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Why tear out my perfectly good ceramic floor???

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
Walked into Lowes, did not expect to find anything.

Found wall and floor tile we both liked. Even found a granite top that is affordable AND looks good.

Progress!
 

NorthernRedneck

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
See Bob. Ya have to man up and show her a picture of an outhouse and tell her that's what she'll be using if she doesn't decide soon what tiles, taps, and counters she wants. That'll speed up the process. [emoji14]
 

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
Won't work in this house, too many other bathrooms to choose from. This remodel job is for our daughter's bathroom.

On the bright side we now have a faucet picked out. Melen narrowed it down to 2 different models. I checked the prices and one of them was priced at $970.00 so the choice was obviously NOT that one!

So we now have floor tile chosen. Have wall tile chosen. Have light fixtures already here. And have picked out the faucet.

We need to firm up the counter top choice, but we found one that is acceptable, hoping to make a decision soon. Also hope to get the floor and wall tile on order right after the holiday weekend.
 

Kane

New member
Just had a meeting with the bathroom 'designer' and I wonder why she is called a designer. Told her the house was a "prairie style" design from 1912 and she nodded her head as if she knew, then she just started show stuff that would not be appropriate to the house. So I pulled up my cellphone and started showing her photos. She again nodded her head as if she understood. Clearly by her so-called design choices she had no clue what I want despite showing her one photo and telling her this was my "ideal" bathroom!
(sigh) It hurts to pay for such a "service".
 

Kane

New member
Walked into Lowes, did not expect to find anything.

Found wall and floor tile we both liked. Even found a granite top that is affordable AND looks good.

Progress!
(sigh) Now you can backcharge your "design professional" for your valuable time spent at Lowes doing her job.
 

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
(sigh) It hurts to pay for such a "service".

We are lucky in that respect, we met for the first meeting, didn't buy or commit to anything, so what I lost was 2 hours of my time, but no money.

She did, however, seem somewhat offended when she asked what I thought of one of her choice combinations and I said I thought it was "horrific." She replied that "horrific" is a strong term. I said: Well you asked what I thought and I told you I thought it was horrific and I still think it is horrific.

In retrospect that may have been a turning point in her actually understanding that I would not accept her modern choices for our recreation of a vintage bathroom. Not that it did any good.
 

waybomb

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
For those expensive faucets. Go ebay. I've got 5 bathrooms to do with 6 sinks. Every faucet purchased retails well over 500 each. Didn't pay more than 200 each. Sinks are a bargain on ebay as well. Bought 3 kohler above counter sinks at 90 bucks each. Bought 2 xylem segmented glass vessels at 750 each that normally go in the 1200 range.
I've been picking up piece by piece Kohler water tiles and the rest of the components at way below retail.
Still worthing on the kitchen but amassing supplies for the bathrooms.
EBay is my friend.
 

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
No luck on Ebay.

Actually for the specific Delta faucet, in the specific finish we need, the prices on Ebay are actually higher than they are on Amazon.

But when I looked for the Watermark brand, which is a made in America high line designer brand, I found only parts and some oddities. But nothing even close to the design we need.

The problem with our design is we are trying to make the bathroom look less like a traditional bathroom and more like a Frank Lloyd Wright/Walter Burley Griffin inspired Prairie Style bathroom. That means we have to focus on some very specific pieces, and removes some flexibility in the look.
 

waybomb

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
Now you have a reason to buy the lathe and Bridgeport you've always wanted. ......
 

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
Spent a bit more time on my hands and knees today. Chipped up the last chards of tile that were stuck. Vacuumed the floor and inspected it to look for high and low spots. Brought out the grinder and ground down the high spots ... NOTE TO SELF: Wear a dust mask next time you grind on a cement subfloor.

Letting the dust settle and it will have to be vacuumed one more time, then I'll mix up some self-leveling concrete to fill in the holes and get it ready for tile installation. But I think the self-leveling concrete will have to wait for another day, the BBQ ribs have to go onto the grill. So today the work is done.
 

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
A heated bathroom floor certainly is a nice touch. ........

You are forbidden from talking to my wife :hammer:



EDIT: Took the grinder to last of the high spots, then vacuumed the room again.
 

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
Went to look at paint samples.

Looked at (what seemed like) 100 paint chips, all of which looked pretty much the same to my eye. The lovely Mrs_Bob picks one, we have a mini-sample made up and bring it home. I paint the corner of the bathroom, lay out some tile pieces.

Preliminary opinion from Bob: "Looks fine to me"

Preliminary opinon from the lovely Mrs_Bob: "Wow, not what I expected .........
.............. ........... and ............ oh, with the light ............
......... really not what .......... wow ............. uh, no, I don't think ............."

So at what time may I begin drinking on Labor Day?
 

Kane

New member
After years and years in the commercial construction management biz, ya learn. Give the end user no more than three choices.

Pick one.

What you like, I love.
 

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
I'd be drinking now if I had any booze!

Went back to the highly respected lumber yard with the bathroom design center that people all think is the best in the area ... met with "Ted" again to place an order for the cabinets we are adding. Ted is the guy who we sat down with several days ago, he drew up the new design, blah blah blah

So I walk in and sit with him. Basically he made my wife & I a lot of promises that he essentially recanted today. Sizes he said he could get, he can't get. Configurations he said he could get, he can't get. But he again assured me that he would take care of everything, if I give him a couple more days.

So I walk out frustrated, spent 90+ minutes with him and got NOTHING on order.

But he suggested that I go down the road to the granite store and get working on the 2 counter tops we need for the new design. Gives me a little card, scribbles some stuff on it so that I would be welcomed in there as a preferred customer. So I drive across the county to his preferred granite supplier ... walk in ... holding my little card ... nobody would wait on me. Huh? Walked out, pissed.

Now I'm at the cigar lounge trying to relax.

On the bright side I did manage to lay down a layer of self leveling concrete on the subfloor to repair the minor damage that was made in spots when the old tile was chipped up. So I got something done, and I learned not to rely on suppliers. Planning to go home (after my cigar) and see if the concrete layer is dry. If so I need to mix up a little more and finish off the project.

Got the floor tile picked out, $15.99 square foot. Got the wall tile picked out, $5 square foot. Need about 80 sq/ft of floor and about 60 sq/ft of wall tile. Figure the 2 granite counters will cost me close to a grand. The poplar wood trim is going to cost me another $750 to get it milled down to the right size, then that will need to be stained and finished to match the cherry cabinets (that I apparently can not place on order and have no cost what those will cost). Best price I can find on the faucet is $222 and the matching bath fixture is closer to $300, the matching towel bars are nearly $100 each. Not sure what the mirrors will cost, but I need 2 of those. This little project is going to cost a lot more that I ever figured it would. Good thing I get to re-use the toilet and bathtub!!!
 

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
Well have an update, and I am finding out that NOTHING is cheap.

Adding a few cabinets from "Ted" at the locally owned lumber yard and the cost is $2750. So I go to Lowe's to see if they are any cheaper, NOPE, their price quote is just north of $3500. WTF is that all about? Using the same brand, same style of cherry cabinets, we spent about $10,000 for the entire house 20 years ago. Now to outfit 1/2 of a bathroom the price is roughly $3K.

On a bright note, the price per tile that the lovely Mrs_Bob picked out has DROPPED by $3.00 per tile and is now "only" $12.98 per tile.
 

jpr62902

Jeanclaude Spam Banhammer
SUPER Site Supporter
Just keep telling yourself, "He who knows the cost of everything knows the value of nothing."

That should help.:whistling:
 

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
Just keep telling yourself, "He who knows the cost of everything knows the value of nothing."

That should help.:whistling:

Sure, I'll rest much better knowing that.

But on the bright side I told the lovely Mrs_Bob the costs, she is now thinking that we don't need the $1500 wall cabinets.
 

Kane

New member
Tell Mrs. Bob that she should be able to remodel a VERY nice bathroom, using a design professional and a contractor, for around $300-$400 per square foot. Then ask how she presumes to pay off the overages, either in cash or barter.

We can only imagine that the two of you can come up with an acceptable barter arrangement, with your half of the deal already paid up in arrears. Did I say in arrears? hmmmm.
 
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Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
Almost all the tile has been carried upstairs. 50# a box for the mosaic floor tile!!!

I also ordered 22 boxes of wall tile, after waiting 2 weeks they only managed to get 20 of those 22 boxes into the store. I got those and hauled them upstairs too. But I'm still waiting for the last two boxes.

Today's project was tape off the trim and painting the walls. Which is done. At least the first coat. Probably put a second coat on later today ... or if I'm lucky tomorrow! In any case, I should be starting to put down the floor tile in a day or two, figure 2 days to put it all down becasue there will be a lot of cutting. Another day to grout. Of course the lovely Mrs_Bob has not yet picked the grout color. I don't want to grout it until after I seal it, so that will be another day, needed before grouting. Assuming a grout color can be decided the floor can be installed, sealed and grouted, and then I will seal the grout too, all can be done this week.

Then I can start on the wall tile. I don't want to begin the wall tile until the floor is sealed twice. The floor is a marble mosaic and marble is pourus so sealing it twice is going to keep it looking nicer longer. And if any grout from the wall tile falls onto the floor it will clean up easily too.
 

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
And so it begins . . . lighting in the photo makes it look uneven in color but its not. I'm liking it. But it is honestly not very easy to work with. Can't wait to start cutting all the individual pieces to follow the lines of the bathtub . . . that will be fun.
 

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Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
Time for a lunch break. Actually probably done for the day. Fencing practice starts this afternoon at the high school so by the time I clean up, eat lunch, put the tools away it will be time to leave to go beat kids with still rods.
 

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Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
I was busy yesterday so nothing got done.

Had other stuff to do this morning, and about to leave the house shortly, but I did manage to get some work done on the tile install today. Let me just say that mosaic is a bitch. And marble is a lot more of a bitch than ceramic. It breaks along vein lines, its thicker than ceramic so nippers don't quite fit. And while the sheets go down pretty easily, along the edges where you are cutting and fitting its a huge PITA.

But I do think it looks goods.

I have about 3 sheets to place along the doorway, all 3 will actually be about 2/3rds of a sheet so they need to be cut. Looks like I will have at least 1 day of cutting and fitting along the edges to finish this off :sad:
 

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Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
Floor is done execpt for some drying of the cement under a few trim pieces.

So figured I start laying out the walls.

Borrowed a self-leveling rotating laser level. Shot the marks around the room and 4 different levels. Put a tape measure to it and the self-leveling feature is apparently broken! Now I have marks that are climbing a full inch incline along the long wall. WTF. I was hoping to avoid doing this all manually. Looks like I have to do it the hard way. Damn damn damn.

Glad I found out BEFORE the tile started going onto the walls.
 

jpr62902

Jeanclaude Spam Banhammer
SUPER Site Supporter
Floor is done execpt for some drying of the cement under a few trim pieces.

So figured I start laying out the walls.

Borrowed a self-leveling rotating laser level. Shot the marks around the room and 4 different levels. Put a tape measure to it and the self-leveling feature is apparently broken! Now I have marks that are climbing a full inch incline along the long wall. WTF. I was hoping to avoid doing this all manually. Looks like I have to do it the hard way. Damn damn damn.

Glad I found out BEFORE the tile started going onto the walls.

Good save!:clap:
 
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