Journey of the Bathroom

Journey of the Bathroom--


Twenty plus years ago we redid our bathroom.  The original bathroom was small and very dark.  But it functioned.  That was the important part when we purchased our home.  Remodeling it gave it such a fresh look.

Now, it looks like some of the clothes that hang in my closet.  Out of date and worn.  

It is time to update it again.  And not a moment too soon.  There is nothing in it except the toilet that will be salvaged.  Tearing it out is the simple part.  Making the decisions from all available choices is the daunting task.  I have always been able to make those decisions quickly.  However, this is proving to be more than I had expected.

We decided to do it in stages.  The first stage would be the vanity and all its trimmings which includes the lights and the mirror.  Taking the large mirror down was a bit of a challenge, but it did come down. It is resting on the side deck.  That is as far as we could carry it!

Next the vanity was removed.  The new one was put in place minus the top.  We made a selection at the store and were told we would need to make a trip to Chicago to see it.  If there was a problem with the top, we could make a different selection while we were there.  Everyone would be notified about the change before we left.  So, off we went to Chicago.

Oh my.  Whoever knew that granite came in so many colors.   It was really fun to walk through the huge warehouse and see all the choices.  We were told where our slab was located and happily went in search of that row.  Well, when we saw it, we were astonished.  It looked nothing like the sample in the store.  There was no resemblance at all.  This slab would not do.  Neither of us liked it.

We were told to continue looking and to contact the helper once we made a selection.  We could have been in there for days.  Eventually we settled on a slab we both liked, told the person who made the changes and left for home.  The slab would be transferred to a very small town to be cut.

Once it arrived, we would be able to drive the one hundred miles one-way to made the decision about where to cut the slab for the vanity top.  We received the call.  Since we have been without a bathroom sink for a month, we were excited to make the trip.  We were that much closer to having that part of the bathroom functional again.

At the plant we were given safety glasses and led into the huge area where men were cutting granite and other types of stone.  Slabs were everywhere.  We were led to our piece and were quite surprised to see a piece that we had never seen before.  When we made the selection in Chicago, I took several pictures with my cell phone.  Now it was time to get those pictures.  The man helping us was so apologetic.  He retrieved the paper work, and there it was.  The new choice.  Somewhere along the lines of communication, there had been a breakdown.   What to do?

He said he had a piece he thought I might like and would have it brought over.  Nope.  It didn't work at all.  The next step was to call Chicago and see if the piece we selected still had our name on it.  He would call me the next day with the news.  He said we could drive back to his plant, or we could do this over the internet.  I opted for the latter.  Driving to Chicago is two hours one way.  Driving to his plant takes almost that long.  On the way home we talked about how with all this modern communication, mistakes are still made.

The next day he called and asked me if I had the sink that would be installed into the vanity.  Yes, it had been delivered two days before.  I had not opened the box.  He needed information about it so they could cut the proper hole in the granite.  I took a knife and opened the box.  It was broken into three pieces.  Well.  Now what to do?

I called the store and told the bath design person about the broken vanity. She said to take pictures and send them. She would try to have another sink delivered--unbroken--before the installation day(which was only seven days away!)  I listened to her and then made the decision to load the sink and return it.  Who was to know if the second sink would arrive in one piece?  So, I returned it and selected a simple bowl.  She called the granite person with the dimensions.

The next day the correct slab arrived at the cutter.  He emailed pictures.  It is difficult to decide where to have the granite cut when the pattern is more fluid.   We will see it for the first time when it is installed tomorrow.

Next, we will remove the whirlpool tub.  It has been wonderful.  I have spent many hours in it over the years.  But it is time for it to go.  Once it is out, a new window will be installed followed by a wall for the shower plumbing.  Then the tile.  After that the old shower will be removed and new cabinets will grace that space.  Then all the tile work behind the vanity.  Lights selected.  Paint and new flooring.

Maybe we will be finished by fall!!:)  We decided to do it in stages so we can see each step and make changes on a small scale instead of having it all done and wishing we had made different selections.  It will be fun to watch it evolve into something functional and pretty.

Tomorrow is the big day.  The top is put into place, the faucets are installed and the plumbing attached. Is that the correct way to say that?

Stage two is just around the corner!

Happy day to you all.