Bathroom Remodel: New Shower Faucet

My old three-handle compression faucet has been replaced with a one-handle ceramic disc faucet. No more fighting with obnoxious handles! Yay! :)

I started with hard-to-turn handles that I hated:

The plumber replaced the valve after cutting a large hole in the wall similar to this:

Then he installed the new handle. I thought I'd end up with the round faucet escutcheon layered over a remodel plate similar to this:

But the plumber was able to make adjustments to allow room for the oval escutcheon/cover plate which could be used on its own.

I think it looks less silly than the layered escutcheons. What really matters, though, is that I can turn the handle with the slightest effort. :D

Having the faucet replaced was a nerve-wracking enterprise. I was afraid tiles would crack or fall off when the plumber cut into the wall, especially after he pointed out that some of the tiles were loose. It would be impossible to find exact replacements for 40-year-old tiles. Also, I had no idea what he might find when he opened the wall, though I was certain he would find at least one oddity. I just hoped it would not be too serious an impediment.

When he got to work, there were loud, scary rotary tool cutting sounds accompanied by the occasional sound of something falling. Then there was the even louder reciprocating saw which seemed to make the whole house vibrate. Then there was the sound of the torch igniting. When the plumber finally emerged from the bathroom about an hour later, I was almost afraid to go in and look. :P

Whew! Everything looked great! No cracked tiles and very neat work on the installation. :D

So what oddities did he find? There was a weirdly placed stud that he had to cut away (thus the reciprocating saw.) But even stranger -- the main water line and the water heater are in the basement, but the shower plumbing does not come up from the floor. It comes down from above. :/

Overall, converting an old three-handle faucet is not an inexpensive project. I paid $178 for the faucet kit, $58 for the cover plate, and $500 for the plumber to do the work. But I believe it will be worth the money. I use the shower every day, and I was very, VERY tired of fighting with the difficult old handles.

New Faucet Delayed

Yesterday was supposed to be New Faucet Day. Alas, the plumber had major "unforeseen circumstances" that delayed him. Three hours after my appointment time, his office called to see if we could reschedule. :( GRRR.

I'd already planned to take the day off work due to construction at the office. If I'd taken the day just for the plumber, I would have been really annoyed.

I made use of the time by clearing items out of the bathroom cabinet in preparation for replacing the vanity and by reorganizing the linen closet to give the items a new home. I want to paint the bathroom, but I'm not sure my pet circumstances will allow it. Clingy blind dog + paint in a 3' x 5' space = disaster waiting to happen. :P

Now I'm off to argue with the faucet handles to see if I can convince them to give me water of a comfortable temperature. And I was so looking forward to a cooperative shower experience today. Sigh.

Bathroom Remodel: Shower Faucet

My bathroom remodel begins in five days! :D Hooray!

I'm starting big with the most complicated, most expensive, most functionally significant portion of the remodel -- replacing the shower faucet. As I mentioned in a previous post, the tub/shower handles have been a real pain for some time. They are hard to turn, and it's difficult to make small adjustments so that the water isn't too cold or too hot (and that's when the cold water isn't turning itself off). I have previously replaced the faucet stems, but it was only a temporary fix because they wore out after a couple of years.  The long-term solution is to replace the valve inside the wall.  For that, I need a plumber... and that's why this will be the most expensive portion of the remodel.

Replacing the valve will require cutting a sizable hole in the wall, something like this: 

From The Family Handyman

I do NOT want to replace the tile, so I'll need a large plate (escutcheon) to cover the hole, something like this:

From The Family Handyman

Not ideal, but I can live with it. My main concern is that there is little room for a cover plate because the handle and tub spout are very close together.

By the way, that's not mold (ick!), it's cracked grout.

I had to order everything, so I wasn't able to measure the tub spouts or see the finishes. I ordered two faucet kits and three cover plates in the hopes that some combination of them will work.

Moen Brantford

Pegasus Estates

Premier, Cleveland Faucet, and Lasco cover plates

It turns out that all the finishes are quite similar.

Moen Brantford handle with Cleveland Faucet cover plate

Pegasus Estates handle with Lasco cover plate

Pegasus Estates handle with Premier cover plate

I would be okay with any of the combinations, I think. The real joy will be having a shower that I don't have to fight with. :P

Inexpensive Craft Room Storage

Just a quick post to share a couple of ideas for inexpensive craft room storage.

I wanted to rescue my wrapping paper and rolls of leftover wallpaper from the awkward back corner of the closet, but I did not want to pay big bucks for specialized storage boxes. I discovered a much less expensive solution in these $2 plastic bag dispensers from Ikea. They are perfect for rolls of paper. I attached four to a scrap of wood and then screwed the wood into the wall studs so it can hold some weight.

For storing craft paints and glues, spice racks are a great solution. They're readily available at thrift stores for just a few dollars. I have two that I painted and decoupaged with Halloween papers just for fun.

Bean Sidhe Loves Carrots

My last post probably gave the impression that my dog's life is spent anxiously trying to stay close to me. The reality is that she is usually lying next to me or in my lap, snoozing in her comfy bed next to my desk, or gleefully asking for her favorite treat -- baby carrots. She absolutely loves carrots. I wish I liked healthy snacks as much as she does! :) 



Last video of my dog. Promise!

The Dog Underfoot

What have I been doing lately? Lots of planning and not much else. I have a long list of projects I want to work on, but my beloved dog Bean Sidhe is making that difficult.

She's elderly (16) and has been deaf for a while. Her eyesight began to fade recently, and now she is nearly blind. She still gets around amazingly well, probably at least partially by memory.

As for me... I'm not getting around very well. In fact, it's rather difficult to move around the house at all because of the dog. She can't hear me, and now that she can barely see me, she has to be very close to me to know where I am. That means if I'm walking, she is right under my feet.

The inconvenience of this is exacerbated by the layout of my house, which has a long, narrow hall with three doors. Bean Sidhe stands in the middle of the doorway to ensure I don't slip past her when I leave the room. There's also a laundry closet with bifold doors, which she inevitably stands in front of. Of course, she can't see or hear the door opening toward her.

I now open all doors verrrry slowly, or sometimes even carry her through doorways so she doesn't hit herself on the door. I always look down when I am walking, and I never wear shoes in the house for fear of accidentally stepping on her.

Here's a little video showing a minute and 44 seconds of what my life is now like.


It's much easier to just be still.  So for the last few weeks, Bean Sidhe and I have been spending a lot of time sitting on the sofa or surfing the web gathering project ideas.

Bark Bat and the Apples

There are three trees in my back yard. One is a boring pine tree. The second is an apple tree which functions as a good marker of time as it goes through seasonal changes.

It's especially pretty when it flowers.  Here is it on May 4.

Shortly after, on May 12, enduring a late spring snowstorm.

And a few days ago, September 6, weighed down with apples.

LOTS of apples, thanks to the frequent rain we had this summer. So far, I've picked up about six bucketfuls off the ground. Many of them had been feasted upon by the bunnies.  :)  And there are still approximately a gazillion left on the tree.

The third tree is a maple which I am sad to say has died. :(  The bark has been peeling off it... creating the Bark Bat. 

Doesn't that piece of bark look just like a fruit bat hanging in the tree!? Even zoomed in, it looks like a bat. :D