Kitchen window completed

Our blinds for the kitchen window arrived from Home Depot this weekend. We decided to go there for blinds as we could choose blinds that closely matched our kitchen cabinets. We found some that were pretty close. The only thing is, I originally ordered black twill tapes, and they came with burgundy ones. We decided to hang them up anyways. Right now we just want to get projects completed, and didn't want to deal with sending the old ones back and getting new ones. The burgundy tapes don't clash too bad with our kitchen, and in a way it's probably better to break up the black theme we have going.

Zac finished filling in the frame, and painted it black, which also matches our counter tops and baseboards. It makes a huge difference having blinds up in a window that always used to have light shining through.

Chimney work

Zac noticed there was stucco falling off the top of our chimney, and during recent rains we could hear water dripping near the fireplace. Monsoon season is coming fast, so last weekend he decided to fix it. When the original owners stuccoed the chimney, they did not continue the chicken wire from the sides up and around the top, so the stucco cracked all the way around the top. Zac removed all the old stucco, as well as the plywood underneath and one rotted 2 x 4. He replaced the wood, the installed some drip edge and roofing felt. He bent and cut some of the leftover steel roofing panels that we have, and used that for the top.

We don't have any "before" pictures as he started early in the morning, and finished late in the afternoon. But here's how it looks now.

Zac needed to purchase another flue cap for the second chimney, so for now the second hole is covered in aluminum tape to prevent water from getting inside.

Lower bathroom completed!

This project was originally completed a few months ago. That whole Ironman thing got in the way of my blogging it. But today we hung up the pictures and a few decorations, so I figured it was time to update the blog. The colors are different depending on if the flash was used. It looks better in real life. Trust me.

First, here are the before and after shots. I have to say, the before shots now look really strange. It's only been a year, but it's hard to believe the house used to look like this. Some of the shots don't line up exactly as before because I took the originals from a doorway, which is now a wall. But you'll get the idea.

View through the bathroom before:
After:

Lights, mirror and sink before:

After:




Shower before:

After:

Toilet closet before:

After:

Destruction photos of what it took to get here. For such a small room, this one required the most work. Yes, I think it was more work than the kitchen.

Summary of all the work performed to this bathroom:

Structural:

• Removed the pass-through door (between the toilet closet and main bathroom area) and the door to the bedroom. There is now only 1 door from the hallway leading into the bathroom.
• Removed the dividing wall between the two halves of the bathroom.
• Widened the wall between the shower and the toilet closet to fit a standard shower module.
• Added the drop ceiling over the toilet to fit a larger bathroom fan.
• Installed duct work to route exhaust fan to outside.
• Replaced ALL drywall except ceiling drywall. Replaced with paperless mold-resistant drywall as all of the original drywall had water damage and mold.
• Enclosed the plumbing into a wall where the second (right-hand) sink was.

Plumbing:

• Removed shower tile and tub.
• Removed both sinks.
• Capped off plumbing for what was the right-hand sink.
• Moved plumbing for vanity.
• Moved the water supply for the toilet.
• New plumbing for tub.
• Replaced toilet with new Koehler Class 5 flushing system (the one that flushes 15 golf balls).
• Installed new sink vanity.
• Installed new fiberglass shower module.

Electrical:

• Removed 2 exhaust fans and 2 light fixtures.
• Moved all switches, outlets, and junction boxes. Re-wired entire bathroom.
• Installed new exhaust fan and light fixutres.

Aesthetic:

• New tile.
• Textured bathroom in hand troweled finish.
• New paint.
• Installed baseboards (no baseboards before).
• Installed new door.
• Custom shower doors.
• All new towel holders, towel racks, magazine holder, and TP holder in oil-rubbed bronze finish.
• Decorations.

Re-work performed during project (a.k.a. our fault):

• Moved entry door over 8 inches. Allowed for better space utilization. Removed drywall and moved light switch box.
• Painted the bathroom twice. The first color of green was too light and "minty" and didn't go with the tile. After much hemming and hawing, Zac agreed to re-paint in a new color that I chose (2 shades darker of a different green). It helped when I told him Margy (Lazy C blog) painted one of her rooms twice too.

Work remaining:

• Find artwork for the toilet closet wall.