This project has been in my head for years-actually, ever since we re-did the guest bathroom oh so many years ago...unfortunately, there just never seemed to be the time or extra funds to get started-always something else that was a priority. But when the day finally came to "pull the plug" so to speak, I was ecstatic. I have watched home shows ever since "This Old House" came on PBS a zillion years ago. I ALWAYS wanted to do that! And now, I would finally get my chance.
We decided to do our own demolition for a few reasons. Budget was one but it really came down to Jennie and me just wanting to smash some things! And believe me, it IS all that it is cracked up to be. Our plan was for Jen and me to start demo on Friday and then be joined by others on Saturday-we kind of thought this would be a multi-day affair-especially since neither of us had a real clue what we were doing and sort of started out on a wing and a prayer. I had visions of all of the disasters that I have seen on the DIY Network's Renovation Realities show and the little trailers going across the bottom of the screen always starting out "if they had just researched this more on DIY"!!!! In reality, we did fairly well. A lot of common sense plus years of tons of DIY projects prevailed. And then, I was surprised by the arrival of my brother and sister-in-law who apparently just can't get enough of the things I get myself into around here-remember, they were here just a few short weeks ago to
I must say, we NEVER would have gotten this done in one day without their help-and, the foresight of my SIL who came to check on us on his lunch break. He is an engineer but I'm not sure that is what made him realize that we were in over our heads on the ceramic tile floor removal! We were trying to hand pry each tile up and they were coming off in 1/4" pieces-I don't know what the floor guy used when he did this floor many years ago but I know if I ever need to adhere something FOREVER, I will find out what it was. These tiles were going NOWHERE!!!
We were happy-but a little intimidated-to see Elton return a bit later with a "jack hammer" looking tool to help get up the tile. The sad part was that the tool itself was so heavy that none of us other than my brother could wield the thing-hence, he inherited the whole job. And what a job it was!
But, by the end of the day, we were looking at nothing but one HEAVY cast iron tub!!! And no way to get it out. Then Elton appeared again and sledge hammered that thing into two pieces-and even then it weighed a ton! But he got it out of here and today, except for a bit more clean up, pulling some nails, etc., we are DONE and able to give all of the other helpers that were lined up the day off.
So here we were just a day ago:
And here we are right now:
I had been waiting soooo long to do this-so much fun and you really don't even have to be mad at anyone to enjoy it!
If you look carefully you will see my cohort peeking through. We may have enjoyed knocking down walls just a bit too much!
That tool was our salvation! Hard to believe we are actually "shoveling" out my bathroom floor!
Yay!!! It's FINALLY gone.
That hideous striped wallpaper was put in by the builder. It was no time at all before I put in another-that we also found a little piece of-equally hideous I must say and then the third wallpaper concoction was the flowers with border that we found behind the wall cabinet. Wow! What was I thinking??!
In any case, I am off to scrape layers and layers of dust off of my beautiful, once-dark wood bedroom furniture, pull nails from studs and pick up lots of tiles that were left after the tub got pulled. It will be a lot of work but I am actually looking forward to it. I have always told you that I am happiest when I have a project and this is definitely a project! We are moving forward!!! Stay tuned.
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