Remodel Hell - Boot Black in the Bathtub

I talked to Ernie this morning. "Ernie," I said, trying not to sound like the typical whining client stuck in Remodel Hell. "My bathtub is trashed every day. There's dirt in it every day, and yesterday there was boot black." "Boot black?" he said, dumbstruck. "I'll get back to you."

Turns out it wasn't black from the workers' shoes, it was rubber stains from the ladder they placed in the tub. Today, they put a tarp down in the tub before crawling into it. What a concept, eh? Cover it up and don't trod on the porcelain. This was all done when putting in the structure around the new skylight in the existing bathroom.

That's my current bathroom, which means it's unusable again today. Obviously, I'm going to have to leave soon...

So what is today's problem? The electrical inspector noted that the side gate (to the south) interferes with the new electrical box on that side of the building. So Ernie suggested that they re-post the gate, which would lower it about a foot. They also may have to shorten it. They'll dig a post hole, fill it with concrete, saw down the fence, and re-position the gate. Oh, and the inspector also wanted the hedge trimmed. Ernie had to laugh at that. I didn't laugh....I see dollar signs.

Glenn also pointed out to me where the new electrical wires above the den reach out to the sky, connected to nothing. They will soon be connected to the existing power line, but only when PG&E calls Ernie back. Both the inspector and PG&E rep have to be on-site together when the wires are connected to the existing line.

My neighbor to the north, Mike, said he knew I was up to a remodel by the vents on his side of my building. I told him what I was trying to do, and apologized for telling him so late. He admitted that he's thinking of adding on as well, but his addition would be another room added on to the back of the house. But that would only happen when he finished working on other projects within the home.

Finally I can see signs of a bathroom! The vanity is loosely placed in the new bathroom. Sheetrock is up in both bathroom and closet. Ernie tells me things will really start to take shape by Dec. 15th, when they place the faux marble up in the shower area and lay the linoleum. That's another week from now.

I told him what I wanted regarding the shower glass. He laughed and said, "That's the last thing we put in. We don't want it to break!"

But that's when I'll feel that I have another bathroom, when the thing has finally come together. Soon.