Tales of the Bathroom Demolition

We interrupt this "food blog" to bring you Tales of the Bathroom Demolition...

Here's what it looked like on October 12:

Ordinary bathroom, outdated cabinetry.  Bathroom actually cleaned.

View from other end of said bathroom.

Closet with shelves too deep, it's dark, and the door has
 "intimate relations" with the bathroom door

Here's what it looked like on October 13:

Sink was glued to formica, had to be pried out.

Sink gone!  To be recycled.  Heavy thing.

Mirror out, but saved. Hoping to get it cut down for new bath.

Old light fixture?  Gone.

Buh-bye, countertop...

Buh-bye, broken old cabinets...

Hmm.  Won't fit in the dumpster.  Need to cut 'er down.

Super Brother-in-Law, ripping out drywall

Jim, getting the last of the drywall on the big wall

Nekkid plumbing.  This all stays put.

Don't even ask about the subfloor under the toilet.
Or that flange.  Wait, where IS the toilet?

Yo, 'sup.  I'm lampin' in the tub.  Tub stays as is, thank God.

Jim, in what's left of the closet.  Nice mug shot, right?

Plans for the new cabinets.  

So what's next?  

• Draft up plans of what we're doing to submit to our fine county for a permit and inspections.  We don't plan on moving anything major, but who knows what'll come up.
• A little more ripping out of the closet frame because the new doors for that space are set for a wider opening than what's there now.  Probably reframe that, and some stain was mentioned for the interior of that frame.
• Fix the subfloor.  Joy.  I don't think I mentioned in photos above that there was mud and tile underneath the old cabinetry that had to be busted out.  That was a surprise, and I'm glad we got to that part before the floor guys came in to lay the new vinyl -- I think they'd not have been happy with us.
• Install new drywall on big wall and over the bathroom door wall and closet door wall.  Learning techniques for when we'll likely have to do some drywall in Dad's old house.
• Figure out where we want our new light fixture to go.  Switches and outlets for the walls.  A bathroom fan.
• And while we're at it, why not let's just think about probably taking the back bedroom off of that bathroom electrical circuit.  Because there's not enough to get done
• Get vinyl installed -- that's currently set for the 24th of October, but might have to be pushed back, I forget why at this moment.  Maybe that's because we've got to fix the toilet flange -- current one is not healthy and maybe a PVC one needs to get installed.  Unsure if that's a DIY or a plumber man.  Nothing some more money won't fix, OMG.
• Paint!  This may be the most straightforward aspect of this project.
• Cabinets and closet doors I hope will be delivered around the 26th or 29th, but if the floor install gets pushed out, then maybe we've got to hold on that too.  Or just live with said cabinets in the living room for a couple days.  The dogs won't mind.
• Somewhere in here we've got to figure out how to get that giant mirror to the glass cutter and trim it to a size that's more manageable.  
• And very likely a new faucet for the sink.  The old one is sticking.

Speaking of the dogs, they did amazingly well yesterday.  When the Shop-Vac got turned on, they didn't go completely ballistic.  Cici really hates the vacuum cleaner.  I even fed the dogs treats in the hall while it was turned on and they seemed almost sorta okay with it.

How did I do?  Well may you ask.  I am kind of a wreck.  This is emotional!  Almost all of the krep that has lived in our bathroom cabinets and closets for the last 17 years is now stashed and scattered all over our spare bedroom.  I'll get a photo and post it, but you have to promise not to laugh.  I usually fold laundry in that spare bedroom, so there's currently folded and unfolded laundry in there, in addition to mass chaos.  How many bathroom products do we really need?  Or tablecloths and placemats and Towels from College?  Seriously!?  And yet, it's going to be challenging to go through all the drawers and baskets and bins and boxes and throw stuff away/Goodwill it.  

It's just really unsettling to go from Picture Number One above one day to the last photos where there are no walls and no lights and not much inviting about that space.  And this is feeling like a Way Bigger Project than I expected.  Chomped into a big ol' roll of sushi and there's nothing left but the chewing.  I feel like we've underestimated what'll be involved.  It will all get settled, but for the time being, it's overwhelming.  There's probably something philosophical to tease out of this experience, some disaster that takes away only to have it rebuilt with something better, some parallel with my crazy life, but I can't quite figure it at the moment.  

Starring in today's production of Tales of the Bathroom Demolition were Jim Pippitt, Homeowner; Super Brother-in-Law and Actual Handyman Todd; and the Unseen and Notoriously Stealthy Cat Pippitt, who took a few buckets of debris out to the dumpster and discovered the joy of using a pry bar in removing nails.  Stay tuned for further episodes!

P.S. -- The toilet has been moved from the tub back to its normal spot, so we do have a total of two working toilets and a shower.  Do two half bathrooms equal one bathroom?