Every Nest Needs a Throne

The Bathroom Remodel. The biggest and hairiest project to date. But we survived! And I get to gaze at this beauty every day! The bathroom is arguably the most important room in the house, because let's face it, you can eat or sleep anywhere, but when it comes to bathroom activities... You get my drift.
Judging from the style of the features, the former bathroom had probably last been remodeled in the 60's. Pink tile, drop ceiling, a "cozy" enclosed shower space, all hallmarks of the time. There was probably a time when that bathroom was sparkling clean and modern, but by the time we moved in the linoleum floor was peeling up and the subfloor showed signs of rot, the tile was falling off the walls, the medicine cabinet was rusty and the lighting was jaundiced and depressing. It was time for a change.



Bill had the job planned out like clockwork. It was crucial that we stay on schedule so each phase of the job would be ready for the plumbing and tile contractors. Plus we wanted to spend as little time as possible without a working bathroom. I ordered all the fixtures from my homegirl Kourtney Miller at Build.com. The choices were endless and she was super helpful with the selection process. I don't know who was more excited, me or her, when I settled on my amazing rain shower head and wand set up. The parts began arriving a few weeks before the job. I never knew I could be so in love with a faucet!

We started on a Friday the 13th, fully gutting the place. We took one last look at it then Bill started by pulling out the toilet and sink vanity. The drop ceiling came down. The linoleum got pulled up and cracked into pieces. We used a hammer to crack the tiles off the walls. And I carried huge pieces of wall covered in ceramic tile and all kinds of craziness down to the back yard.

By day's end there was nothing left but the bathtub.




This also marked the beginning of 8 days without a working shower or toilet! Yes. That's right. We had to get creative by grabbing an occasional shower at the gym and taking daily walks to whole foods around the corner to "powder our noses".





The next day, Derron and Mike showed up to do the rough plumbing (you might remember them from the Washer and Dryer saga). Mike had just been in a bad car accident a few days before, so he showed up with a bruised nose. He didn't even take a day off after the wreck! He toiled away for the day and had the place ready for us to install cement board the next morning.




We spent the entire day installing cement board. I mostly took care of the apprentice work, lugging tools, cleaning up debris, and steadying materials while Bill did the skilled work. But I also got to do my share of installing screws in the cement board. I was actually thrilled to get a "real" job. But it wasn't easy. I had to press my whole body weight into the impact driver to sink the screws. What I lack in brute strength, I make up for in sheer determination! The next day when I changed for yoga I noticed a football size bruise down the center of my chest. I felt pretty badass.





We installed the last bit of cement board at 6AM on Monday morning before rushing off to work, just in time for Vasil from CB Tile (owned by Bill's friend Chris Brand) to arrive to start laying the tile. He worked all week long, first cutting and laying the tile to make a regular pattern. Much more mathmatically complex than I ever realized before! And then grouting his work. Allowing it to set. And then laying more tile. He did a fantastic job!



Next we were ready for finish plumbing (and also ready to get our toilet and shower back in working order!). Dana, another good friend of Bill swooped in and took care of the finish plumbing. He squeezed us in right before having to go to a wedding later that night.



But first, there was an emergency trip to home depot because I had ordered the wrong style faucet for the sink! Quick decision making has never been my strong suit, so there was also a frantic text to my group of gal pals, including my very own design coach Liz Martin of Charleston Weekender, to help me make a final selection.

Dana worked for hours, and the bathroom was really starting to come together. I could almost feel my first shower!! He was just about to leave when we discovered..... the toilet tank was cracked. We would need to replace it!

Dana had to rush off to get to the wedding, so Bill and I piled into his van and drove to Home Depot to pick up a new toilet. An unplanned journey at the most inconvenient time: Saturday afternoon. We fought through traffic and alternated between grumbling and trying to keep each other's spirits up about the whole business. After all, we were so close to having the bathroom back in working order. So close! We grabbed the box that looked the least dinged up and hopped back in the van.



We got home and opened the box.... only to discover that the toilet was shattered inside the box! We barely said a word, hopped back into the van, headed back to Home Depot, and swapped it out for a toilet that was in one piece! Since this was my THIRD TRIP to Home Depot in one day, Bill said I earned my Contractor Brown Belt. Bill installed the throne when we got back and finally did the honors of the FIRST FLUSH! Hooray!

Next Bill went to work on the finish carpentry. He installed a drywall ceiling and walls and beadboard and chair rail. The intricate carpentry is a labor of love. He did lots of sanding, and I did lots of vaccuuming.



Every day it looked more and more fresh and beautiful. Then we were ready for finish painting. I had a vision in my mind, but debated back and forth about whether it would be too dark and make the room feel small. So I bought four different blue samples to try before settling on Silvery Blue by Benjamin Moore. Completely different from my original vision, but I couldn't be happier.

The gorgeous medicine cabinet went in. Mom and I painted the radiator a brilliant shiny white.




Bill installed some small shelves for storage. And I hung some art and, of course, a house plant. And it was complete!

 


The whole project only took about 6 weeks in total. But we definitely busted our butts the whole time. Spending time in the bathroom went from uncomfortable to luxurious and now I have to work to conjure up the memory of the old and broken down pink tile and dusty nooks and crannies. Bill and I have definitely been known to enjoy a glass of wine reclining in the bathroom, we alternate who gets to sit on the toilet seat and who perches on the edge of the tub.

The Before and After Pics are pretty incredible!

The Nest Gets a Winter Coat... In July

There's a long story and a short story here. Kind of like a Choose Your Own Adventure novel...

First the short story:

The Nest got a winter coat this week! After a rocky road (see "long story" below), the weatherization job was finally completed. I had been in touch with Schuyler at EAI for a few weeks and she was fantastic. She was very patient and accommodating, I could tell she wanted the job-well-done as much as I did. Finally the big day came, and Andrew arrived with his crew right on time. 

We did a walkthrough of the house and found a handful of holes in the horse hair plaster leftover from the electrician's work. Andrew used a foam gun to quickly fill them so the insulation would stay put in the bays between the interior and exterior walls. 

They brought a truck with a huge hose, kind of like a dryer output hose, and bales of recycled newspaper. They removed panels of the vinyl siding and drilled holes in the old shingles. Then they aimed the cellulose into the holes and packed the walls. It was loud! 

The guys were here for two long hot days. That is tough work! They even did their best not to trample my flowers. It was a big crew, one of the guys was Andrew's brother! 

And now I'm looking forward to a cozy insulated winter... But first we intend to make the absolute MOST out of the precious New England Summer. 

Ok, now... The Long Story:

Remember way back when I had an energy audit with Next Step Living through the MassSave program? One of the benefits was the weatherization (insulation installation, say that three times fast) subsidy. But first I had to "remediate" the knob and tube electrical wiring. That took months. But I still held out hope that I could get the work completed before the very cold months. But then I discovered that my oven (or lack there of) was a barrier. So I got an oven (which was a saga in and of itself. Finally I was ready to book the project. When I called Next Step Living, they said they'd be happy to schedule the work, but it would have to wait till spring. Vinyl siding becomes more brittle in the cold and they didn't want to risk cracks. So, I got the date on the books. April 29. 

Next Step Living and Hanscom Credit Union helped me arrange the very attractive 0%APR for 7 years loan that is part of the MassSave program. And oddly, they required me to pay for the work in advance. Now, if this was any other contractor I would have scoffed, and offered a third on booking, a third at halfway done, and a third on completion, as is customary and smart for all involved. But since it was a government program, I shrugged and signed on the dotted line. Never again. 

I thought we were all set, and I patiently waited. I had to start paying off the loan the next month even though the work was in the distant future. But it was ok with me, the job was finally going to be done! (Eventually!) But then one Friday in March I got an automated voicemail from Next Step Living. I also got this email:

My jaw hit the floor. And I gave out a whimper. They went under. I was shocked! And then I called the number. A very nice person helped me get my name on some kind of "list" and let me know it would be taken care of. 

Then began months of back and forth. Finally the very professional, very cold "Matt" from The Legal Department at MassSave called.  He let me know that since Next Step had already cashed my check when they closed their doors there was nothing they could do. They suggested I contact a lawyer. 

Oh hell no. 

I called the front lines of the MassSave Program and "registered my displeasure". I called my real estate attorney, Nicole Stark, and she gave me a crash course in consumer law. She suggested I call the Attorney General. I did. I also called and emailed my town representative Sean Garballey. 

I reached out for help, found out how to take actions that were in my control, but also tried to relate to the situation neutrally, I only lost a few hours of sleep over it, and I tried to keep the faith that all would work out in the end. 

I'm not sure if it was one of my "strongly worded letters" that made the difference, but I have to believe it was one of those Horton Hears a Who situations.

They called again and let you know they were going to get the project funded. I called Schuyler to book right away. 

Finally!! The Nest got outfitted with a cozy, recycled newspaper winter coat!