Bathroom pieces

Whaaa?  Those aren't bathroom pieces.  What are you talking about?  Ah, they may not look like bathroom pieces yet, but I have big plans for them.  The buffet will become a double sink vanity.  It is exactly what I was looking for, except that I would prefer that it be a little longer.  It is ideal for this conversion because I won't have to make any modification to drawers, all of the sink guts will go behind the two doors.  Then the middle drawers will be fully operational.  I plan to use vessel sinks so even the holes in the furniture will be minimal, albeit permanent.  The china cabinet is pretty small as cabinets go so it won't look enormous in the bathroom.  It will easily fit in a wall space near the tub and will hold towels and other bath items.  There is even a space on either side to stick the ugly things so they won't be visible through the glass.  I am very pleased with my find.  I could not have bought new cabinets and countertop for less than I spent on these pieces and I think they will look much better.  Now I just need to find a couple of mirrors to go over the vanity sinks and I'll be set for that bathroom!  Wow, and before any demolition has begun.  That has never happened before!  I am so ready to get started, if only my plumber was as excited.

Wow! What a difference!

It is amazing what a little chlorine can do for stinky water!  I had the Culligan guy out yesterday to install a chlorinator.  I have to admit that I did not like the idea of adding chemicals to our well water.  We already have a water softener but somehow adding salt doesn't seem as bad.  This little unit:

pumps a very small amount of chlorine into the water just as it is drawn out of the well.  Then the water goes through the softener which could remove some or all of the chlorine.  But that's OK because it has already done its job which is to kill the bacteria that excrete sulfur compounds and make our water stinky.  After installation, the Culligan guy shocked our whole house by running a higher level of chlorine through the pipes and then he turned it down to a normal operating level. 

After the guy left I took a shower and was amazed!  I didn't smell the sulfur and I didn't smell chlorine.  My nose can be pretty sensitive, especially to chemicals like Chlorox, so I was worried that I was trading one problem for another.  But so far so good!  The next test will be to run the water after it sits in the pipes for a while.  Fingers are crossed that this problem is a thing of the past.  Thanks Culligan!

It looks like my next project is going to be the bathroom(s) remodel.  Our plumber should be coming out soon to put a camera snake down the drain to see where the pipes run through the slab.  That way we can make sure our layout is feasible and there are no surprises.  We expect to break concrete the second week of March.  That means I will need to have the old bathroom gutted by then.  We will be creating a larger bathroom by taking over some of the closet next door and we will also be adding a half bath right next to the existing bath. 

Big issues I can see coming are: what to do with all the construction debris, making sure walls are not support walls before they come down, and finding fixtures quickly.  I am looking for a buffet that I can turn into a double sink basin.  I have been searching Craigslist and come close but nothing so far.  Something like this one (already sold when I called, sigh) would be perfect:


Let me know if you see one!