Although we are only about a week and a half into our remodel and at the tail end of demolition, we have already run into some unexpected changes in our plan – both bad, and good.
The bad: Our plumber took a look at what we were working with (original sewer and drain lines and galvanized piping) and recommended that we should pretty much start from scratch. We had already planned on replacing all the plumbing above ground, but the sewer and drain lines were something we'd hoped to keep intact. Since our house is built on a slab foundation, replacing these lines would require us to cut large sections out of the concrete, dig trenches, and lay new piping. After some short consideration, we decided to go for it. We figured that even though we hadn't had any major problems with the plumbing yet, it didn't mean we wouldn't in the future. We came to the conclusion that we might as well fix it now before we put the house back together!
It took about three days, but we now have trenches that are about 30" deep running through both bathrooms and the hallway to our bedroom. And, don't forget about the huge piles of dirt in the kitchen that came out of them!
The good: We had a really awkward hallway leading to our bedroom. The ceiling was only about 7', it had exposed beams (well, they were 2x4's – which I actually kind of liked for some odd reason, but I digress), and there was shelving down the right side of it that was packed with a mish-mash of things – most of which should reside in a shed or garage. From the outside of the house, the roofline of the hallway area did not match anything else on the house. Come to find out, this hallway was almost a deal breaker for our contractor, Nick. He was so worried that he wouldn't be able to find a way to make this hallway meet our expectations for the finished product, that he considered not taking the job. Well, we are glad he reconsidered.
Once again, the solution was to start from scratch. Nick decided the best way to remedy the situation would be to take the entire hallway down and re-frame it to blend with the roofline of the main structure. So, we OK'd the change, and he got to work. It looks incredible. The new hallway will have a vaulted ceiling – something I never expected. I used to dread walking down that hallway, and now, I cannot wait to see how amazing it will make the entrance to our master bedroom. It will truly feel like a retreat. Oh, and did I mention he did it in less than a day?
Up next... Plumbing, sheeting, and the race to beat the rain.
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