We bought our townhouse about 4 years ago at the height of the housing boom. We had been living in tiny apartments all of our lives and with two kids eight years apart, a two-bedroom, 1,000 square foot apartment was just not cutting it anymore. We knew we were probably paying way too much money for our place, but unlike many who bought at this time, we were able to lock in a 30-year fixed mortgage that we could afford, even if the figure was staggering.
The townhouse was built in the late 70s and had virtually no upgrades. The kitchen was wall papered, the carpet was hideous, and the window panes were practically falling off the frames. Seeing as we had limited funds when we moved in, we had to be very strategic about which upgrades to do first. It was really more of a safety and health decision than an aesthetic one.
The first thing we did was replace all of the carpeting with laminate wood floors. Both my kids have bronchial asthma and so the carpet was a health hazard and needed to go. The next year we tackled the windows. The old single panes afforded little protection against the cold winter, and there were so many gaps in between the window panes and the frames, that we racked up a pretty impressive heating bill that first winter. Summertime came and so did my new dual-pane energy saver window.
Since then we really haven’t undertaken any major projects. We have done some small DYI things, but nothing requiring major planning, money, or household upheavals. However, this past December we started having plumbing problems in both upstairs bathrooms. We attempted a quick fix in order to prevent the problem from getting worse, but it quickly became evident that if we didn’t start attacking some of the major stuff we were going to find ourselves in a lot of hot water…maybe even literally!
This is the hole that has been in my living room wall for three months now!
So after some research, a lot of number crunching, and frequent deep breathing exercises, we decided to remodel our son’s bathroom, as it was the most pressing. Nothing fancy…just the basics with a few minor upgrades (e.g., walk in shower instead of tub, frameless glass door, tile instead of vinyl). Construction started today. We are told it will be 6-days a week, two-week project.
As I write this, I can hear the hammering and shattering of tile overhead. The hole in my downstairs wall is spewing sheetrock all over my living room. The workers are carting bucket loads of…bathroom parts out the door. I’m kicking myself for not having taken before photos. The excitement at having a new bathroom is being overshadowed by the anxiety of having to deal with a grimy house and having my teenage son use my bathroom for the foreseeable future. Not to mention the apprehension of having strange men coming and going while we are at work and hoping and praying that this all turns out beautiful and within budget.
Sigh. I guess I will continue the deep breathing thing and let this thing play out. Hopefully, at the end of all this, I will end up with a new bathroom, a resolution to my plumbing problems, and a happier family.
Demo pictures coming soon.
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