Where to start my bathroom remodel? AKA procrastinating by posting this thread

Leah Frances · 06-03-2009, 01:52 PM

I have a project to start and I don't know where to begin. I'm feeling overwhelmed so I'm venting. If anyone bothers to read this or comment. Here's the 411:

- I have two baths - mostly, right over top of each other - they need all new... everything - they are both a total tear out, but currently represent 2 working toilets, 1 working sink, and a working shower.

- Upstairs bath (with shower and sink) has a unknown leak at the tub (really slow drip, less than 1 cup per week. This leaks over the ceiling of the sunroom (which I have torn out, so I can find/fix leak).

- Downstairs bath sits inside the sunroom, surrounded by two non-load bearing walls, it will need total tear out down to the floor. One new wall will be built to redefine the bathroom and sunroom space it will make the bathroom slightly more narrow and slightly longer (go from 7x6 to 6x10).

Dear Husband (sigh) wants the 'envelope' of the sunroom finished ASAP, so was can use the space. This requires dry-walling the ceiling and building and dry-walling the 'sunroom side' of the new bathroom wall.

Other than needing to fix the leak, I don't know where to begin. Normally, I'd demolition everything and start from scratch, but DH is really getting antsy about using the sunroom (which, except for the ceiling and drywall, is done).

Help I need a plan.

gma2rjc · 06-03-2009, 04:41 PM

Buy DH a hammer and some 'how-to' books. You go on vacation for two weeks. ........

just kidding.

Leah Frances · 06-03-2009, 08:35 PM

I totally deserve that... I just didn't want to get started today. Did I mention I have to move, like, 20 bats of insulation before I can start - I seriously didn't want to do that. So instead I talked to roofing contractors and planted some snap dragons.

Scuba_Dave · 06-03-2009, 10:27 PM

Didn't you just finish a bathroom?
Bathrooms I do in cold weather (wife was sooo pleased)

I'd finish the sunroom for the summer
BUT - no sense doing that if you have a leak
So fix the leak 1st

Leah Frances · 06-03-2009, 10:55 PM

Yes, I just finished a bathroom (yeah, me!). But that was so I would have another working toilet, sink, and shower for when I have to gut the full bathroom. Seems like bad pool to take down two working bathroom without having another working one in the house.

Check it, Fix Leak - did I mention it's galvanized and the inside looks like one of those commercials for cholesterol drugs. I really hate fixing it when I know it's going to get replaced in the next three months.

Logic dictates that I just do the whole shebang plumbing-wise first - tear out, rough in, etc. But there's that DH who really wants his sunroom done.

06-03-2009, 01:52 PM	#1
Leah Frances Learning by Doing Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Easton, Maryland Posts: 3,156 Blog Entries: 7	Where to start my bathroom remodel? AKA procrastinating by posting this thread I have a project to start and I don't know where to begin. I'm feeling overwhelmed so I'm venting. If anyone bothers to read this or comment. Here's the 411: - I have two baths - mostly, right over top of each other - they need all new... everything - they are both a total tear out, but currently represent 2 working toilets, 1 working sink, and a working shower. - Upstairs bath (with shower and sink) has a unknown leak at the tub (really slow drip, less than 1 cup per week. This leaks over the ceiling of the sunroom (which I have torn out, so I can find/fix leak). - Downstairs bath sits inside the sunroom, surrounded by two non-load bearing walls, it will need total tear out down to the floor. One new wall will be built to redefine the bathroom and sunroom space it will make the bathroom slightly more narrow and slightly longer (go from 7x6 to 6x10). Dear Husband (sigh) wants the 'envelope' of the sunroom finished ASAP, so was can use the space. This requires dry-walling the ceiling and building and dry-walling the 'sunroom side' of the new bathroom wall. Other than needing to fix the leak, I don't know where to begin. Normally, I'd demolition everything and start from scratch, but DH is really getting antsy about using the sunroom (which, except for the ceiling and drywall, is done). Help I need a plan. __________________ If I could only remember to THINK about what I was doing before I did it. Last edited by Leah Frances; 06-03-2009 at 01:54 PM. Reason: no matter what spell check says than does not equal they

06-03-2009, 04:41 PM	#2
gma2rjc Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: West Michigan Posts: 3,568	Where to start my bathroom remodel? AKA procrastinating by posting this thread Buy DH a hammer and some 'how-to' books. You go on vacation for two weeks. ........ just kidding.

06-03-2009, 08:35 PM	#3
Leah Frances Learning by Doing Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Easton, Maryland Posts: 3,156 Blog Entries: 7	Where to start my bathroom remodel? AKA procrastinating by posting this thread I totally deserve that... I just didn't want to get started today. Did I mention I have to move, like, 20 bats of insulation before I can start - I seriously didn't want to do that. So instead I talked to roofing contractors and planted some snap dragons. __________________ If I could only remember to THINK about what I was doing before I did it.

06-03-2009, 10:27 PM	#4
Scuba_Dave Xtreme DIY'r Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: South of Boston, MA Posts: 17,248	Where to start my bathroom remodel? AKA procrastinating by posting this thread Didn't you just finish a bathroom? Bathrooms I do in cold weather (wife was sooo pleased) I'd finish the sunroom for the summer BUT - no sense doing that if you have a leak So fix the leak 1st

06-03-2009, 10:55 PM	#5
Leah Frances Learning by Doing Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Easton, Maryland Posts: 3,156 Blog Entries: 7	Where to start my bathroom remodel? AKA procrastinating by posting this thread Yes, I just finished a bathroom (yeah, me!). But that was so I would have another working toilet, sink, and shower for when I have to gut the full bathroom. Seems like bad pool to take down two working bathroom without having another working one in the house. Check it, Fix Leak - did I mention it's galvanized and the inside looks like one of those commercials for cholesterol drugs. I really hate fixing it when I know it's going to get replaced in the next three months. Logic dictates that I just do the whole shebang plumbing-wise first - tear out, rough in, etc. But there's that DH who really wants his sunroom done. __________________ If I could only remember to THINK about what I was doing before I did it.

Where to start my bathroom remodel? AKA procrastinating by posting this thread