Bathroom remodeling problems

Hi  gang - starting a new topic - REMODELING!! I'm redoing my master bathroom. I "thought" that, at the start, things were going to be good - HAH!!  Best guess from the contractor - "About week and a half". At present, 3 weeks, and possibly longer. First guess, start in April, then May - actually, second week in June (sigh). First step, demolition! Fantastic job, two days instead of three - but can't move up the next step - electrical, so last Thursday, they did THEIR job. Friday was "rough" electrical inspection by the TOWNSHIP - waited all day - called township - inspector done for the day, didn't come (GRRRRRR). Can't do next step until inspector signs off. Held up drywall wall guy - Monday, inspector shows up, takes a cursory look, says "OK", signs form, give it to me. Monday AFTERNOON , drywall guy shows up, works til 5:30 PM - Tuesday morning still working  BUT has to let spackling dry - needs Wednesday to come back - first in the morning, then final Wednesday afternoon - this means he can't work with the next step - the "tile guy" - so, I guess, that will come Thursday (??) - Probably means three week project is now into fourth week - that's July - the 4th is Thursday of that week - UH-OH.

Stay tuned with "FUN AND GAMES WITH REMODELING" brought to you by Caddy Jim

Fun and GAMES is right Jim!

Oh, Jim, my brother!  BEEN THERE!!  Details different, insanity the same.  I hope you have a place for cleansing and relief while the ordeal continues.

Doesn't it make you sympathize with the folks who only have one bathroom when it needs fixing??

We have 1 1/2 bathrooms. When we put in a new tub/shower right after we moved in, we had to shower at my work. I appreciate that we have a workout room with showers for men and women, but it feels REALLY weird to shower at work. 

Round two - Started step two yesterday - tile - BUT, there was still some sanding and buffing work by the panel guy - they worked it out (whew!) - and all I'm left with is the tile guy for a few days - looks good - then, we get into cabinets and sinks and counter tops. Plus, I owe the next payment to the grand master of all this - say goodbye to my savings/checking account again.

Caddy Jim

Jim, just now when I read the words "Plus, I owe the next payment to the grand master of all this..."  I glanced over at your pic of Tat on the tile floor and thought, What's Tat gonna do with all that money? 

That's what I thought too! 

Just a note to Suzzzz and bp - that's and old picture of my foyer (front entrance) - I've replaced the tile with laminate wood - VERY SLIPPERY for Tat - she LOVES to chase after a fiffur mousie, leaping and tripping, after I've tossed one onto the the laminate floor.

Caddy Jim

I'd love to see a video of that!

fiffur and others - a video would be nice but I live alone, and it's VERY difficult to toss the mousie, pick up the camera, focus ---- oh shoot, I missed the shot!!!!

Caddy Jim

Back to the bathroom remodeling topic - this morning, the first task was to put in the new cabinets and counter top (sounds like a kitchen project, doesn't it!) - Jeremy and his helper struggled and swore and in the end, moved the whole thing into place - we had known it would be tough, the space was 71 3/4 " and the new stuff was 72" - but it was all in place (my whole room might explode eventually), and now I have Doug doing the painting for the next few days - very quiet compared to the others (demolition, electrical, drywall, and tile).

Caddy Jim:rotfl:

Wow, that was tight fit!!  I think your biggest danger point in the new bathroom will be soon after your first hot shower, when everything swells just a bit from the steam....

AAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!!! - Just when I thought things were GOOD, it turns BAD! Still don't have my shower doors installed - subcontractor says he wasn't aware that Thursday was the day - hadn't been informed by the chief contractor (GRRR!) - also says he's short people, so he will call me back when he can (GRRRRRRRR!) - chief guy (a really good guy, and plumber) came by for a "final go-around" - pointed out that there did not seem to be a close fit between the roof tiles and the shower light (chief said "-------", couldn't put here what he REALLY said) - NOW, the tile guy will have to REMOVE and REPLACE 4 tiles, bring them to a closer fit with the shower light, so that it would LOOK GOOD - canceled the final electrical inspection from the township - will try again at some future date - SOMETIME - will get shower glass installed, will replace roof tiles, will get shower light working right, will get township inspection ok'ed.  THEN will I pay the FINAL payment to the chief.

Who said remodeling was fun????   

Caddy Jim    

Who said remodeling was fun????   

Caddy Jim    [/quote] Nobody said that that I know of........it's never fun and nothing ever goes to plan. Always takes twice as long and costs twice as much too.

Any idea when it will finally be done? Did the contractor even give you a ballpark date on that?

jimkr2t wrote:Who said remodeling was fun????

Nobody. Nobody said that. Nobody ever ever ever.

Only those nutcases on the home remodeling shows. I swear I came into home ownership with great ideas of re-doing the whole house. HAAHAAHAA! How little I knew!

Only thing that's reasonable is that it will be done in July (I think) - in case you've forgotten, July begins monday.

Caddy Jim    

Ahhhhhhh.......but what part of July? The beginning, middle, or end? With the weather forecast I hope it's a lot sooner rather than later.

But did they say it would be done THIS July???

July 31 deadline gives you/them plenty of time to get it right! And, as noted above, year not specified.  

Someone told me once that you can write a deadline into a contract. If you're good (and not too scary) to contractors, you write in cost reduction for unexcused deadline slips. So, if the inspector doesn't come and delays the completion, pay full price. If contractor messes up ceiling tiles and has to re-do, reduction in price.

Sounds like a good idea to me, but I don't know if contractors would agree to something like that.

Good ones will, confident that they won't screw up or get the job done late.

Well, things have turned SLIGHTLY better   I finally got the tile people to come out and fix the gap that was around the shower light - required the removal of 4 tiles from the ceiling and replacing them with new ones that were cut about a 1/4 inch bigger. I won't say I was obstinant, nor was I crying, but somewhere in the middle - tile subcontractor finally agreed he would do it (chief contractor was unavailable, so I contacted tile guy by myself) - problem done. Talked with the glass door people - they will contact me when they can send someone over and finish off the project -   - last item, talked with the township - I have SCHEDULED the final electrical inspection for next wednesday - I hope the inspector will show up - that will finish the project FINALLY !!!!!

Caddy Jim  

If he doesn't show up I'd be tempted to track his butt down, throw him in the car, and MAKE him show up!