The opposite day, I had somebody ask me how the adjustments within the hallway lavatory are going. Properly, up to now, I’ve managed to alter my thoughts about 15 instances, get about half of the fixtures swapped out, and flood the lavatory.
Oh, yeah. I could have buried the lede there. I flooded the lavatory. 😀 It was such a silly, rookie mistake, and after I give it some thought, I’m so embarrassed at myself for making that silly mistake. Fortuitously, I don’t assume I did any everlasting harm. However earlier than I get to that, let me again up a bit and go over another particulars.
A few week in the past, I had a type of days the place I used to be busy with different issues and didn’t actually have time (or fairly, I didn’t need to take my restricted time) to work on the studio. So I made a decision to spend what time I did have swapping out the fixtures within the hallway lavatory. They’d been sitting there of their containers for a few weeks, and I used to be anxious to swap out all the silver fixtures for the brand new Delta Champagne Bronze fixtures.
I figured the issues just like the gown hook, hand towel ring, and bathroom paper holder can be quick and simple since I purchased the identical model, comparable kinds, and similar kinds of merchandise, so I made a decision to begin with these. I anticipated them to make use of the identical kinds of brackets, so I assumed it will simply be a matter of unscrewing the previous one from the bracket and screwing the brand new one to the identical bracket.
Properly, none of them had been quick, nor had been they straightforward. Though the fixtures had been the identical model and seemed comparable, they’d utterly totally different brackets. WHY, DELTA? WHYYYYY???? However, no downside, proper? I’ve put in all these issues 100 instances earlier than. It might nonetheless be fast and simple…or so I assumed.
I used to be having a type of days the place all the pieces was an issue. Once I tried to place the brand new wall anchor within the wall for the screws for the hand towel holder (I exploit these kinds of wall anchors that screw in, fairly than having to drill a gap after which hammer them in), the anchor actually screwed right through the drywall, leaving an enormous gap behind. I’ve by no means had that occur earlier than! So I needed to set up the brand new towel ring decrease than earlier than, and now I’ve this mess that I’ve to restore…
And let’s not even speak about the truth that I took off a part of the trim and tile as a result of I simply can’t assist myself. Once I get a thought in my head (like utterly eradicating the accent tile and never changing it with one thing new), I’m like a canine with a bone, and all self-control goes out the window. So, lengthy earlier than I’m able to do any of the massive initiatives in right here, I’ve already torn up the tile. Now I’ve to reside with it till I’m able to deal with the partitions in right here, which can be some time on the price my studio goes. Like I stated, my self-control disappears after I get an concept in my head.
Anyway, the remainder of the fixtures (those I assumed can be quick and simple) went about the identical. I stripped a number of screws attempting to get the brand new bracket on the wall for the brand new gown hook. I couldn’t get the previous wall anchors out of the wall in order that I might set up the brand new bathroom paper holder, and on and on.
My fast and simple undertaking was shortly turning into one frustration after one other. So for now, I’ve this example — no bathroom paper holder, and the roll of bathroom paper sitting on the countertop. I’m positive our friends love strolling in to this. 😀
Because the “straightforward” initiatives had been going sideways, I made a decision to only dive proper in and swap out the bathe/tub fixtures. I anticipated these to be tougher, and positive sufficient, they had been. However after spending about half-hour attempting to get the previous tub faucet off, I lastly wrestled it off and was in a position to get the brand new one on. Swapping out the overflow drain was quite simple.
And sure, the bathtub is filthy as a result of I stored stepping in it with my sneakers on after being outdoors. However that story is arising.
So I obtained the tap and the overflow drain swapped, after which swapped out the trim on the opposite factor. What’s that even referred to as? I’m speaking in regards to the deal with that truly turns the water on and off.
I used to be simply going to swap out the trim bundle and depart the previous valve in place as a result of it gave the impression to be an identical to the brand new one.
Because it seems, they weren’t fairly an identical. They had been barely totally different, making it tough to tighten the screw for the gorgeous new deal with onto the previous valve. I imply, it was on there, and I don’t assume it will have come off, but it surely wasn’t as tight as I assumed it needs to be.
I wished to go away it and name it good, however y’all know the way my thoughts works. I simply couldn’t let it go. About half-hour after putting in that deal with, I made a decision that I actually ought to go forward and swap out the valve.
Are you able to guess what occurred? Sure, that’s proper. With out going outdoors and turning the water off first, I began eradicating the deal with and the trim, after which I proceeded to tug and pull on that valve to take away it. WITHOUT TURNING THE WATER OFF FIRST!!!
Oh my gosh, what a silly, rookie mistake!!! At that time, I used to be simply so annoyed with all the different issues at that time that my thoughts simply wasn’t centered. I tugged and pulled on that valve, and for just a few tugs, all the pieces was fantastic. After which it reached the purpose the place it wasn’t fantastic anymore.
Water began spraying at full pressure out of that valve. It was spraying into the bathtub, onto the ground, up in the direction of the ceiling. EVERYWHERE. I used to be utterly soaked in a matter of seconds. I panicked, and for what appeared like an eternity (however was in all probability about two seconds), I simply froze and didn’t know what the heck to do. Then I snapped out of it and realized I wanted to get a towel to cowl the valve in order that the water would go into the bathtub as a substitute of spraying throughout the room.
However in fact, I wasn’t doing any of this quietly. I used to be yelling, “OH MY GOSH! OH MY GOSH!” And since I used to be being very loud and animated, Cooper (my very large, goofy, 100-pound canine) obtained all excited considering we had been enjoying, so he was all beneath foot and wouldn’t get out of my manner. I lastly managed to get him sidelined for just a few seconds, simply lengthy sufficient to get out of the lavatory, my soaked garments dripping everywhere in the ground, so I might seize a towel and drape it over the valve. That didn’t work fairly in addition to I had hoped as a result of the valve didn’t stick out very far, so the towel stored slipping off.
I obtained the towel on there in addition to I might, but it surely wasn’t good, and it wasn’t maintaining all the water contained inside the bathtub space. However I didn’t have time to waste. I bumped into the sunroom to seize the instrument (no matter that factor is known as) to show the water off on the curb outdoors.
Properly, we don’t have lights in our sunroom, and it was getting too darkish to see, so I couldn’t discover it. I began panicking once more, and yelling, “I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO!!” All of the whereas, Cooper is scorching on my heels, leaping and twirling and getting all excited at this new sport we’re enjoying.
Now remember the fact that all this time, I’m panicking, working by the home, yelling, attempting to get Cooper out of my manner (as a result of he nonetheless thinks we’re enjoying), leaving a path of water from my dripping garments in all places I am going, and poor Matt is mendacity in mattress and has completely no clue what’s happening. He’s simply listening to the commotion.
So after a couple of minutes of this chaos (what appeared like an eternity to me, however was in all probability not lengthy in any respect), he lastly yells to me, “What’s going on?” To which I yelled again at him in my most panicked and frantic voice, “I’M FLOODING THE HOUSE!!!!! I’M FLOODING THE HOUSE, AND I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO!!!” 😀 There’s nothing so useful as panicking and yelling an excessive amount of hyperbole in the midst of a aggravating state of affairs to an individual who has no means to assist, proper? 😀
Anyway, I couldn’t discover that instrument to show off the water, so I grabbed my large pliers and ran out the door to the entrance yard to show the water off. Then I couldn’t get the quilt off of the water gauge outdoors, so I needed to run again inside the home, seize a flathead screwdriver, run again out, pry that lid off, after which I might lastly flip the water off.
By the point I obtained the water turned off and headed again inside, there wasn’t a single sq. inch of that loo ground that wasn’t lined in water. However thankfully, none of it discovered its manner outdoors of the lavatory into the hallway apart from what had dripped off of my drenched garments. I used to be so relieved to see that. (I wasn’t so lucky the last time we had the crap geyser.) However there was additionally water everywhere in the vainness, the countertop, the partitions, the bathroom…nearly all the pieces.
So I obtained all the water cleaned up, swapped out the valve, put all the fairly trim again on, turned the water again on (with that instrument that I lastly did discover), and now the brand new bathtub faucet drips continuously. It gained’t cease. Fixed. Dripping.
So for sure, that loo and I’ve been on a break. I am going in there when completely needed, however apart from that, we’ve simply wanted to spend a while aside. I haven’t even cleaned up my shoeprints out of the tub. I haven’t put away the instruments or thrown away the previous fixtures (that are nonetheless lined up on the facet of the tub). I don’t need to give it some thought. I don’t need to have a look at it. I don’t need to even think about swapping that valve out once more. And when I’ve to go in there, I simply use my tunnel imaginative and prescient, do what I must do, and ignore all the pieces else in there. I simply need to spend time in my fairly studio for now.
In order that’s how the hallway lavatory adjustments are going. How are your initiatives going? 😀
Addicted 2 Adorning is the place I share my DIY and adorning journey as I rework and embellish the 1948 fixer higher that my husband, Matt, and I purchased in 2013. Matt has M.S. and is unable to do bodily work, so I do the vast majority of the work on the home on my own. You can learn more about me here.
