DONE!! Well for the most part...

We started this project on about Jan 13. I tried to find a match for each the before and after. But on a couple of them I didn't quite get it right. It was hard to remember where I took the pictures - hey I have slept a couple of times since then. So enjoy the show.

Major things we wanted to accomplish and change during this renovation. Put in a shower, double sinks, replace the toilet, and make the bathroom look a bit more up-to-date. The look we were going for is what I call conservative contemporary. We wanted the bathroom to look modern and contemporary but I did not want it to look so modern that it didn't fit with the rest of the plans we have for the house. Personally I think we accomplished the task.

This one we took of the bathroom when we were looking at the house shortly after we closed.


Love that wallpaper.

Now on to the main event!

Vanity/Sink Area


This is the same vanity as before. Joyce and the girls spent quite a bit of time re-finishing it. How great it does look. Nice job ladies.


Linen Cabinet/Mirror




Floor/Bathtub/Wall




Looking back toward the hall




Bathtub




Toilet Area




These cover the major areas that have been highlighted throughout the process. Here are some other images showing extras that we completed.

This image is showing the completed vanity. With all the drawers and doors along with hardware reattached.



This image is showing the tip-out that I made from the false front that was there before.



We thought about cutting the original mirror down and having two mirrors. One for each sink. But after some debate we decided to keep the mirror as is and dress it up a bit with a frame. I also made a small shelf as part of the frame.





You may have noticed that a niche was also built near the toilet. The idea here was to have the paper recessed in to save space. But after it was built and time to place the roll holder in the niche - well it didn't quite work out. So we are still looking for a roll holder that will work that way we envisioned. I also trimmed it out to make it a bit more fancy looking.

Oh one other thing - you can see the switch as well. This switch is for the exhaust fan. Each button is a timer - push the button for the time you want and the fan shuts off automatically. Also check out the switch plate - Meganne's idea. Lucky for her this was the only plate that fit between the tile and the mirror above the sink.



Here is a shot of the new lights and exhaust fan. The fan is fairly quiet - not as quiet as I would have liked but that is okay. It is still better than what we had before - remember the UFO-ish looking thing there before. That was a heat lamp - a major fire hazard in my opinion.



This has been a great project to get us going in the renovation direction. We really didn't have too many problems crop up as expected. We didn't have mold or other major issues. We did have an issue with the water pipe that I tweaked. And believe it or not that was the only time I called someone in to do something.

But I did get a lot of directions from a couple of people. Lorin East helped us with the tub/shower tile by making sure we didn't mess up somewhere. He also gave us help on leveling the concrete slab between the entry way and hallway. We really did appreciate his help. I also had help from Kevin Bussell on the electrical questions. Of course I would like to thank Nikole and Meganne for their help when they were able. School work took priority. And lastly but certainly not least - Joyce. This project pretty much took up the entire office (across the hall from the bathroom) and the bonus room as well as the entry way. The majority of the house was a mess for just about 3 months. But in return she gets new carpet in the living room. Had a little bit of an issue with the self-leveling cement. She was also nice enough to call this project done - for the most part. So I could move onto a project I need to get done in the backyard.

So what is left? The rest of the crown moulding - I ran out of glue with only about 7 feet left. Shelves on the left hand side of the vanity. As well as touch ups here and there. This is just the bathroom. The hallway and entry will have to wait until I get the backyard done. After those two are done then we will start on the bonus room and living room area. It should be a hoot.

Hope you enjoyed watching-by-proxy this renovation. It was sure a fun challenge that taught Joyce and I that we can do these projects and have them turn out pretty well.

Been A While - Hasn't it?

I did not realize that I have not updated this since Feb 21 - my how time flies. But I have been busy. One of the critters in the area was proposed to be listed by the US Fish & Wildlife as an Endangered and Threatened specie. So I have been busy making maps and analyzing data for the managers on that. There is also something else in the works - but that will have to wait for now. I also went to Phoenix during the first week of this month.

So what have we done - oh what have we done?

Well we finished the tiling - with exception of a few pieces by the tub. The tile was also sealed. We also installed this bad boy...



It was insisted that I put this picture in also. It is a shot of the tank - instead of the water filling the tank it fills this bucket type thing. Then when you press the handle down the bucket empties into the bowl.





We also textured the wall by hand. May I suggest something here - don't texture a wall by hand. Go rent a spray gun - I think it will be easier. I intend to when I go to do the hallway, entry, and bonus room. Next, Nikole and Meganne painted the walls.





Meganne and I also installed a shower curtain rod. This wasn't as easy as it sounds as we had to drill through the tile. She also put up her shower curtain.



I also took out the old light and installed new modern looking ones.





And now finally - we get to install the vanity countertop and the sinks..

Here Nikole and Meganne are putting down the thin-set...



After some dry fitting and cutting. We were finally able to get the tile installed.




Today - I installed the sinks. Complete with the faucet (Nikole helped with that also) and plumbing to drain the water. The sinks look really great on this tile. Yes, Meganne I said they look great on the tile. I had my reservations about the tile adding too much texture to the bathroom overall - still do but just a bit.





Ladies and Gentleman - we now have a functional bathroom!! It isn't finished - but it is functional. We have the vanity doors to install, trim work, install towel rods, install baseboard, crown molding, install the mirror (with frame), and much more. So we will be busy with this room for probably another 2 to 3 weekends.

Until next time. Oh almost forgot - I installed better and more lights in the hallway. Now we can see what is in the closet at the end of the hall.




Another shot of the bathroom from the hallway...



Remember what this bathroom looked like before we started? Well here are a couple of pictures in case you didn't...

Change in Plan

In the last episode of the Great Watts Bathroom Remodel - we fell 4 tiles short of finishing the floor of the hallway, entry, and bathroom. This left us, and you our dedicated readers, excited about wall texturing. Well the executive decision maker decided that the blog writer did not know what he was doing and demoted him.

Then forced our intrepid blog writer to become go-fer.

Joyce was looking at the light we saw a Lowes while in Las Cruces a couple of weeks ago and realized that there was a Lowes in wonderful Hobbs NM. Hobbs is an exciting very unscenic 2 hour drive from here. This is where our intrepid former blog writer comes in. Joyce ordered the newly demoted sap to become a go-fer. Go-fer that tile we need let's get this thing done. So off I went - 4 1/2 hours later I return and promptly start working on tiling the rest of the bathroom wall.

Here is the image of the tile. It still needs to be cleaned but it is finished.



Here is a shot of the toilet area. The switch on the wall is for the ventilation fan I installed. It has timer switches so the fan will turn off automatically after time expires.



By the way Nikole grouted this area. She did a great job.

We will put the vanity back into the bathroom soon and it just might stay there. Joyce and I have finally decided how to finish that off. But that is for another show...




I also finished tiling the hallway and replaced a couple of damaged tiles. As well as redo the thinset on a couple that didn't quite get installed correctly.

Here is a shot of the hallway after the grout. The grout is expected to lighten up a bit in a day or so.



Here is the entry... Notice we tiled the closet as well.



Here is a close up of the tile pattern and grout



We have all watched shows on TV where someone is doing tile in some room of their house. They are nice enough to show how to grout - but they never show this actually being done. I now know why - it is not glamorous, it is not fun, and it is messy.



Joyce and I also decided that this was a perfect way to punish our kids...



Just kidding - Nikole foolishly volunteered.

Maybe next time we will show the walls textured and possibly painted.

A Day's Hard Work...

I took the day off so I could work on the Bathroom. I took yesterday off also but by the time I was able to get to the bathroom the day was pretty much over. So Joyce and I cleaned up the thinset from the tiles on the floor. I finished that up this morning.

But the Hallway, Entry, and Bathroom floor is all tiled. Well for the most part - we were 4 tiles short of finishing. Arrrrggggh I say! Oh well. Here is what it looks like.







All we have to do is finish the tiling (four tile) and grout then the floor will be done.

Next on the list - grout the tub/shower. This is not hard but it certainly does not go like on TV and I did not have the magic of TV to help out. But between Nikole, Joyce, and I we got it done. Meg probably would have helped but there wasn't any room.

Here are the images of this adventure.





We are not finished with the tiling in the bathroom. I still have the wall behind the toilet area. Which is the wall with the gray backerboard. This whole area will be tiled as well as the half wall between the sinks and toilet. The tile will cover both sides of the wall. We will also carry the tile over the sinks for the back splash and the accent also.

Tomorrow - texture the walls and ceilings in the bathroom at least. In the hallway and entry would be ideal. Or maybe we will just take the day off and have some fun. Who knows...