not only did the plumber fix the issues that stopped me on Tues (for free), he also discovered that they had installed check valves (I think that's the right word).  These are little valves in the shower body used to stop water just to the shower - I didn't know they were there and would definitely have had to call them to figure out why I had no water pressure!
• I took a trip to the tile store at lunch, where the tile guy let me return the edge pieces I wasn't going to use even though it's way past their return period, told me I didn't need to seal the grout, and also told me that if I had gotten most of my walls flat I was actually doing a really good job.  Apparently tiles this big warp slightly, and many professionals have a really rough time trying to make them look flat.  Take that, bump in wall!
• I. Finished. The. Tiling.

And...then this morning I discovered that in making the shower head tall enough for tall people (you're welcome, Max ;) ), I had in effect made it too tall for me to reach without standing on the tub edge.  Know what happens when you are careless on a tub edge with wet feet?  You fall in the tub and whack the bejesus out of your elbow.  

I would like to chalk that up to a renovation injury, since it was done in getting the hang of the new stuff, but I am informed it's really an old lady injury, and I should be grateful I don't need Life Alert.  Jeesh.

Shower was really nice, though.

The Almost house

I know, you've been wondering if I've been working at all.  I have, actually.  Tiling takes rather a lot of time.  I think the above title describes my house.  Things are always almost done.  Rarely ACTUALLY completed.  

Case in point:

Looks nice, right?  Tiled wall, grout, fixtures...  But look very closely, and you will see there's a pipe sticking out, not a tub spout.  How come?  Because the plumbers installed a pipe that's much too long.  Know what?  No tub spout, no shower, because there's no diverter.  You also can't see that there's a screw sticking out of the faucet - since the shower body was installed slightly crooked and I can't get the last screw in.  I. Was. Going. To. Shower. There. This. Morning.  Fell at the last fence.  Plumbers are coming to fix it tomorrow.

You might think if I was going to shower that I had finished the tile.  My, you are funny funny people.

Nope.  See the screws in the upper right?  That means the board isn't covered in tile.  How come?  Because I was 2. Tiles. Short.  And when I went to the tile store on Sat to get another box, they had closed early for the holiday weekend.  Dammit home improvement store!  Labor Day is when I LABOR!  (So how was I going to use that shower?  I was going to tape plastic over that wall.  Enough is enough.  I know Dad, not the best idea, but I would have made it work.)

But not everything in the house is frustrating.  Have I mentioned my amazing pantry in the nook?

Or that I hung shelves for the plants?

So.  Onward and upward.  Perhaps Friday morning I'll be able to shower in the downstairs bathroom...

Actually, there has been progress.

It's been much slower than I would prefer (there's so much to DO this summer!), but I am making progress!  Absolute key point - the toilet works.  Hooray!  We also hung a temporary door, not pictured here.  It doesn't touch the ground, but at least you no longer have to yell, "I'm peeing, don't look!" when using the downstairs bathroom...

And yes.  Those are 3 tiles you can see on the shower wall!  Showering - hopefully coming soon!

Floor beginnings

Well, it's not perfect, and it's not done, but for my first tiling job this is a damn good start!  So much closer to having the toilet back...  I really miss having 2 bathrooms.

Oh.  You may wonder why it looks nothing like the tile in the "does this go" post.  That's because I laid all the floor tile out and then decided I hated marble and couldn't do it.  Mild tile meltdown.  I was rescued by a quick trip to Lowe's where they had some that matched the wall tile I had purchased.  Whew ;)

Day 5.5

Sorry, I got a bit distracted.  There was a wedding to attend and such...  Anyway, we really got quite far.  It's hard to see, but we got all the drywall up (except for the closet) and all the hardieboard (that's the cement-like board for behind the tiles.  It's heavy!).  Last night I got the first round of drywall taping and mudding done on the walls that touch the floor to be tiled.  Hopefully the stars will align and I'll manage to finish that before the toilet gets installed, as it'll be much easier that way, but I'm not really willing to pause on the toilet just to finish the mudding.

No tiling done yet, which means that there are no working fixtures yet.  Dad was pretty sad we didn't get to it as that's his favorite part.  But the plumber was a tad slower than anticipated; we thought he'd only need one day, and he needed 1 and a half.  Also, there was a hole in my floor that didn't go there.  But anyway, I should be able to get the floor at least done very soon.  The tub will take longer not only because it's bigger, but because I don't like the tile I bought and now have to go return it.  Or sell it on Craigslist and buy new.  Either way.  The bathroom turned out to be a bit smaller than the original measurements predicted, but I'll still have a closet (even if it's only 6" wide!), and I'm already really really excited about the way it will look.

Um-does this go?

I bought the wall tile without having the floor tile with me (dumb, dumb, dumb) and I don’t really think it works... I put the white down to see if that one works with it, but I think not. What do you think?

Day 4

Well, if you just glance at it, it may not look like a ton of progress. However, there's actually a ton here! Ceiling's up and drywalled, all the rough plumbing and electric are done, and the floor is started. All materials are purchased- hopefully- so we're in a good spot...

Have I mentioned how much I love Brooklyn?

Old sink: taken
Old toilet: taken
Old cast iron over 300 lb bathtub: taken in less than 10min.

Day 2

Um. There's a hole in my floor.  It doesn't go there. Hopefully this is our one house trick of the reno...