My bathroom remodel begins in five days! :D Hooray!
I'm starting big with the most complicated, most expensive, most functionally significant portion of the remodel -- replacing the shower faucet. As I mentioned in a
previous post, the tub/shower handles have been a real pain for some time. They are hard to turn, and it's difficult to make small adjustments so that the water isn't too cold or too hot (and that's when the cold water isn't turning itself off). I have previously replaced the faucet stems, but it was only a temporary fix because they wore out after a couple of years. The long-term solution is to replace the valve inside the wall. For that, I need a plumber... and that's why this will be the most expensive portion of the remodel.
Replacing the valve will require cutting a sizable hole in the wall, something like this:
I do NOT want to replace the tile, so I'll need a large plate (escutcheon) to cover the hole, something like this:
Not ideal, but I can live with it. My main concern is that there is little room for a cover plate because the handle and tub spout are very close together.
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| By the way, that's not mold (ick!), it's cracked grout. |
I had to order everything, so I wasn't able to measure the tub spouts or see the finishes. I ordered two faucet kits and three cover plates in the hopes that some combination of them will work.
It turns out that all the finishes are quite similar.
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| Moen Brantford handle with Cleveland Faucet cover plate |
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| Pegasus Estates handle with Lasco cover plate |
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| Pegasus Estates handle with Premier cover plate |
I would be okay with any of the combinations, I think. The real joy will be having a shower that I don't have to fight with. :P
Wow that is some serious handy work! Way to go!
ReplyDeleteIt's only the beginning... :D
DeleteI can not wait to see the finished project. Bane, you are an inspiration! WAHOO!
ReplyDeleteThank you! I am super excited. It's been far too long since I had a big project to work on.
DeleteLooks like a lot of work! Very impressed at how well you do all these things!
ReplyDeleteI'm a little nervous about having a hole cut in the tile. But hopefully it will be relatively easy for an experienced plumber.
DeleteThat looks impressive already! I have always rented (and do not intend to buy a house in future), so I never had to do serious remodeling. But I admire your handyness a lot!
ReplyDeleteRenting is probably the sane thing to do. ;) Houses can be so much work!
DeleteI never seen this kind. In Sweden we have all those thingies outside the wall. On old houses the pipes can be inside the walls but that's not recommended if a pipe brakes (insurance compensation etc). I hope that you will have these fitting together. I'm also very impressed by your handy work. My man is still installing the electricity so I have to wait for my new bathrooms.
ReplyDeleteWe have gone in the opposite direction in the States: plumbing pipes in older homes were visible (and accessible), but now everything is hidden in the walls. I suppose it looks tidier, but it also means that any leaks can cause major damage. And of course it's horribly inconvenient if you want or need to make any changes or updates to the plumbing.
DeleteMay your pipes be less cocked-up than my pipes.
ReplyDeleteThanks. I do expect to find some sort of weirdness. I just hope it's manageable.
DeleteGoth it yourself is a brilliant concept! Not the most obvious two concepts to put together- Goth and do it yourself- but I love it. I hope your shower project starts to come together, I wouldn't have had the confidence to try something as complex and detailed as that myself till I saw this, but maybe now... you never know!
ReplyDeleteWilfred Andrews @ LB Plumbing and Heating
What a wonderful post, an inspiring kitchen renovation! Thanks a lot for sharing this kind of content with us.
ReplyDeleteshower remodel Chino Hills
What a wonderful content, an inspiring kitchen renovation! Thanks a lot for sharing this kind of content with us.
ReplyDeleteKitchen Remodeling Chino Hills