Remodeling - Carpet Fiasco

 We initially chose a ribbed wool carpet (Geoffrey Hirst - Covington - Large Sample), but our interior designer was concerned that the color didn't complement the wall color and the flooring guy, Kevin, was concerned that the ribbing would separate when bent over the edge of the stairs.  So, we changed our choice to a less textured, slightly lighter carpet (Geoffrey Hirst - Queenstown - Small Sample)

The flooring contractor would have liked to install the hardwood floors before the carpet, but due to the delays with the hardwood, they had to get the carpet installed before we moved in.  They said it would only take a couple of days.  

They started with the upstairs bedroom.  We stopped by that evening after they completed the upstairs bedroom.  The first thing we noticed is that the grain of the carpet was going perpendicular to the stairs.  Then we realized that they were installing the wrong carpet.  They ordered and started to install the Covington, not the Queenstown.  After a quick call to the contractor, they stopped the installation. 

Since this was about a week before we moved in, we were kind of in a bind.  The vendor acknowledged his mistake and was willing to put in the Queenstown, however, it would take two weeks in order to get it in stock and another week to get it installed.  We had a big decision to make.  

We went upstairs where the carpet was already installed.  We looked at it with the wall color and we were satisfied that the colors matched.  We got Kevin over and asked about his concerns on the steps.  There was already a step carpeted, but we did not like that the grain was perpendicular to the step.  So, he came and folded it over the bullnose of the step.  Apparently, our steps are a bit thicker than normal, so he was not concerned that the backing would show through when the carpet was put on the steps.  

We then discussed that we did not like the way the grain was running lengthwise down the stairs.  He told us that since there was a doorway at the top of the stairs, they could easily make a seam there and rotate the carpet 90 degrees.  With that assurance, and the deadline coming, we decided to go with the original carpet we chose.  They were able to reschedule the installers, and the carpet was in before moving day.  

However, the saga does not end there.  After the pile of furniture in the downstairs bedroom was moved, we discovered a lump in the floor.  We called Kevin, and he came out and tried to hammer out the lump.  Didn't work.  Finally, the installer was called back, he pulled up the corner of the carpet and fixed the problem.  

On the way out, I asked the installer what he found.  He sheepishly showed me a small piece of tack strip that he left under 

Remodeling - Finished Upstairs Bathroom

 

With the design complete, the next phase was putting everything in place.  All the tile work was done by the time we moved in, but the finishing touches were late.  The stone on the half wall and the shower sill couldn't be measured until the walls were complete, and the glass couldn't be measured until after the stone was installed.  Needless to say, the glass didn't get installed until the week after we moved in.  Too bad they installed the wrong shower door.  That took a couple of more weeks to finish off.  

Meanwhile, the cabinet maker had to close during COVID so the deliveries got pushed out until after we moved in.  (Luckily the downstairs bath was done.)  When they finally were delivered, the vanity was half-inch too wide, leading to much muttering from the contractor.  They did wedge it in there, so they were ready for measuring the countertops.  

They left us a small can of touch up paint for the cabinets which we foolishly left in the drawer of the cabinet.  When the countertop installed the counters, the paint can was stuck in the top drawer.  Not certain how the contractor got that one out, but I know the can was a bit dented when it was recovered.  

The rest of the install went without a hitch, so after the mirror install at the end of July, our master bath was complete.  

Remodeling - Fireplace

The fireplace in the condo was a wood burning fireplace, which while functional, wasn't very practical.  There wasn't a real good place to store firewood, so we were kind of limited to those Duraflame kind of logs.  It also had this ledge kind of thing where the hearth was floating off the floor.  So very 70's.  At a minimum, we wanted to put some type of stone on the wall.  

We visited a local fireplace store to look at our options.  If we wanted an insert, we'd have to fit it inside the existing fireplace, making it a very small window.  Otherwise, we were looking at tearing out the fireplace.  Ideally, we'd like a gas fireplace, but there was no natural gas service to the condo.  

We went back and forth on this quite awhile.  We had the stone picked out quite quickly, but we were waffling about running gas.  We finally decided to take the plunge and do the whole thing.  The first task was to run the gas line.  

The condo is about 5 feet below street level and the gas main was on the other side of the street.  When the engineer from the gas company came out, he noticed that the gas main would have to go under the deck in the front of the house, which was against code.  In order to run the gas line, I would have to pull out the deck.  

One Sunday in May, I pulled out half of the deck.  (The lumber used on that side of the deck was relatively new, so I listed it for free on OfferUp and somebody came and got it within a day.  Didn't even have to pay for disposal.)  

Then the gas line had to be run and a meter installed.  Through the gravel soil and underneath the water feature and up the hill and under the street.  They used a mole to do most of the work, but at the end by the condo, it had to be dug by hand.  We felt sorry for the guys.  

After that, the plumbers had to run the new gas line to the opposite end of the condo.  Luckily, it was easy access underneath the house and through the garage.  Then they had to remove the old firebox and install a new one.  

It was about then we figured we should order the stone for the fireplace.  Floor & Decor had pallets of the stuff when we were there the last time.  We needed about 10 boxes of the stone and 17 corner pieces.  When we got there, they had plenty of stone, but only 15 corner pieces.  More was on order from China, though, delivery was not expected until July.  

We then had to pick out a hearthstone.  We found one at a local stonemason that would do the trick.  We also had to determine what to do about a mantle.  

At our old house, we had a large slab of redwood burl that we picked up on a trip to Northern California about 15 years before.  After we moved it, we couldn't find the right location to hang it, so we put off that decision.  Then, we started looking at it and determined that if we cut it just right, we could make a few live-edge shelves out of it. It needed some prep work, since it had a few knot holes.  Our contractor made a few cuts, I filled in some holes with epoxy, and we had our "mantle".  We used the floor protector to mock up the placement of the shelves on the wall.  

Finally, while we were heading out of town for a summer trip, we got word that the stone corners were in.  Our contractor had some immediate availability, so he got the stone and had most of the job done while we were out of town.  We couldn't have been happier with the results.  

Remodeling - Railing

 After the floor was in, the railing separating the living room from the dining room could be installed.  We chose a iron pattern with a bit of a design elements.  We couldn't have been happier with the results.  

Initially, we were going to paint the railings white to match the baseboards and trim, but after we saw the wood, we decided that it would be a shame to cover it with paint.  I asked the contractor if we could have the painters stain the railings, but he said that it would cost us.  I told him that I would do it, but he would have to knock some money off the painter's budget.  

Next, we had to decide what color of stain, if any, we wanted to use.  Our first thought was to come up with a color that would match the floor.  Two hardware stores and four different types of stain later, we decided that matching the floor wasn't really going to be possible.  The best looking option was to just put a clear varnish on the railing.  

With that decided, we put a couple of coats of varnish on the railing and it looks gorgeous. 

Remodeling - Main Floor Hardwood

Once we tore out the half walls

in the main floor, we were faced with a couple of decisions.  We decided early on we would like hardwood in the living/dining room area, but we were unsure of what to do on the entry stairs.  We went back and forth many times about if we should put hardwood down or put down carpet.  Carpet finally won out, partially because of cost, and partially because of the "slipperiness factor" of hardwood stairs.  

Our contractor recommended LeBlanc Floors, a local company.  We had been looking at different hardwoods, but when we visited there, Kevin was very helpful in getting us into a birch floor with a sierra finish from Appalachian Hardwood.   What we didn't anticipate is that the flooring was coming from Canada, and when the COVID shutdown hit, the factory closed.  It wasn't until mid-May that they produced the flooring, which then got hung up in customs and shipping. 

By that time, we had sold our house and had a move-in day of mid-June.  We pressed the installers to get the flooring in before then, but unfortunately, that wasn't to be.  So, we pushed him on getting the carpet installed.  The downstairs bedroom was carpeted, so we decided that we'd move all the furniture that would go on the first floor into the bedroom.  As you can see, it was pretty packed.  

The week after we moved in, the installers came in with their tools and started sanding the subfloor to smooth it out.   We tried to contain it as much as we could, but there was dust everywhere.  Had to live with the installation for about a week, but once they were done, it looked great.  

Disclaimer:  I do not get any compensation from any businesses referenced in this post.  

Remodeling - Finished Main Floor Bathroom

 After the demolition and design work, our Main Floor bathroom was completed.  Trying to capture a photograph of a small room like a bathroom is not easy.  The above panorama view distorts a few things, but you can see the jist of the changes.  

I have a thing for red paint, maybe it's the influence of Frank Lloyd Wright.  In looking at the different rooms in the house, we decided that we could go with a bold color in the bathroom given much of the walls were either white wainscoting or white tile.  So, I hearkened back to my high school days and decided to paint the bathroom red and gray.  

It may be hard to see in the photos, but the mirror has a grey rubber frame around it to conform to the shape of the mirror.  When the contractors installed it, they removed the frame because they thought it was packing material.  Luckily, we found it in the trash heap before it was taken away.  

We went with oil-rubbed bronze fixtures and found some matching grab bars.  Don't need them yet, but it's always a good idea to plan ahead.

  

Remodeling - Main Floor Bathroom Design

One of the first areas they tackled was the Main Floor Bathroom.  We had focused on getting the decisions on the main floor bathroom done early because if we had to move in quickly, we could live on a partially completed main floor as long as it had a bathroom.  Luckily, we didn't have to move right away, so they had some time to work on the bathroom.

Vanity

We purchased a pre-built vanity from Houzz.  I had it delivered to my work.  Little did I know it was coming in on a pallet and was almost 400 lbs.  Luckily, I had one of the guys from work lift it into the back of the company van with a fork lift and took it over while the workers were still there.

Still needs some grout

We had the tub delivered before the plumbing fixtures so that the plumber could install it.  Then Pascal got to work laying the tile. There wasn't much needed from a reconstruction standpoint, so it was basically roughing in the shower area and laying tile.

Our interior designer, Rachel, gave us a pretty nice mock up of the bathroom and suggested we put wainscoting in and use a darker color for the top part of the room.  We liked the concept, although we picked a more rust like red rather than the dark blue she suggested.

Took out the toilet for painting

The lights, mirror and plumbing fixtures are all there, waiting for the paint.  The only thing left is ordering the grab bars and towel racks.

Remodeling - Upstairs Bathroom Design

With the rough-in completed, we now had to finalize our decision on the design details.  We had chosen plumbing fixtures early on, but now we needed to determine what the bathroom needed to look like. 

Upstairs Bathroom Color Scheme

We dragged our interior designer, Rachel, to a Floor and Decor store and wandered around being overwhelmed with choices.  She had suggested an olive green for the cabinets, somewhat like the color of our current living room (see paint sample on right).  Then, she suggested a pebbled floor for the shower.

When our contractor heard this, he recommended a flattened pebbled tile, because the ones that were naturally shaped were pretty bumpy and hard to keep clean.  So, we found a 4-color pebbled flooring. 

When it came to the decorative accent tile, we had hundreds to look at.  We finally found one that had some of the stone from the floor, some green glass to go with the vanity, and some bluish glass.  Finally, we had to pick out a base tile color, and we found an greyish/bluish/browish tile that would go well together.  The photo shows the choices. 

As for the bathroom floor, we decided we wanted vinyl upstairs, one because it's warmer than tile in the morning, and two, because we found a vinyl that didn't look like fake tile.  It can be installed with grouting between the tiles to make it look more like a real tile.  When we get around to the kitchen, we'll probably use the same brand. 

Then, we had to deal with cabinets.  The cabinet maker that our contractor uses is on the opposite side of Seattle, and the shut down the state the day before we were going to go pick out our cabinets.  So, for a month, we had cabinets that were being ordered that we'd never seen.  We had to twist the salesman's arm to get color samples sent to us so we could coordinate the rest of the material. 

Laundry Side Cabinet Layout

The vanity side was pretty much standard, two sinks on either side with a set of drawers in the middle.  On the laundry side, Gail had been looking through Houzz and found a couple of really cool design ideas.  A Rev-A-Shelf folding ironing board that stored into a drawer, and a drying rack that was basically a converted drawer.  We sketched up something for the cabinet guy and heard nothing for a month. 

Finally, we dropped him a note asking when they were going to reopen, and he indicated that they'd been open for a week now.  We finally exchanged some drawings with him and we've got a design that we believe will be functional. 

The right hand drawer will be the ironing board, the center will be the drying rack, and the two large sliding shelves will hold laundry baskets for our dirty clothes  There is room for our stacking washer/dryer to the left of the cabinets. After everything is in place, we'll probably add a hanging rod to hang clothes as well. 

We still have a few details that we need to put in place, such as where towel rods need to go, but we're almost done with the decisions for that bathroom.  The only thing left is the lighting. 

Sneak peek at the finished product

Remodeling - Upstairs Bathroom Rough-In

Last we left the Upstairs Bathroom, there were multiple holes in the walls with plumbing everywhere.  Then came the rerouting of everything.

Shower Rough-in

First, the plumber came in and moved the shower drain, the pipes for the shower and vanity, removed the tub plumbing and routed it over to where the washer/dryer would be located.  There was a bit of rerouting of electrical and moving the dryer circuit.  They even pulled up some of the floor.

Future Washer/Dryer corner

Then they put in some walls.  Apparently, they now use a cement board in the showers instead of drywall.  It gives a pretty good adhesion surface for the tile.  They also used it to build the floor pan, since the we had to go with was unique.



We actually sized the shower based on the vanity.  Apparently, 60" is a standard size for a double vanity, so we had them put the half wall in to allow for a 60" vanity.  After moving a bit of the electrical, they put the drywall back in place.

Shower boxed in

With the drywall and floor back in, it is almost starting to look like a room again.

Remodeling - Upstairs Bathroom Demo

Huge Vanity

Didn't need that tub

On the second floor, there is a master bedroom suite.  The door at the top of the stairs enters the bedroom.  Off of an alcove on the right, there were closets along the left wall and an entry into the master bathroom.

The master bathroom had an 8 foot long double sink vanity on one side, a soaking tub on the other, and a toilet room with a small shower.  Very interestingly placed, but a large amount of unused space.

The plan we had was to move the laundry (which was originally installed in the pantry off the kitchen) to the master bathroom, removing the tub and enlarging the shower.  This was the largest technical challenge, with rerouting plumbing and electrical.

Laundry in the Pantry?

Didn't need that wall.

There was also a linen closet on the wall with the tub.  What we didn't know is if the closet was hiding something, since the back wall was six inches out from the other wall.

Who needs a linen closet?  

Luckily, it was only the exhaust venting from the downstairs bathroom.  They buried that in the wall.

Oh, that's where it went.

Remodeling - Main Floor Bathroom Demo

Before

The main floor bathroom was beige.  Tub, shower, toilet, paint, counter, sink, floor all beige.  The cabinet was unfinished wood, but apparently the dominant color in 1980 was beige.

Didn't need the toilet, vanity, ...

or Shower

It was functional and dated, but we really didn't like it and it went away.  Added what was there to the BPOS in the living room.

Remodeling - Garage Closet

Closet in Garage

This condo is a three story unit, more townhouse style than a typical condominium.  It is built on a hill, so the main floor opens up to the street in the front, and the basement has a garage out the back.

The garage is downstairs and the nature preserve is out the back, so a majority of the time, we will be coming in and out through the garage.  So, I decided to build a coat closet in the garage. 

The photo shows a door to the left that leads upstairs with a small platform.  Before I started construction, the platform ended about 4 feet from the wall.  Utilizing some left over packing crates from work, I was able to create a platform and a closet in the corner.  The chest freezer will go under the shelf when we move, and the majority of our coats will be able to be put in the closet. 

View into the closet. 

Even better, I was able to re-purpose material that was destined for the dump, old flooring from our bathroom, and other materials around the house.  The total cost (excluding labor) was less than $10. 

Remodeling - Main Floor Demo

Living & Dining Room - Before

Anyone doing a remodeling will tell you that the first part of remodeling in coming up with a plan, discussing what you want done, getting quotes from a contractor, going through the process of choosing products and all that stuff.

We kind of short circuited that process by calling up a contractor friend that we've worked with before, and told him in broad, general terms what we wanted to do.  Remove some half walls, put in some hardwood flooring, move the laundry upstairs, redo both downstairs and master bathrooms, and a few dozen other minor things.  

Living & Dining Room - After

Well, we decided that we wanted to skip a few steps since we owned two houses (i.e., two mortgages), and we wanted to have the remodel done before we moved in.  So, we called our friend, and he said, sure, let's go.  

Gulp.  

Downsizing

Downsizing.  We've been thinking that for a few years now, but only as a concept.  But suddenly, it moved from much more than a concept to a reality.

We’d just finished lunch on a Sunday in early December when Gail suggested we drive past Katie's house.  Katie had just moved in to a condo complex and she was going to be hosting Bible Study on Monday night.  Since she had never been there, and it is easy to get lost in most condo complexes, we decided to drive by. 

“Hey, isn’t that Steve from Church?”  Steve’s picture was on the For Sale sign in front of a condo as we drove by.  We had been considering downsizing and had been slowly pruning our belongings.  We sold our camper since we hadn’t used it in a few years, and I had begun the process of selling off some excess Lego (shocking!). 

Steve’s a pretty low-key Real Estate professional and when we called him up, we said we were interested in the condo life, but were not really in the market just yet.  He agreed to meet us over at the condo that afternoon. 

Of course, when we got there, Gail texted Katie that we were touring the condo, and got an immediate “We’ll be right over” response.  The group of us wandered through the 80’s style condo and kind of made fun of some of the design choices. 

The next night, Gail and I were talking and the one thing that we really liked about this condo was the location.  The back deck looks over a local nature preserve.  It only had two bedrooms, but it had a large living area, and huge garage and shop area under the house.  I took out a pad of paper and we wrote down what we would need to get rid of to fit into a condo of that size.  There were some painful choices on the left behind list, but it wasn’t anything that we couldn’t live with.  So, we called Steve back and asked if we could tour the condo again, with an attitude of “Do we want to live here?” 

The second time through, we started envisioning furniture placements, which walls to remove, what flooring to replace, how drastically the bathrooms and kitchens could change, and the like.  After discussion, we put a reasonable offer on the house.  The sellers accepted the offer and we started the dance with the banks, insurance companies, escrow companies, inspectors, repairmen, interior designers and the like. 

Suddenly, downsizing is a reality.