Time to renovate...

From the day we moved into this house almost 18 years ago, we found that there were two rooms that did not work well for us..the laundry room and the half bath. I fixed the laundry room by taking 5 feet from the garage storage area and building in 9 feet of closet space with custom built storage units. I also added 4 feet of base cabinets for storage and an oversized countertoptop for folding clothes. That fixed that situation, and we had the proper storage needed for three kids and all their "stuff." Here's what that looks like right now after I completed it.











The half bath is situated between the kitchen and dining room, and it's smack dab in the middle of where everyone has always congregated. It could not be in a worse place, IMO.



So, the other day DW says to me that she has an idea, and asked me to pop it in the computer to see if it would work. She wanted to move the half bath into the laundry room, reconfigure the entire laundry room (almost 12' square), then turn the half bath into a walk-in pantry. I immediately said that it would work, but I would put it in AutoCAD so we had a working plan. Here's what we are going to do. Now I have to start removing everything from this room so I can start the demolition and build the new walls. Click on the link below to see the plans in a PDF file.

Wow, Joe, big project. When you get to the kitchen part it will be both you and Ronjohn and I can't wait to see what the two of you come up with.

buzzard767 said:

Wow, Joe, big project. When you get to the kitchen part it will be both you and Ronjohn and I can't wait to see what the two of you come up with.

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Our kitchen is just fine the way it is, with plenty of room and counter space. I put in granite tops a couple of years ago and that brought it up to date. Ronjohn is having a contractor do his, which means his will most probably be done before mine, because I am doing all the work myself. Here is what our kitchen looks like now with the new tops.

Oopsie. It's JoeC who is about to redo his kitchen. My mistake.

buzzard767 said:

Oopsie. It's JoeC who is about to redo his kitchen. My mistake.

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No problem. I understand all about CRS and "Senior Moments."

JoeV said:

The half bath is situated between the kitchen and dining room, and it's smack dab in the middle of where everyone has always congregated. It could not be in a worse place, IMO.

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Mine isn't THAT bad but pretty close to it. My 1/2 bath is off from the bar room/den, very close to the eating/gathering areas. I should have sound proofed it when I had the chance. lol

High Cheese said:

Mine isn't THAT bad but pretty close to it. My 1/2 bath is off from the bar room/den, very close to the eating/gathering areas. I should have sound proofed it when I had the chance. lol

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You're right. It's not bad if the user turns on the exhaust fan, but if they don't...

Well, me and DW spent the entire morning just emptying the closet, sorting out what will go back and what is trash or headed to the thrift shop. Then getting those storage units out of the room and into the garage without my laborer (he was sleeping and didn't answer his phone until mid afternoon) was a bear. After lunch DW went shopping so I was alone again, and it took until 4 p.m. to get the wing walls, header, laundry tray, cabinet and drywall torn out and loaded into the truck to go to the landfill. I also removed most of the ceramic tiles that need to be replaced, and I'll get the rest of them removed tomorrow.









After dinner (BLTs & potato salad) I headed to Lowes and bought all the plumbing and electrical items I need. $236 just for everything to go into the rough-in.

Gotta work in the morning so I won't get back on it till around lunch. I hope to rough-in all the plumbing drains, electrical and gas line so I can start framing walls.

Damn - you got a lot done today, Joe! Bravo!!!

Thanks, Terry. Thursday and Friday I was able to remove all the existing drain lines and wiring, then install three new outlets and the drain for the laundry tub. I also installed a "T" and stubbed it out for the washing machine drain, and drywalled over everything that is done. I added 2x4 backing for the laundry tub mounting bracket as well. I noticed at the tearout that the original installer only used plastic anchors in the drywall. That really pissed me off, because its the wrong way to install that bracket. If there was a lot of weight in the tub the entire tub would have fallen off the wall. I loathe idiots who do half-ass work.

I ordered the new window and framed the opening. It will take 3-4 weeks for the window to come in, which is OK because I don't feel like stripping the siding this time of year to install a window. That's nice weather work.

Saturday was spent tying flies for my fly fishing club's annual fundraiser, and I was beat when I got home at 6 p.m. and passed out in my chair. I was up at 0500 that morning and made a batch of Italian bread and Epi Baguettes that I took to the show and shared with my friends. I also made the Epi cinnamon rolls on Friday night, and took them to share as well (that's how I got the pictures for the latest tutorial I just uploaded.)

Today I hope to relocate the gas line for the dryer, water lines for the tub and the water box/drain for the washing machine. DW & DS need to do some laundry some time today, so I may just send them to the laundromat so I can get this done without pressure or interruption. It will actually be faster for them because the machines will handle a triple load. I also hope to move the folding table and cabinets today as well. This is a lot of work for one guy with no helpers. DW wants to help, but without being able to do something without supervision, I can actually get more done alone. I'll let her make dinner today after she does laundry. Those two things would be an extreme help to me. Here are the pics on where I'm at now.

Outlet added for folding table.



Drains for laundry tub & washing machine.



New outlets for washer & dryer, window framed & wall board installed.

Joe C, the red lines in your cad drawing have me a little confused, so I'm not exactly sure where the wall to the right of the toilet will be, but, no sink? And there doesn't seem to be a lot of room to open the door when you're in the bathroom.

UnConundrum said:

Joe C, the red lines in your cad drawing have me a little confused, so I'm not exactly sure where the wall to the right of the toilet will be, but, no sink? And there doesn't seem to be a lot of room to open the door when you're in the bathroom.

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Warren, you are confused because this is NOT JoeC's project...it's JoeV's project.

Anyway, I changed the drawing in AutoCAD and eliminated the red layer, which was the floor joist layer. I needed to know where they were for the water line and drain relocations. Hopefully this new PDF will be easier to read. Oh, I was just lazy and did not draw the sink in the previous drawing. I did not realize that Brother Gentzler was going to be here checking my drawings for accuracy and completeness. He was my high school drafting instructor.

Great idea for the reno. There's nothing better than a true walk-in pantry.

It wasn't a real productive day on the project, but I did get a few things done. Before starting the project I made 20 sandwich rolls for the freezer because we were totaly out of them. I also started a sourdough poolish for baguettes. when that stuff was done I went to Home Depot and got the rest of the drywall for the new walls that will be going up soon, and 3 sheets of 1/4" drywall. I put the 1/4" over the walls that had a rolled finish in the old closet area, because it will be less messy to sand those few seams as opposed to skim coating teh entire area and sanding it smooth. I've done the skim cat route before on textured walls, and there was a mountain of drywall dust throughout the house. I'm not going thru that mess again.

Anyway, those walls are overlaid, taped and corners are finished on one side, and I dismantled the folding table and cabinets. I also removed the balance of the floor tiles that need to be replaced.



While DW was making homemade spinach & Ricotta raviolis, I made up a batch of "everything" sourdough baguettes. Ate 1, DW is taking 1 to work, and gave away 1 to DS's friends and one for the friend's Mother who is having a tough time with her Chemo treatments.

It's looking fantastic, Joe. I am so impressed at how quick you are doing this. (Your wife is such a lucky woman!!!)

Wait until she gets the bill at the end of the project.

(I hope she has a good pair of kneepads.)

JoeV said:

Wait until she gets the bill at the end of the project.

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Do you get partial payments as the project progresses? Or a lump sum payment at the end?

I occasionally like 'pay as you go' on work site with balance due at ... completion.

Wart said:

Do you get partial payments as the project progresses? Or a lump sum payment at the end?

I occasionally like 'pay as you go' on work site with balance due at ... completion.

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If I told you the payment plan she would not be very pleased with me...if you get my drift.

Well, it has been a week since I started this project and, unlike RonJohn, I'm far from complete. The biggest challenge is past, and that was restoring the washer & dryer so we could do laundry. We're used to throwing in a load here and a load there, but when the machines are not connected, it adds up quickly. I finished installing the water lines and drain line for the washer last evening, and DW & DS were competing for the machines until almost 11 p.m..



Disconnecting and capping lines from the old location and installing new lines for washer and sink, and moving the gas line for the dryer. I installed a "Shark Bite" connector in each water line to make it easier to drain sections of lines. No soldering, and they come apart easily with their own special tool. By the time I'm done, I will have shut down the water to the whole house 5 times so I can make taps in the lines.





Then this morning was spent putting all the tools in thier proper boxes/bags, carts, and cleaning the garage and stuffing the garbage can to the top since it was trash pickup day. Got rid of the trashed wall board and cut-offs , then spent the day framing in the bathroom and closet walls.









After dinner me and DW went to Lowes and picked up the lighting fixtures for both areas, as well as more electrical boxes, switches and GFCI outlets. I have the bath and utility circuits split, so I needed 2 GFCI devices.

Tomorrow I hope to get in the water lines and drain line for the new bathroom sink and toilet, as well as setting the toilet floor flange and installing the some of the switch wiring and ceiling lights. By Friday I want to be taping drywall so both rooms will be closed in, and I can be painting next week.

It's been quite a project, but I've crested the hill and I'm on the downward slope. Last night I finished the laundry room and bathroom, except for the pleated shade that DW will get today for the bathroom, and installing the window above the laundry tub. Thanks to Photoshop and my son's talent, the picture makes you think it is already installed and trimmed.

Here is the view coming in from the garage. We decided to leave off the sliding doors for the closet area, and see if clutter develops. If it stays neat, we won't put the doors on there. We actually like the look w/o doors.



Here is another shot w/o the wide lens.



Here is the bathroom, sans the pleated shade for the window that DW will pick up this morning along with some additional accessories and accents. We really like how it turned out, and DW loves having a window in the room.



And lastly, another shot w/o the wide lens.



Oops! Almost forgot. This is the pantry project waiting to happen.

JoeV said:

Here is the bathroom, sans the pleated shade for the window that DW will pick up this morning along with some additional accessories and accents. We really like how it turned out, and DW loves having a window in the room.

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Joe, I think your son may be a vampire...

Wowie!! I am drooling over your pics, Joe! Where to start? I like the open closet set up, too. It makes everything more accessible and looks very spacious. The bathroom is gorgeous!!! What kind of counter is that? It looks like solid surfacing or gasp granite. Really, really beautiful. The window is wonderful. Mrs. Joe must be a very happy camper about now. Bravo!!!

Joe, that looks wonderful! Congratulations!

Very nice work Joe. Congratulations.

Wow Joe. You do good work. Very impressive. And ...it looks GREAT!!!!!!!

Way to go.

Fisher's Mom said:

Wowie!! I am drooling over your pics, Joe! Where to start? I like the open closet set up, too. It makes everything more accessible and looks very spacious. The bathroom is gorgeous!!! What kind of counter is that? It looks like solid surfacing or gasp granite. Really, really beautiful. The window is wonderful. Mrs. Joe must be a very happy camper about now. Bravo!!!

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Thank you, it's always rewarding when a project gets to the completion stage. The countertop is Wilsonart HD, Chrystalline Dune, with a matching bevel edge. My supplier made it for me at his cost, and as a thank you, I gave him and his business partner each a loaf of honey whole wheat bread and 6 cinnamon rolls. that went a long way, because today he let cut up my pantry shelving in his shop at no charge. 4x8 sheets of particle board are hard to handle when cutting on saw horses using a Skillsaw.

Ahhh - it was the edge that made me think it was solid surface. It is just wonderful. Looks very high end. While we're at it - I really like the toilet style. Looks squared off in the front, but still an elongated bowl.

Holy smokes, what a project! Beautiful, Joe!

I bet you and DW are happy as clams to have your house put back together!

Lee

Fisher's Mom said:

Ahhh - it was the edge that made me think it was solid surface. It is just wonderful. Looks very high end. While we're at it - I really like the toilet style. Looks squared off in the front, but still an elongated bowl.

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Toilet made by Elger. We specified them for all bathrooms when we built the house. I hate those round "builder's toilets." You NEVER see them in a builder's house.