Adventures

Journaling a sh*t show bathroom reveal

Shelley

As I journal our renovating efforts of 2020, I’m reminded that every rental unit bathroom remodeling we’ve completed always starts out with us evaluating the sh*t show status left behind by the tenant.

Sometimes, that tenant has put up with the 70s look for decades.  Despite their decorating efforts, some looks just have to go.

The before and after bathroom photos remind me of the current sh*t show of the 2020 election results.  Accomplishments were had, and disappointments remain.  I personally (JMHO) can’t understand how anyone can be happy about the clear division that remains in our country, that’s sad beyond belief.

Yikes, I digress …

So where do Mr. and I start when we attack a nasty potty room remodel?

The toilet of course!

I don’t know about you, but I refuse to sit in old toilets, especially when they are disgusting?  I’d hate to have a hangover in a room with that wallpaper design?  It was rewarding to peel all that stuff off the walls.

Then we decided what was easiest and most cost-effective to keep as the original.  In this case, the tiles on the floor and wall stayed, the tub stayed (cast iron beasts always remain in place), and the vanity mirror and lights were revived.  Other than that, the rest was updated and made to sparkle.

There’s one thing that did get cleaned, but not perfectly clean.  The bottom of the tub had fish shaped decals.  I was able to get them off, (gross, right?!), but they had been on there so long, the ghost of them remains.  This is the before, and I forgot to take an after shot!

I scrubbed and scrubbed and scrubbed some more.  On the tub and the tile floor.

Mr. did some magic by flexing his new Pex equipment for the plumbing updates.  And he rebuilt the walls behind the old tub surround.

After 2 coats of Kilz on ceiling and old wallboards, he topped that with 2 coats of ultra-white paint, installed new wallboards, updated and cleaned the ceiling fan, added a new toilet, vanity base, sink, faucet, outlet, tub surround, tub faucet, showerhead, curtain rod, shower curtain, towel racks, toilet paper holder, toilet and seat, and new plumbing throughout – then the bathroom was done!

The remnants of the previous sh*t show state are gone.  I’ve journaled them here for something good to remember that happened in 2020.  I’ve yet to tally up all the costs incurred …

Post inspiration – Linda G. Hill gave us a unique one (she’s so darn clever, isn’t she?)  Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “jour.” Find a word containing “jour” or use it as is. Bonus points if you start or end your post with that word. Enjoy!

PS – What’s your favorite part of a remodel project?  Do you have more fun before, during, or after?  Do you think white is a clean color to use in bathrooms – do you like the neutrality of it?  

Published by Shelley

Letting my quirk out one post at a time.

33 thoughts on “Journaling a sh*t show bathroom reveal”

    1. Thanks, John – we’re feeling more and more like it’s not our thing any more too. But, now that the ‘capital gains’ rate is subject to extreme differences once the election is finalized, we’re holding off on trying to sell until we know what will happen. If only we felt safe to show it to potential renters – it’s hard to verify any who have essential worker income. Yeah, I’m talking myself out of rental business more and more each day!

      1. Considering the job losses, rentals seem like they would be in very high demand now. Just don’t smoke indoors, and try to verify that income as best you can. The election is a complete, total disappointment, this country is in for ever worse trouble.

        1. If the interest rates for housing go up, which they likely will, rentals will be in higher demand. If the majority of people are jobless though – we’re not into renting out places for free.
          This whole YEAR has so many disappointments, I agree with you!

          1. Rent the units at a rate comparable to apartments and similar units I guess. My last experience in renting was horrid.

  2. I like the end of destruction. The point where all the debris is in the dumpster, the floors have been swept and the sledgehammers have been put back in the garage. I love it when I just begin to make forward progress.

    1. Thanks for sharing – I can see that in you based upon the photos you share of your projects. You’ve got a gift for project management and completing them in style!

  3. My brother has the 7 rental units that belonged to my folks before they died. The fixing up after one goes empty is so horrible! Rarely do the units come back to him in anything remotely like a clean condition. Last time I was down there we all worked on cleaning up a unit and I thought it was disgusting. He and my sister who also lives down there said that actually it wasn’t as bad as usual. I would never want to be a landlord!

    1. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Dawn. It does sound like you and your family understand what we’re going through. I agree with you, some of the stuff we find is disgusting. There are rare moments of joy when all the units are rented and the rent $ shows up on time. 😉

  4. Good job you two. So many jobs that I don’t like to do and just plain am unable to do. I must get you over here when I have a big job to do lol

  6. Great job! It’s hard to believe that you were able to make it look that good from where you started. I hope your new tenants are cleaner and can keep it looking good. We took a ton of pictures (pre-digital) when we did our whole house remodel. I can’t tell you how often they have come in handy when we need to know where pipes, electrical, and structural beams are located.

    1. Thank you, Janis! It was a true labor of love. We agree with you – before and after photos are a must. We’ve gone back to ours over the years for that same reason! Photos come in handy.

  7. Wow–sparkling! Nice job, landlord and landlady. We are anticipating getting our little upstairs bathroom painted soon–the last of our rooms to be painted with colors chosen by us. Color does so much to brighten things up! (Oh, and I love a cast iron tub–even in a color. Vintage!)

    1. Thank you, Rebecca. We’re proud of the completed project.
      I’m normally with you on pops of color – when it comes to rentals though – all one color makes it so much easier to get the painting done and the touch up and cleaning is much easier if/when someone moves out.
      The gold tub (vintage gold) kind of grew on me as I polished the tiles and admired how yellow and white go together.
      I bet your vintage bathroom is a beautiful site to see!

  8. It looks like magic happened here. Really professional looking job. I think white is a perfect clean color. If I had a favorite part of remodeling, it would be the planning and design. Maybe the hauling away of the final mess too. 🙂

    1. Thank you, we’re pleased with the final product. I get a kick out of the planning and design too – I always underestimate how much work it is though?! It seems crazy that last year at this time I was the whip-cracker so Mr. and I could get our kitchen done in time to host Thanksgiving dinner. This year, no one is coming, and no one is renting the empty unit either. We’re thankful that the job is done though, so we can stay home and focus on cleaning our own home. It seems there is always a mess to clean up somewhere!

      1. Yes, Thanksgiving will be lonely this year. But you can sure be thankful that huge mess at the rental is fixed! Always a mess, but that’s what us humans do. LOL Take care!

        1. Ah, yes, lonely is an overstatement. I’ve been texting with our kids and they’re feeling the blues too.
          I actually cleaned our own home last week and it kind of looked like I was a renter for too long!?
          LOL – take care too!

  9. Nicely done🙂. I enjoy the before and after part, when my creative energy is flowing and when I can see the result and feel good about it. I’m exploring a darker color (gray or green with some black accent) for my next bathroom project.

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