Lou arrived at 7am, and left at 12:30...what a great job he did. It was, like everything to do with this house on the challenging side, but talk about a calm, cool fellow.
He had to nail down the subflooring which had risen up under the now long departed "big black stove" before he could even begin to put the tile back down. He also tried to patch up some of the long cracks in other parts of the room, and replaced the three cracked tiles in the high traffic area right about where his hand is in the photo.
He worked on the leaking tub and broken tiles in the bathroom as well. There the news wasn't so great...as I had feared there is rot under neath the tiles due to the leakage over the years. But it is all sealed up now and the tub can still be used. However, one of these days, the tub will have to come out and some big changes made. I would love to have one of those showers all glass with no rise at all. You can just walk in, or roll in if need be. Clean and easy access, that will be my motto when I get around to that room. And don't look for anything else on that bathroom other than a new tile floor in the meantime.
All I have to do is keep the dogs out until this evening, then do a little mopping of the 'haze" on the tiles, and it should all be good to go. I am one happy camper.
Lou did a great job, cleaned up really well, and has lots of good ideas. If anyone is interested in his number, give me a call.
Friday, June 20, 2008
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Waiting for the tile repairs
How mundane...to still be waiting, but waiting I am, and the great news is that I am not flipping out about having to wait...well not too much. The Tile man, Lou will be here at 7am tomorrow morning instead of today or yesterday...some confusion there.
In the meantime, I have made a down on the cabinets, and asked for a bid for the backsplashes, confirmed with the House of Stainless and have just generally been hanging out considering all the other things that need to be done, like light fixtures. But ya know...somethings just will have to wait until I see it all in place.
The sour note is that the tile company in LODI is out of business and the tile is not available any longer, so we will take a look at samples next week before starting on the bathroom floor. But still progress is being made.
Next Friday the new windows will be installed in the kitchen and down in the greenhouse.
In the meantime, I have made a down on the cabinets, and asked for a bid for the backsplashes, confirmed with the House of Stainless and have just generally been hanging out considering all the other things that need to be done, like light fixtures. But ya know...somethings just will have to wait until I see it all in place.
The sour note is that the tile company in LODI is out of business and the tile is not available any longer, so we will take a look at samples next week before starting on the bathroom floor. But still progress is being made.
Next Friday the new windows will be installed in the kitchen and down in the greenhouse.
Friday, June 13, 2008
The Tile Man Cometh
Yipeeee! I am on a roll now. The Tile Man, now known as Lou came over this am, and thinks it will be no problem to fix the loose and cracked tiles in the kitchen area. I even found 10 tiles down in the green house.
Then I showed him the daunting problem in the bathroom, and he said "It isn't a problem for me!"
He will come over Wednesday afternoon and thinks he can work out both areas and scan and seal random cracks in the same day. Que Bueno!
Then to really make me happy, he said that since I hate the floor tile so much in the bathroom, that he was pretty sure he could get a very close tile to what is in the hall and redo that whole floor for me too. We will discuss that after the other jobs are done. So, I am starting a mini bathroom remodel as well. Next on the list...those horrible doors in there.
Oh, and by the way, that kind of tub and tile set up is not made for showers...just baths!!! Now you know the tile part of the story!
Then I showed him the daunting problem in the bathroom, and he said "It isn't a problem for me!"
He will come over Wednesday afternoon and thinks he can work out both areas and scan and seal random cracks in the same day. Que Bueno!
Then to really make me happy, he said that since I hate the floor tile so much in the bathroom, that he was pretty sure he could get a very close tile to what is in the hall and redo that whole floor for me too. We will discuss that after the other jobs are done. So, I am starting a mini bathroom remodel as well. Next on the list...those horrible doors in there.
Oh, and by the way, that kind of tub and tile set up is not made for showers...just baths!!! Now you know the tile part of the story!
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Living in a Space Ship
Yea!!! The skylight is in place, but it took a lot of sweat and thinking...Stuart figured he had to spend four hours just thinking. I certainly can't fault him as he was working with an existing hole right up against the side of the roof which is higher than the actually roof.
Whew! It got tense for a while, and he swears, (and I won't repeat other than the prefix, fuckin.....you fill in the blanks) he will never do a job like this again.
On the positive side, I am happy.
Tomorrow the TILEMAN comes to survey other preexisting conditions. I think that my fears of opening Pandora's box are about to be realized, but ever onward.
Whew! It got tense for a while, and he swears, (and I won't repeat other than the prefix, fuckin.....you fill in the blanks) he will never do a job like this again.
On the positive side, I am happy.
Tomorrow the TILEMAN comes to survey other preexisting conditions. I think that my fears of opening Pandora's box are about to be realized, but ever onward.
And Now You Don't!
In all the excitement of learning how to blog from flickr, I neglected to see that the NEW cooktop is now showing up in the photo too. But please, notice the void just to the right!
And now I swear, this is the end for today...unless I finish with a photo of the new skylight.
And now I swear, this is the end for today...unless I finish with a photo of the new skylight.
Now You See It
Ah finally I am able to post a photo to blogger...although I won't believe it until I actually see it.
While Stuart has worked away, I have frittered away trying to find the way...and away we go.
While Stuart has worked away, I have frittered away trying to find the way...and away we go.
Conversational Contractor
Over the years, I have been in close contact with men working on PROJECTS...I have learned to stay out of the way, except when invited to participate or asked to tote and carry (gunga din). I have also finally learned to tune out the swearing, cries of pain, or shouts of pure frustration, though they all make me cock my head and wonder what is going on. But today, I finally heard the prize comment. Stuart up on the roof, in furious frustration shouted, "I can't wait until I retire and make someone else suffer like this!" I was right below him, and he did have the grace to laugh. At least he has a sense of humor in the midst of his frustration.
And this makes me remember again why I hate and delay certain projects like this one. You just never know what you are going to find when you tear into stuff. Like moving the stove showed that the floor underneath it is all warped, and the tiles are now loose. My new chore is getting the tile man to come over and make it all right again, but what in the hell will he find when he lifts up those tiles? I worried about water damage, but Stuart thinks it might be from the heat of the stove. And so it goes...one thing after another!
And this makes me remember again why I hate and delay certain projects like this one. You just never know what you are going to find when you tear into stuff. Like moving the stove showed that the floor underneath it is all warped, and the tiles are now loose. My new chore is getting the tile man to come over and make it all right again, but what in the hell will he find when he lifts up those tiles? I worried about water damage, but Stuart thinks it might be from the heat of the stove. And so it goes...one thing after another!
How did this project get started?
June 12, 2008
Is this the official start of the kitchen remodel? Have to ponder that one...or could it be the day the new stove top was put in which started the cascade of events that have led to someone on my roof pounding away at a huge accumulation of glop which held the giant stovepipe in place which once rose up from the enormous black wood cook stove that used to dominate my tiny kitchen? In any event...today to fill the stove pipe void a very cool skylight is going in...second Solatube for this house.
And who to blame? The wonderful Harvey who "thought" he could get the cook stove out leaving the house intact? Or my visiting sister in law who helped me buy the stove top and agreed wholeheartedly that the wood stove should go? Or my very own sister who is starting a huge remodel project and put ideas in my head?
Is this the official start of the kitchen remodel? Have to ponder that one...or could it be the day the new stove top was put in which started the cascade of events that have led to someone on my roof pounding away at a huge accumulation of glop which held the giant stovepipe in place which once rose up from the enormous black wood cook stove that used to dominate my tiny kitchen? In any event...today to fill the stove pipe void a very cool skylight is going in...second Solatube for this house.
And who to blame? The wonderful Harvey who "thought" he could get the cook stove out leaving the house intact? Or my visiting sister in law who helped me buy the stove top and agreed wholeheartedly that the wood stove should go? Or my very own sister who is starting a huge remodel project and put ideas in my head?
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