Home reno/redecorating support group

[quartz]

A pale periwinkle.

 

[algonquin]

OK, that would have been nice.

 

[quartz]

There are 8 door frames and doors, and 1 window in our hallway/stairwell space. Plus all the baseboards. I curse the previous owners who painted all the woodwork.
I love painting but all these doors and frames are so fiddly.
Poured myself a glass of lemonade, now back to work!

 

[quartz]

Ended up with a completely different pendant light for the stairwell - found one made from capiz shells, and then the two hallway lights are very simple flush mount alabaster domes which match the capiz shells quite well. I had a $300 limit in mind, but the three lights cost just under $100.
Now I am just trying to figure out a window treatment and a better way to display my old book collection that was stacked up on the landing. It's all coming together!

 

[algonquin]

Bedrooms were painted last week and I am very pleased with the results. The mud room was painted as well. It was a light brown which looked dirty and made the room very dark. It is now Muslin and the room is now so much brighter. It makes the room look so bigger.

We received one quote for the bathroom renovations last week. The second contractor gave us a ballpark figure and it was considerably cheaper than the first contractor. Still waiting for the second contractor's formal proposal.

 

[JoannaLouise]

Ended up with a completely different pendant light for the stairwell - found one made from capiz shells, and then the two hallway lights are very simple flush mount alabaster domes which match the capiz shells quite well.

Pictures?

 

[quartz]

Pictures?

Still painting. Those lights will be sitting in their boxes for another month, at least!

 

[algonquin]

I enjoy watching the Property Brothers, but this year their shows moved from the W Network to HGTV. The former is part of my basic TV package and latter is not. I'd have to pay extra for it and I am not willing to do so. I quite bummed about the show's move.

 

[quartz]

WAAAY behind on my stairwell/hallway painting schedule. Last Sunday was supposed to be an all day painting marathon, but we went to London for breakfast and didn't get home until 5pm!
Then Monday and Tuesday I wasn't feeling well at all, and now it's Saturday and I need to get my butt in gear.
Not looking forward to the sore knees and hips I will have a few hours from now.

 

[JoannaLouise]

We get the keys to our house on Friday, and move on Monday. Any volunteers to help me shop for frames and hang pictures? (I just took all of my pictures down from the walls here, and now it's looking a little bare and depressing...)

 

[quartz]

So exciting @JoannaLouise!! Can't wait to hear of your decorating adventures.

 

[BaileyCatts]

For those that have reno'd bathrooms (via hiring people, not doing it yourself, cause that ain't never gonna happen ), how many days does it take for a typical small bathroom reno? This is your typical 1980's style small master bath with a single counter with two sinks, toilet and standard tub (although mine is one of those full shower surround things so the tub is already gone). I hate the shower surround plastic walls thing. I want a shower with real tile. In fact, I could just keep the sink/counter as is and only do the shower to save time and costs. Can that be done in one full day, or is that still like a 3-5 day job just doing a shower even with professionals doing it? I have to be careful on burning vaca days and don't know that I could burn a full week for that.

 

[algonquin]

The contractors said 6 weeks for a bathroom renovation.

 

[BaileyCatts]

6 weeks?! To just do a shower? Good lord I don't even have that much vaca in a year. Well, I guess that ain't never gonna happen then. Oh well. I still gotta get a new water heater, install a water softener system, need a new washer/dryer and dishwasher, so its not like I really had the $$$ anyway. Really just a pipe dream. But man I hate that plastic walls crap thing.

 

[skatesindreams]

BaileyCatts, at least get an estimate.
For a small bathroom; as you describe, it may not take nearly as long.

 

[algonquin]

Sorry, I did not read carefully enough. 6 weeks for a full bathroom renovation. Not sure how long a shower would take. I agree with Skatesindream, get an estimate.

 

[pat c]

For those that have reno'd bathrooms (via hiring people, not doing it yourself, cause that ain't never gonna happen ), how many days does it take for a typical small bathroom reno? This is your typical 1980's style small master bath with a single counter with two sinks, toilet and standard tub (although mine is one of those full shower surround things so the tub is already gone). I hate the shower surround plastic walls thing. I want a shower with real tile. In fact, I could just keep the sink/counter as is and only do the shower to save time and costs. Can that be done in one full day, or is that still like a 3-5 day job just doing a shower even with professionals doing it? I have to be careful on burning vaca days and don't know that I could burn a full week for that.

We've done a lot of our own home renovations and built our own house. The biggest time waster will be putting the tile on, letting the glue set (12-24 hrs) and the grout to set (12-24 hrs) before you can put a sealer on it. To do the actual work? I'd guess 3 to 5 days, but from start to finish, just the shower. But you need time in between to make sure everything is set/dried/sealed. Workman won't be there all the time. I'm guessing as I don't know how big your bathroom is etc. So yes definitely get an onsite quote.

 

[BaileyCatts]

Hmmm... Maybe I will look into that after I do the water heater and softener. The biggest problem is scheduling vaca days to be able to be home all day. Times like this I wish I "knew a guy" who knew how to do stuff then I could just tell him to have at it and not have to worry about strangers in my house.

 

[agalisgv]

When we've done renos, we weren't there with the workers everyday. It's actually better if you aren't because you'll slow them down.

 

[Debbie S]

Let the workers in in the morning and go to work as usual. When they leave, they'll lock the door. Or you could just give the workers a key, then get the locks changed after the work is done.

 

[purple skates]

If I EVER say "Let's redo the bathroom, honey!", just shoot me, OK?

It's been a month since there's been a toilet in our main bath. There's light at the end of the tunnel now, but I'm freaking exhausted.

It would have been easier, I'm sure, if this house wasn't 121 years old. Nothing in it is straight, and I still haven't figured out how to handle one of the main beems that is interfering with drywall placement.

 

[vesperholly]

get the locks changed

This might be common knowledge, but I didn't learn this until recently so I wanted to mention it. Locks can be rekeyed, so you don't have to buy all new locks. My local locksmith/key shop will send someone out if you don't know how/don't want to remove your locks from the doors. They just reset the lock to a new key pattern and give you new keys.

 

[GarrAargHrumph]

If I EVER say "Let's redo the bathroom, honey!", just shoot me, OK?

It's been a month since there's been a toilet in our main bath. There's light at the end of the tunnel now, but I'm freaking exhausted.

It would have been easier, I'm sure, if this house wasn't 121 years old. Nothing in it is straight, and I still haven't figured out how to handle one of the main beems that is interfering with drywall placement.

My house was 109 when we bought it. Nothing is straight, we had to re-stud everything because the things were too far apart, etc. We had to level the floor in the bathroom so the new tile wouldn't crack, and even then, we ended up picking which slope we wanted (should it go downhill from the toilet to the wall, or from the tub to the door...) I'd do things sometimes based on what was easiest to do with the existing plumbing, rather than the ideal. It is what it is.

 

[FiveRinger]

God, you guys are seriously making me want to make some changes in my home. I have been so scared of it. I have a lot of wood paneling (original) and when I first moved in I was so tempted to paint it. But now I look at it and how pretty it is and refuse to touch it. Just figuring out what I want is scary. Every time I go onto Pinterest I freak out! Too many choices. Right now the only thing I can be absolutely sure about is comfort. I don't want to go anywhere in my house and be afraid to sit down or touch anything.

And my little dollhouse only has one bathroom. I can't do a 6-week renovation in there. Although I would love to rip everything out and start over. It is admittedly, fugly as all hell!

 

[skatesindreams]

And my little dollhouse only has one bathroom. I can't do a 6-week renovation in there. Although I would love to rip everything out and start over. It is admittedly, fugly as all hell!

Get an estimate from an expert, before ruling it out.
If you have everything lined up, it probably can be completed more quickly.

 

[quartz]

I bought a simple sheer white curtain panel and curtain rod brackets yesterday at walmart. ($28!) I already have a beautiful tree branch which fell off my silver maple, to use as the curtain rod. Its exactly the right length and has a lovely grey color, and lots of lichen on it for texture. The only problem is that the curtain has bright shiny silver grommets, and so I will have to antique them before I can hang it.

 

[skatesindreams]

That sounds great, quartz!
I'd love to see a photo.

 

[quartz]

I'll put before and after pics up on fb when I am done!

 

[algonquin]

We had a third contractor look at the bathrooms last night. He renovated my sister's in-laws bathrooms and built their deck and pergola. They have very high standards, so I am going over next week to take a look at the contractor's work. Still waiting on the estimate from contractor number two.

 

[skatesindreams]

We had a third contractor look at the bathrooms last night. He renovated my sister's in-laws bathrooms and built their deck and pergola. They have very high standards, so I am going over next week to take a look at the contractor's work.

This sounds promising!