North Carolina

I have just spent the last two weeks in North Carolina putting doing a job for my Inlaws. They wanted a bathroom installed. A bathroom was an under statement. The bathroom in all actuality turned out to be a walk in closet, a bathroom sized room for a 6' vanity and then another room for a tub and toilet. I spent two weeks, 16 hour days every single day to get the job ready for painting. The rest is up to the plumber and electrician. The new rooms went into an attic so I have spent my time working in the dark with a work light. I took pictures. The metal framing was something new to the local contractors. They told me that they never heard of using this method for residential work.



After replacing the flooring the plumber had ripped up to install his plumbing I decided to frame the work with metal framing. The first wall I started to put up is on the end a shower is to be installed. The layout for the wall and the shower the plumbing was installed for was about 2' off. The head height in the shower due to the rafters for the roof would have been at about 5'4'.
I had to change the layout. Of course a toilet is to be installed next to the shower. The wrong layout and improper plumbing meant that the shower would be to close to the toilet. I changed the plans and decided to install a tub unit.


The first day I had the walls up and started the ceiling.


The second day I finished framing in the ceiling and had the electrician come and do his rough installation. This was on New Years Eve day. The electrician didn't want to come until the following Monday. When I asked him if that's how long it would take him to recover from New Years eve partying he showed up about an hour later.


Started insullating.


Framing in the ceiling meant incorporating hip rafters into the scheme of things and also the support post for the rafters.



After the electrician finished his rough, I hung the drywall and had it taped on New Years Day.
Carrying 30 some odd boards of drywall up two flights of stairs, around the landings and rails without doing any damage was an amazing feat. One of the reasons I framed everything in metal to be honest was to save time and muscle getting all the material up to where I needed it. The only area not drywalled at this point is where the tub has to be installed.

The rough plumbing. No copper. I'm not use to this at all.


While waiting for the plumber I had plenty of time to spackle.


The only light I had for 2 weeks.


I installed concrete board for the bathroom floors. I always glue down my Dura rock besides screwing it.


I ended up getting the tub kit myself to pressure the plumber to come and install it. I finished the drywall around the tub area and taped and spackled it right away with a quick drying spackle.


I also installed another layer of plywood in the hallway and the walk in closet. I picvked the doors up from the Home Depot. They came pre trimmed. I have never ever bought a door that was trimmed inside and out. I attempted to remove the trim from one side with disatourous results. Thr trim was stapled on. I did learn that the door frames actually came apart behind the door stop. I felt like such an idiot.I rather liked the system. Late at night when I am trying to reach a goal I get to impatient and need to slow down and do a bit more investigating. I actually liked how these door frames differed from what I am used to and will use this idea here at home. I can't wait to see how the Home Depot here reacts to my demand of wanting these doors here.


Due to the time I went with a premixed tile adhesive. I usually use thinset that I mix myself but I wanted to get the tile in that day. The day the tub went in, by 10:00 that night I had the bathrooms tiled. I ran short of adhesive by about a gallon and had to send out for some more. This picture got me what I needed.


See.

I grouted the following morning and found that I was very dissapointed in the tile adhesive.Thinset starts setting in a few hours. The adhesive I used still had some movement in the tile.
Tiles installed and grouted and the doors are installed.
OOOOps, 1 out of order.
There were a few vents coming from a bathroom below so I through a shoe rack shelf over them. The carpet layer can run carpeting over it.

I finished the trim and caulking and spackle touch ups on Thursday. Finishing up the day at about 4:30 felt so wierd but I had the time that night to get all my tools and equipment loaded up and on the road home by 7:30am Friday.I left the painting to my father Inlaw. I had had enough.

So, that is what the last 2 weeks of my life consisted of. Now go smack the boredom from your head.