Floorplan Re-Design

Yes, I am still working on this bathroom project.  After almost a full year of gathering materials and planning the project, it is now time to start working.  I am almost ready to submit my application for a building permit.

As I put the project plans on paper, I decided to set some of the actual pieces in place to get a better idea of the layout.  Since I am not an architect, what looks good on paper doesn't translate well to an accurate mental picture of the finished project.  My suspicions were correct.  My original floorplan was much too small. 

I know what you are thinking.  I should have done this much earlier!  However, it required moving one of the framed walls.  It was a no-going-back-now moment!  So in order to relieve the ultra-cramped space, I decided to move the wall further out and turn the shower ninety degrees.  This will create more space for a person going into and coming out of the shower.

The only problem is that now I need more tile to cover the floor and more drywall to cover the walls and ceiling!  Oh well, it is time to move forward!

Having said that- here is the revised floorplan:

For reference, here is the previous version.  Notice that space in front of the shower.  I now know that 3 feet is not enough space!

Full Sheets of Drywall

I couldn't believe it when I saw the post.  Full Sheets of drywall!  The guy had recently finished his basement and had leftover drywall.  He lived in one of those outlying towns that many people think are "way out in the country" when in reality they are merely the outer edge of the metro area.  In other words, one of those towns that will be overlooked.  I told him I couldn't come until the next evening.  Someone had already asked for it but failed to show.  He offered it to me.

Sorry for the boring picture.  Drywall is not very photogenic.

So we took a little family drive and picked up some drywall.  It is not easy to transport full sheets of drywall, plywood, or anything that comes in a standard 4 foot by 8 foot sheet.  The inside of my minivan was purposefully made to be a tight four foot width!

It worked out, though.  We stopped for ice cream on the way home.  Later, I unloaded six full sheets of drywall in the blazing August heat, carrying them downstairs, around a tight corner, and stacked against the wall.

He also gave me a few cut-offs and partial sheets.  Don't laugh- they will go farther than you think they will!

By the way, if you have ever wondered what is the real name for this stuff- "drywall" or "sheetrock" the answer is, drywall, or even gypsum board.  Sheetrock is a very popular brand of drywall, which, because of its popularity, has become a common term of reference.  (Kind like folks in Oklahoma who refer to any kind of soda pop as "coke."  Seriously, a coke Sprite?)

I Bought Some Lighting!

If you read the title, you may be wondering if I am giving up on the free part of this free bathroom project.  Not really, but just kind-of, sort-of.  You may remember that I sold a few items that I originally obatined for free and then decided not to use.  For instance, that white 6 panel door- sold it off for $10.  So before purchasing these lights, I was up $47.  Now I am down to $32.  For all you math geniuses, I spent $15.

But I got 3 lights!  And that is probably all I will need in this small bathroom.

Here is the story.  I have been searching hard for lighting!  Vanity lighting, recessed lighting, track lighting, natural lighting, or you name it.  For a while I thought I would have to settle for flashlights!  When it comes to lighting, there is not much of Craigslist.  And what there is leaves much to be desired.  Not that I am complaining about free, mind you.  But remember rule #2- this bathroom has to be visually appealing.  No avocado green toilets, no glitter-infused clamshell sinks, and no yellow brass chandeliers!

After having no luck finding lighting, I saw a listing for some items removed from someone else's bathroom renovation.  Those items included 2 recessed "can" lights and a vanity light that sits above the mirror.  I offered him $5 each- or $15 for all of it. Now they are mine!  Here is one place the spray paint comes in.  When done correctly, spray paint can add a quick, evenly-covered coat of bright paint over rusty tin, such as the baffle of a recessed light.  Good as new!

Lighting is really important in bathrooms.  Many bathrooms feature small square footage and small windows.  The result- a dark, claustrophobic bathroom.  In my project, the bathroom will have no outside windows and will only have seven foot ceilings (neither by my choice).  I need to do everythign I can to make the bathroom feel spacious!  That means I will need lots of light and lots of bright, fresh colors on the walls, floors and ceiling!  For this reason I will most likely wire all three lights to the one wall switch so that when you walk in and turn on the lights you are flooded with lots of light!

Paint: To Antique the Vanity?

I was at home.  The location listing on Craigslist showed Belton- our sister city (and arch-rival!).  I knew I might need some more paint to complete this bathroom project.  The picture also showed a can of white spray paint- and I have a very specific need for some of that!  So I loaded the kids in the van, drove a whopping 3 miles and received a load of used paint from a guy who was cleaning out his garage.

Of course, it was a hot day, and as he kept himself busy cleaning out his garage, his young kids were playing in the sprinkler in the yard.  That inspired my two kids, and before I could get the paint out of the back of the van, our sprinkler was dispensing water to the giggly delight of Olivia and Easton.

Seriously, though, I found in the pile of paint a nice surprise: a couple of cans of antique paint.  You know, the kind you use to make new stuff look like old stuff.  Erica has been consdering painting my beautiful vanity black to add some pop to the bathroom.  At first I was cool to the idea, but the more I think about it, the better it sounds.  How about a black vanity, antiqued and distressed?

Below is a sample picture of a new, made-for-retail vanity, with a distressed-black color.  The color scheme would then be:  black vanity, white sink, toilet shower base and wall tiles, and earth-tone tile on the floor.  Any thoughts?

Source:  www.homeportfolio.com

The Long Awaited Bathroom Update: A Shower Faucet

Has it really been two and a half months since I posted the last update?  Wow!  Sorry about that!  Honestly, the progress has been slow.  There are a few reasons, and about eight million excuses.  First of all, Craigslist made some changes and shut down a couple of my favorite search-assistance programs (more on that later).  Second, I am down to a small list of items that I need, so my searching is very specific these days.  Third, I have been crazy busy with church activities, family vacations, family fun, etc.  Finally, we have experienced the hottest Kansas City summer in sixty years.  So basically, if I wasn't running somewhere with my family, I was sitting on the couch in the air conditioning.

I have wondered if anyone other than a few local friends follow my progress.  I was pleased to hear from an old friend that he enjoys reading the updates in this crazy project.  So I will keep writing!

What treasure might a small box hold?

My first find of the summer was a big one!  Actually, the packaging was rather small.  An offer on Craigslist for a small box of plumbing parts containing the guts of a bathroom update.  The picture showed a shower faucet valve and knobs.  After several emails and attempts to connect, I finally piled the kids in the car, drove for what seemed like forever, and found the house with the small box of plumbing parts sitting on the front porch.

When I got home and opened the little potential-treasure box, voila a shower faucet, complete with the rough-in valve housing, valve stems, knobs, shower head, arm, and plenty of flanges.  From a quick online search, it seems that these kits start at $80 at the local big box home improvement store.

From top: Shower head and arm, valve housing, knobs, flanges

This was another one of those really specific items that I wondered how long I would have to wait to find!

What To Do With Eight Inches?

In a previous post, in which I shared the first draft of the floor plan, I noted that there will be about 8 inches between the edge of the left edge of the sink and the shower wall.  What to do with eight inches?  Comments included suggestions to build shelves of some kind.  So what about this:  I can make the bathroom a bit larger, so that the space will be 12 inches instead of just 8.  I will fill the entire space with a wall, and then create built-in shelves above the sink, in which to store rolled towels, baskets, etc.?

Here is a sample picture I found online.  This picture was on a blog that described how to build built-in shelves and included lots of ideas.  You can find the page here.

What do you think?  (And no, I will not have the oval mirror or or the table-top sink.

Here is my only concern.  This is a very small bathroom- only 55 square feet, plus some closet space.  Plus, by necessity it will have low ceilings- 7 feet- due to the HVAC vents running over the room.  It will feel small, so everything in the design must help it to feel larger than it actually is, so that it will feel normal.  By building out the wall to accommodate built-in shelves, I will be losing/covering available cubit footage.

Maybe I will do some research into open shelving and present a few options in my next post.

Remodeling Is Expensive: Part 3 - the basement storage room doors

In this series of posts, I am attempting to show that remodeling is always more expensive than we think it will be.

No one wants to see this mess from their family room!

Our basement includes a huge storm shelter.  It has four concrete walls, a concrete floor, and a concrete ceiling that doubles as the stoop/slab on our front porch.  It runs the length of the house, so it is huge!  A framed wall separates it into 2 rooms.  While we are not seeking refuge from a tornado,  these two rooms store our camping supplies, hunting supplies, a boxed Christmas tree, and pretty much everything else.  The door of one room enters into our basement family room.  The other door enters into the kids' play room.  And in the winter, the uninsulated storm shelter pours cold air into the adjoining rooms.  The doors also show the unsightly mess in the storage rooms.

To help insulate the rooms, and to hide the mess in the rooms, I decided to install two doors.  How hard can it be right?  and how expensive can it be?  A couple of doors and we are done, right?  (Wrong!  Remember how we tend the grossly underestimate the expenses involved in remodeling projects?)

Last fall I discovered ReStore, a building materials donation and resale store operated by KC's Habitat For Humanity.  Check them out here.  I found two matching doors that were the right size for the doorways.  They were used and I couldn't beat the price- $10 each!  What a great deal!  I could put doors on the storage rooms for like $20!

New door for the family room!

For this project, I made the mistake of not putting my list of materials on paper.  I just kind of bought 2 doors and dove in!  (It's too late now, right?  These doors are non-refundable!)

I returned to ReStore one week later for 2 door strikers and 6 hinges.  Total cost: $6.50.

The doorways were rough-trimmed with 1 X 6 pine boards.  I needed more wood to make door jambs, as well as door casement trim.  One trip to Lowes:  $36

Oh yeah- door knobs.  As it turns out, the extra knobs I thought I had did not match at all any of the other knobs in the house.  So I bought 2 sets of round, polished brass knobs.  And weatherstripping the doors will do no good if there is a gap at the bottom creating drafts.  2 door sweeps needed. A trip to Home Depot:  $29

Oops.  I need more weatherstripping.  Yet another trip to Lowes: $6

In the end, a project that started with two $10 doors turned into a $78 project.  I know, that is not a lot of money.  But it will still take a long time to re-coup that in energy savings.  However, the doors look a lot nicer than the quilt that hung in that doorway!

New door for the playroom!

Lesson learned- projects never cost $20!  Sit down, think it through, and put it all on paper.

Apparently, underestimating the cost of a project is not something new.  Even Jesus talked about it.  Check it out:   

“Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? ²⁹ For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, ³⁰ saying, ‘This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’  (Luke 14:28-30)

Remodeling Is Expensive, Part 2 - The Bathroom Remodel

 We really love almost everything about our house.  Before we moved in we painted several rooms, and then of course, decorated and painted others within the first year.  But most rooms needed little more than a fresh coat of paint in a contemporary color.  The upstairs bathroom, however, needed more.  The floors featured a brown linoleum that was intended to look like parquet.  Unfortunately, vinyl just never looks like real wood.  The walls were a cloudy light blue, with a terrible boarder touching the ceiling.  Behind the door was what looked like a sad attempt at a linen closet, but with no doors, just really narrow open shelves.

Ugly Vinyl!

So, we decided to dive in!  A friend told me that installing tile was not hard.  I practiced with simple 12" X 12" square pattern in our master bathroom (the one guests never see).  And my friend was right- it was not too bad!  So for the main bathroom, I decided to try a pattern with multiple sizes of tiles. For a couple hundred dollars, we could have a new bathroom!

For this project, I really tried hard to budget correctly.  We kept the bathtub, planned for only a fresh application of stain and polyurethane on the existing vanity/sink, and used a white toilet that we had in our basement.  I made a full list of materials and priced them before we dove in.  We figured out how to pay for the project within our budget.  I estimated that it would cost at least $350 in materials.  So we gave ourselves $400.  Then we dove in!

The project went well.  I wasn't exactly sure how I would enclose the wannabe linen closet, but luckily I was able to enclose the bottom half and then install permanent open shelves in the top half- using mostly leftover materials from other projects.  (You see, we really will use that extra piece someday!)  The tile-setting went well, and I didn't break or mis-cut too many pieces, creating unnecessary waste.  However, as I began to mix the grout, I realized I had picked the wrong color.  Too late to return it, I had to buy another bag of grout.  Oops.  Setting the toilet turned out to be a challenge and required a few extra pieces.  Oops.  In the end, we were spent $535 on the materials.  $135 over budget.

Then came the decorating part.  Before starting the project, we purchased a large print of a couple of wooden boats on a beach.  We really liked it and decided to use it as the focal point for our decorating.  A great shower curtain, wood blinds a modest rug, and sink accessories added a little more to the cost.  And then there were the baskets.  The final pieces to complete linen closet 2.0.  Constrained by size, we found nice brown baskets, and just had to pay the price.  Total cost for the decorating items, not including the picture:  $175.

In the end, a little over $700 gave us a new bathroom.  I love the new bathroom!  The tile pattern looks good.  The colors look good.  Sure, there are a few things I could have done better, but most people would have to look closely to find them.  But in the end, it was pricey- at least for this cheapskate!  It was definitely not a couple hundred dollars!  No Way!  But hey- remodeling is expensive!

The final version includes a door on the bottom and baskets

 on the shelves.

Get Real: Remodeling Is Expensive! Part 1

As I written in the past, I am horrible when it comes to estimating the costs of home repair and remodel projects!  I mean well, and I don't mean to lie to myself, but when I know what something will truly cost, I won't do it!  I am just too cheap.  But when I am half-way through a project and already over budget, I am motivated to just pay for it because, well, no one wants to live inside a remodel project!

But this ready, aim-a-little-bit, fire, and aim-again process is stupid!  And expensive!  And marriage-straining!  And definitely not Dave-Ramsey-Approved!

Deep Thought:  why do we make excuses when we go $1,000 over budget, but we scream at a contractor who goes $10 over his bid?

I think there is something in us that kicks against the reality of what things cost.  I was surfing the web for bathroom layout and design ideas, and one page featured the samples and suggestions of one professional remodeling company.  The site claimed that $1,000 spent on your bathroom will get you no more than new paint, a new shower curtain and maybe a professional tile cleaning.  But any substantial improvement to your bathroom will cost well over a grand!  Are you serious?  Yes.

At that point I ask my, "what if I do all the work myself?  I could save a bunch of money, and yes, I will probably screw up a few things and have to go back and fix them.  But I will save a bunch of money!"

However, I need to remember this: I will still spend far more on materials than I first think I will.

In my next 2 posts, I will share with you the real costs of 2 of my recent projects:  a large main bathroom remodel, and a very small project of installing 2 doors to our basement storage area.

A Van Full Of 2x4's

I am building my bathroom in a space that was rough finished for a half bath.  The walls are framed, and the plumbing is in the floor.  But only for a half bath.  That means I could drop in a toilet, attach a sink and be mostly done!  But that is not good enough for me.  Since our overnight guests usually stay in the basement, we really want to have a full bath for them.  And when our kids hit the first birthday that ends in "teen" it would be nice to have an additional full bathroom.  (Last one out of bed has to shower in the basement???)

But in order to change the bathroom formerly planned as "half" to a "full" I will have to do 2 things.  The first part is easy.  I will have to move one wall, then fill in the empty spaces.  Oh, and I will probably have to build a support for the ceiling under the heating ducts.  We call this framing.  I have a little experience.  But hey, that is what the internet is for, right?  I will also need some lumber- several 2X4's.  They are called studs.  And guess what?  I found some...on Craiglist.  A family in Greenwood finished their basement remodeling project, which included removing a few walls.  The leftover studs?  In my van!

 

The second big challenge in this half-to-full conversion will be to install a drain for the shower, and to tie it in to the existing drain line of the toilet and.  And all of that takes place under the concrete floor.  Yes, I am sure that will take a few posts to describe (and maybe a few weeks to complete) whenever I get into the execution phase of this project.  So why am I talking about it now?  Because at this house I also scored a couple of bags of concrete to help me patch up my holes I will have to bust out of the existing floor.

Not nearly as cool as a pickup, but the minivan will have to do.

Floor Plan - version 1

Now that I have collected sufficient materials and supplies, it is time to formalize the design of the bathroom.

"Wait a second," you might object, "shouldn't you have designed the bathroom before you started collecting the materials?"  Good point.  I imagine you might raise this objection based on previous experiences where friends jumped into some project without a plan only to give up due to poor planning.  In reality, I have had a plan all along.  Said plan resided mostly in my imagination, but I seem to be capable of including many details in my imagined plans.  So now it is time for formalize the plan.  Here it is.  Really nothing special, and just the basics, but it is the starting point for the rest of the plans.

The entry door is on the right side, and is designed to shield the stool, in case of accidental entry.  The sink is just to the right of the door.  The shower is on the other side.  The door on the lower left opens to what we will call a closet, but is the space beneath the stairway that connects the basement to the main floor.

Our next major decision is what to do with the space between the shower and the sink.  Presently there is about eight inches, which is too big to leave open, but too small to do anything significant.  Luckily, we have as much space as we need to put the left wall wherever we want it.  We may either move the left wall to the right, with nothing between the sink and the shower, or move it farther, creating enough space for a cozy linen closet/shelves.  Any thoughts??????

By the way, if you are wondering, I designed this floor plan very quickly with a great piece of software. SmartDraw visual processor software allows you to quickly create any kind of visual drawings, from flowcharts, to PowerPoint presentations, to building floor plans and landscape design.  After I created the floor plan, I opened a new file and created an elevation plan for the wall at the top of the floor plan that includes the sink and shower.  For designing floor plans, the software included several pre-designed shapes for all rooms of the house.  The floor plan only took about 30 minutes to create.

The software is available for a free download and seven day trial period.  And you know me- I like things that are free!  Unfortunately, you only get to print your designs 3 times in the trial version, and it includes a huge watermark  (I had to manipulate it to get the drawing above to show without the watermark covering the toilet).  In the end, the price of the full version is just too expensive for an occasional or single-project user, like I would be.  It costs $197 for basic use, and $297 for business use, which includes PowerPoint integration.  It is a great way to get an initial design!

I sold the 6 panel door

Sometimes this project seems very tedious.  But whenever I feel that way, I remember that a project like this will often feel tedious.  This is more than just a home remodeling project.  It is a challenge to see if I can really complete it at no cost.  But that comes at a price, too, although maybe not of  a monetary nature.  Sometimes I drive a few more miles that is realistic to get something not all that great, but needed for this project, nonetheless.

So here is an example of tediousness.  Remember that white 6 panel door that I drove way to far to get, only to be stood up?  Well, I eventually received it.  A few more doors later, and I now have at least two others that will match the rest of the doors in my house.  So I listed the six panel door on Craigslist.  But really,  not for much less than you could buy a new one.  And a month or so later.... a call from someone who wanted to buy it.

So, the door is out of my basement, and I have a little more cash to buy the few items I can't find for free.

We are getting there....slowly but surely.

Finally....A Shower!

What is the most expensive item in a bathroom?  The shower.  Even a cheap vinyl shower stall will cost hundreds.  Homeowners know this, so when they tear out their showers, they realize they can recover some of the costs of their do-it-yourself bathroom remodel by selling their used shower on Craigslist.  For hundreds of dollars!  In my ideal world, I hoped for a one-piece fiberglass shower stall.  I even found one in a nearby suburb for only $10!  But it was 48" wide and the seller told me that he was selling it because he couldn't get it into his basement, where he had intended to install it.  Since I have a tight corner at the bottom of my basement stairs, though which I cannot pass a Queen sized box spring, I realized I would not be able to wrangle a four foot shower stall through it either.

My next option?  A shower pan.  You know, the base of the shower, above which I could put tile on the walls.  Also a very common option.  But again, most homeowners were selling used shower pans for over $50.  Still a huge savings compared to a new one, but a lot more than my goal of free.

The final option?  Build a shower pan with a 2x4 frame, concrete to slope the floor, a rubberized membrane, steel mesh, and finally, a surface of fine concrete.  AKA- expensive and hard work!

With a bit more cleaning and conditioning it will be as good as new!

And then it happened- My Craigslist auto-search program sent me an email describing a shower pan and matching shower doors in a nearby suburb!  FREE!  I quickly called the man, told him I could come that afternoon or evening, and sealed the deal.  Awesome!

So now I have the biggest items!  I am almost ready to start!

Going Crazy With Doors

I need two doors for this project.  An entry door to the bathroom, and a door to the closet that also serves as under-the-stairway storage.  Both are rough-trimmed for 36 inches.  So, I have been searching for a couple of free doors.

Early into this project, I found an almost-new door listed in a small town that was, well, a long ways away.  I drove there, but to no avail- she forgot to set it out before leaving for work.  I eventually received the door, though. You can read about it in the Sometimes You Hit Gold...Sometimes You Hit Your Finger post. It was 36 inches wide, and almost new, but it was a six panel door and the other doors in our house are stained, slab doors.

A few days later I found 3 doors at another giveaway.  They were stained brown, and also 36" wide!  (see the same post for this story)

I realized, though, that to hang the doors, I would need all the hardware, including knobs, latches, strikers, and hinges.  I would also need door jambs, or enough lumber to make them.  Finally, I would need casing trim!  And I wasn't finding much casing trim. 

But guess what popped up on Craigslist the other day?  2 stained slab doors, pre-hung, including the trim!  The door knobs are even polished brass, round handles, which means they will match every other interior door knob in the house! 

Unfortunately, they are only 32 inches wide.  So now I have a dilemma.  Do I use the smaller doors, or do I use the jambs, casing and hardware from the smaller doors, along with a couple of extra pieces of casing I did find somewhere, and make it all work?  (Hey, with wood filler and stain/paint, I can make it look nice and you would never notice!)  Decisions.....Decisions....

So until I decide, I guess I will have six doors sitting in my basement.  Oh yeah- the white six panel door?  I have it listed on Craigslist and a rehabber is interested.  I guess I will put that money towards some tile backer board.

Remember that weird sink? I sold it!

A few months ago, in a fit of worry, concerned that the Craigslist free page might never present a sink manufactured within the last four decades, I bought one at auction.  It was wide, with the sink on one end. I knew it was too wide for my bathroom project, but I thought I might cut it or otherwise make it work.  Then I picked it up and realized it was even bigger, and much heavier, than I had imagined!  Every time I saw it sitting on my garage floor I would mutter something in its direction.  No curse words.  Usually something like, "Why did I buy that stupid sink?"

I finally cleaned it up and listed it on the materials page on Craigslist.  I knew it was an odd item and might never sell.  But hey, one way to guarantee it won't sell is to never list it, right?

Then I received an email last week.  Someone was asking about it!  Basically they were asking if it could be used to replace a double sink.  I had never thought of it, but yes!  It would work great to remove the double sink featuring gold glitter from one's 1978 bathroom and put my sink in its place.  It would update the bathroom, as well as add some counter space!

I also listed in the ad that I would deliver the item, for free, to anywhere within 10 miles of my city.  I have found that putting "free delivery" in the listing line of a Craigslist ad is a great way to get your ad noticed.  Sinks are a great example.  There are probably 100 sinks listed every week.  Adding "free delivery" makes my listing stand out.







And lucky for me, it worked.  Someone called, bought the sink, and I delivered it to their grandmother's house about 1 mile away!  The sink is gone, and I have $20!

Back In the Black (and Invest in What You Know)

So I am no longer $23 in the red.  The free part of this project is back on track.  Remember the box of free plumbing supplies I picked up in nearby Peculiar, Missouri?  Well, it was included in a Craigslist free page ad that included baby clothes, a couple baby strollers, and a box of gas cans.  The seller really wanted someone to take it all.  I really just wanted the plumbing supplies, but in an effort to convince the seller to give the stuff to me, I offered to also take the strollers and the baby clothes.  After all, our church does a kids clothing sale twice per year, and can use all of the donated clothes we can get!  And I knew I could re-sell the strollers.  The gas cans? I passed.

On my way home, I dropped off the clothes at the church.  I later gave away the single stroller. (They are a dime a dozen).  The double stroller?  Gold mine!  For some reason, double strollers are a hot item, and very expensive.  Even a used one goes for a chunk of change.

A brand new Evenflo double stroller like this would cost you over $150.

I considered selling the double stroller at a kids clothes consignment sale.  I just didn't have enough other items ready and tagged to make it worth my time.  (By the way, consignment sales are a great way to offload your too-small kids clothes. Just search for "kids consignment sale" in your area, or search for a Just Between Friends franchise near you (www.jbfsale.com) You will earn much more than you could ever earn working a garage sale.  And you don't need to borrow folding tables from your church)

To make a long story short, I listed the double stroller on a Saturday morning on Craigslist, and sold it that afternoon for $40.  That puts me at $17 in the black!

Here is a lesson I have learned, that relates to this experience. I first heard about the book, The Millionaire Next Door from Dave Ramsey.  Then a business-owner friend recommended it to me.  So I read it. No, I am not the millionaire next door, but I trying to learn from them.  And one of the practices followed by many prodigious accumulators of wealth is to invest in what you know.  I learned this lesson the hard way when I bought several boxes of cheap cosmetics from a lady who claimed that I could resell it for hundreds of dollars on ebay.  It turns out, I couldn't.  Part of the problem was that I didn't know eyeliner mascara.  Who knew that there is a color named brown/black?  Two years later I still had boxes of this stuff.  Invest in what you know.

So through the last 6 years of this adventure called parenting, I have learned a few things.  I have seen intelligent people pay ridiculous amounts of money for novelty items that come with a promise to soothe their baby's crying.  And, for some reason, I have found that double strollers sell easily for good money!  Invest in what you know.

A box of plumbing supplies - Part 2 - Sweating the small stuff

You have no doubt heard the phrase, "don't sweat the small stuff."  But if you have ever attempted a plumbing project, then you have indeed sweated the small stuff.  Between the various sizes, ends, and materials, it is easy to buy the wrong part.  And after thirteen trips to the store, if you are like me, you just buy one of everything and return the rest later.  The parts you tried, but didn't fit?  Well, no wonder your box of pluming supplies is so full!  Seriously, the plumbing supplies alone can nickel and dime any project way over budget.

In my last post, I wrote about the box of plumbing supplies.  I already highlighted the closet flange.  But there was more. Much more. And while I won't be able to use it all, I already know I can use a bunch of the items.  But just what is the value of a box of plumbing items?  Well, in this post I want to attempt to calculate it.  Here goes.

First, a few pictures of the items: 

Before I start pricing all of these items, take a quick guess at what all this stuff might cost.

Several bathtub items.

Lots of drain pipe, down pipes, etc.

Check out the toilet bolts and bolt covers.  I know I will use those!

Item:                                                              Online Price at Home Depot or Lowes:
PVC Closet flange                                             $5.32
Delta shower arm and flange                              14.38
Plastic shower arm                                              3.88
Bathtub spout                                                      5.33
Lift & Turn tub drain kit                                     22.96
Set of Danco faucet handles                                 9.99
Pop-up drain assembly                                        8.68
Sink trap assembly                                              3.39
Garbage disposal elbow (1)                                 2.96
Garbage disposal elbow (2)                                 2.96
Flexible slip joint extension tube                           5.62
Toilet bolts                                                          3.18
Toilet bolt cover (1st pack)                                 2.68
Toilet bolt cover (2nd pack)                                2.68
Check vent                                                         3.00
Delta seats and springs kit                                   3.97
Total:                                                           $100.98

I bet you didn't guess over one hundred dollars!  Now to some people, a Benjamin might not be much, but we are talking small plumbing parts here!  In an upcoming series of posts, I will write about the true costs of home remodeling.  But the lesson here- the small stuff adds up- and quickly!

A box of plumbing supplies - and a closet flange!

As I started collecting the materials for this project, I realized I would need to find some very specific items.  In fact, I remember thinking to myself, "where am I going to find a toilet flange?"  Now, the technical term, if you are going to search for one on a home improvement store's website is a "closet flange."  As in Water Closet.  (I guess that flange was designed by a British guy).  My first experience with a PVC closet flange was during my main bathroom remodel.  I installed tile, complete with a backerboard, and subsequently raised the floor by one inch.  I realized that the toilet would never fit the drain, and it was then that I discovered the closet flange and the cheater spacer kit. 

Now, back to the basement, there is a four inch drain pipe protruding from the floor, but I knew it would need a closet flange.  And that is not really something you find used.  Nor does Lowes or Home Depot give them away.  Even Menards wouldn't offer a Black Friday rebate on one.  You just have to buy them- for about $10 each.  And that is a problem when you are trying to build a free bathroom.  In fact, as I wondered where I might find one, I seriously began to doubt if this "free bathroom" crazy idea would be successful.

Then I saw the magic Craigslist ad.  A family in Peculiar, Missouri, was moving and getting rid of stuff.  Among the spoils- a box of plumbing stuff.  I knew I needed plumbing stuff, so I made the drive that night, somehow found the house in the dark, and gratefully received the box of plumbing stuff.  And guess what was in it?  A PVC closet flange!!!! 

I scored a better vanity and sink!

This vanity needed some work!

It has been a crazy 3 weeks since I last posted an update.  I have had family in town, and things have been busy, but mostly there have been very few great items given away on Craigslist.  I have a couple of recent scores to share, though.


I previously wrote about the free vanity I scored.  It needed a ton of work, however, including fabrication of a door.  Then I bought the sink, just in case I couldn't find a free one manufactured in one of the last three decades.

I never really liked this sink.

I guess I underestimated the possibility of a great find, though.  One Wednesday morning I saw a listing on the Craigslist free page for a vanity and sink.  The owners were updating the bathroom in their ten year old house.  To my surprise, the sink was still available, even after sitting on the free page for a few hours.  Later that night I packed the kids in the van, drove a short 6 miles to Peculiar, and loaded the sink and vanity in my van.

This sink and vanity are in great shape!  No scratches on either.  No blemishes, really.  This is a great find and will look great in the new bathroom.  Check it out!

I also have a new theory about making the most of Craigslist.  Remember the 3 most important rules in real estate?  Location, location, and location.  It turns out the same might be true about Craigslist.  If an item is listed in a town on the edge of the metro area, or maybe a small and rather unknown city, people will be less likely to travel and retrieve the item.  In my case, I have found great items in the city of Peculiar.  And while Peculiar is only 6 miles from Raymore, it is rather unknown, or at least it is perceived as "far away" from the KC metro area.  As a result, people are more likely to ignore items there.  So now I know- the farther out, the more likely an item will remain available.

I Think I Will Pass On The Free Pink Tile

I just saw this listing on craigslist today:  "Free Pink Tile"  Yep, just like you remember it from your grandma's bathroom.  While I do need more tile for the floor, I think I will pass on this one.  A more cynical person might say, "why would you even put something like that on craigslist?"  But I bet the pink tile will be gone before Tom Brady completes his first pass.  There is amazing creativity out there.  People construct the coolest items from the junk most of us toss into our trash.  Yes, this is a post in favor of re-purposing.

No, re-purposing is not some liberal inconvenient truth rhetoric, nor is it a government conspiracy designed to distract the proletariat while politicians empty the public coffers.  No, re-purposing is what your grandma did when she cut the top off the the plastic milk carton and put it around her young tomato plants.  Add a few sequins and some ribbon and it might get pinned to your Pinterest account.  Re-purposing is just common sense.  Why throw away what you or someone else might use for another purpose?  No one said building materials can only be used for construction projects.  The options are endless! 

 And that is what the pink tile donor did.  This is what he/she described:"Free Pink tile squares 4x4, some whole, some pieces. Great for crafting or any other DIY! Please email for location, it's either your home or the trash for it all! Taking it off the bathroom walls as we speak! I will remove this posting when it's gone!" 

 I can see it now, a gathering football loving-men huddled around a big screen television in the man.  Meanwhile, their wives are sitting around a large table upstairs, crafting in wait for the next commercial break, saying, "where did you find this great pink tile?"

So next time you are throwing away, well, almost anything, you might ask yourself, "could someone else use this?"  If you think so, put it out on your curb, take a quick picture, and list in on craigslist.  You don't even have to include your phone number or email address.  Just list it first-come, first-served.

If, however, your item is a shower enclosure, would you give me a call first?  I am kind of looking for one of those.  But if it's pink, I'll pass.

Postcript: If we really did this, it would, after all, reduce the amount of junk in our landfills, reduce the amount of emissions produced by the manufacturing of stuff we buy that we could just get for free, and reduce our dependence on foreign manufacturing and child labor.  In the end, we all win.  Now that is bipartisanship!

I broke down and bought some stuff

When I tell people about my project, I can see their eyes widen as they imagine a hodgepodge of mixed-and-matched tiles, boards, lights and fixtures.  After all, how do you get nice stuff for completely free?  I know, I know!  And I got little nervous a couple weeks ago, especially as I drove too many miles with too little success.  I found an online surplus auction at www.equip-bid.com with lots of building materials!

Does this look like 3" X 5" tile?

One lot featured "Approximately 200 3in X 5in white ceramic tile."  It looked appealing until I did the math and discovered that 200 tiles of this size would cover only 20 square feet!  That is not much.  But then I looked at the picture again and realized that either the picture was very distorted, or they measured incorrectly, because the tiles were square.  And in comparison to a standard-sized pallet, they looked bigger than even 5in X 5in.  So I took a chance- figuring I could re-sell white ceramic tile, and bought the lot for $10!

When I got it home I measured the tile- 8in X 8in!  And there were about 300 pieces in the lot.  Lowes sells this kind of tile for $30 for a box of 25.  I scored $350 worth of tile for only $10!

I also bought a sink.  I remembered thinking that most of the sinks featured on the craigslist free page featured old cultured marble or clamshell stylings. The surplus auction was offering a nice, white sink.  Granted, the sink was offset, so I might have to cut it or do something creative, but I took a chance on it and won it for $10!

I am starting to regret my third purchase at this same auction.  The listing showed a "Lot Of Misc Corian Like Sheets"  I like Corian, as it looks just like granite, and I would love to have granite countertops.  Plus I thought I might be able to re-sell it. Apparently someone else wanted it, too, and I had to bid up to $17.50 to win the auction. 

I was able to pick up the items the next day while driving back home from another appointment, so it didn't require an extra trip or extra gas.  I didn't know, however, that the sheets of corian were 12 feet long.  It made for an interesting ride home in my Honda minivan!

At this point, my free bathroom is no longer free.  I have spent $23.00 on tile and a sink (the corian was for other uses, so it doesn't count).  What am I going to sell to bring me back to $0 net cost????

Auctions are a great way to get building materials for not a lot of money.  And many of the auction houses are putting their auctions online, making it easier for you and me to bid.  If you live in the Kansas City area, check out equip-bid.com and auctionbymayo.com

Rule #3 The day job comes first!

The key to getting stuff for free is getting there first.  And trust me, Craigslist users are like bloodhounds with Garmin's.  I have put semi-desirable items out on the curb, and within 30 minutes of posting the ad the items were gone!  When I am crazy enough to include my email address, I might get 15 email responses within the first hour!

In order to get something valuable for free, you have to jump fast and get there!

One of the benefits of my job is the amazing flexibility I have to create my own schedule.  If I need to take my daughter to the doctor at 10:15 on a Thursday morning, I can usually fit it in- and just make up the time later.  So it is conceivable that I could spend lots of time chasing after some free mirror, vanity, or drywall at any and all times of the day.  But I won't.  My allegiance is to my job.  They pay me to work hard, be productive, and give my full attention to the mission of the organization.  And so does your job!

This project is a hobby, meaning my job takes precedence.  Just like I wouldn't sign up for a softball league on Thursdays at 1:00 PM, I can't pick up and run after free junk every Thursday at 1:00 PM.  And I probably should not spend that time surfing for design ideas, either.  And neither should you!

Now get back to work.  Quick!  I see your manager coming!

Sometimes you hit gold . . . sometimes you hit your finger.

Last week was a great week for finding tile, a vanity, some wood, etc. (see my previous post)  Then on Saturday I picked up some free drywall, a couple of doors, some wood trim and even a 4' X 8' sheet of insulation that I will either sell or use on another project!

The week before, however, my first full week of getting free stuff, didn't go so well.  One of my rules is to not drive too far for low valued free items. I mean, I can buy most of the the drywall I need for the cost of a few gallons of gas.  So, whenever possible, I try to line up a few stops.

On Monday morning, I lined up two stops plus a donut shop for me and Easton.  The donut shop was closed and I had to find another- way out of the way.  Thank goodness for mobile web!  The next stop was for a door.  And guess what: the lady forgot to set it out for me before she left for work!  I won't even tell you how many miles I drove . . .

Later that week I found  2 freebies in Olathe- about 25 miles west of where I live.  A sink and some drywall pieces! Neither one worth a 50 mile drive, but both items?  Worth it.  On my way to get the sink, I called the lady to tell her I was coming and she said, "Oh, didn't you come earlier today?  That wasn't you?  I gave it away and I thought he was you . . ."  Great.  I can't no-show the drywall guy, as that would be rude.  And I refuse to join the ranks of inconsiderate Craigslisters who think that just because they are getting something for free makes it permissible to break their word!

So I drove 25 miles for drywall pieces- and they were all small pieces!

At the end of the week I was seriously reconsidering this project. I knew it wouldn't be easy, but I am not going to waste my time.  Luckily, things changed!


Postcript:   The lady with the door apologized over and over.  It turns out she started a brand new job that day and her focus was not on getting a door out of her garage.  I can understand that!  She contacted me and offered to bring the door to me.  We met in the parking lot of a Denny's.  I combined that trip with a shopping trip to buy jeans for Olivia and only went a few miles out of the way.

The Motherlode of Freebies!

The vanity needs a little work

Last week, while checking in with my friends on the Craigslist free page, I became interested in a listing- lumber, tubing, a bathroom vanity base, and some sheetrock pieces.  I can use all of that stuff!  They listed their address along with my least-favorite phrase:  first-come-first-served.  The listing was posted 2 hours earlier and I had just put Easton down for a nap.  "Everything is gone already," I thought to myself.  I sent an email,  nonetheless, describing my project, asking that they hold whatever might be left.  "Slim chance, but worth a try."  But I really wanted that vanity!

Tile!!!  Some full pieces & cut pieces

A Texture sprayer - sell it?

Five hours later my phone rings and the guy tells me the vanity is still there, and he has some tile I can have, too!  The back of his truck was full of tile- some full pieces and some partial pieces.  A wall/ceiling texure sprayer?  Sure, I can use that!  A partial box of grout?  I need grout for the tile!  Tile backerboard?  Need that, too.  The small sheetrock pieces and the wood will help, also.  I came home with a van full!

The Accessory Set!

Oh, and one more bonus!  They brought out an unopened package of chrome bathroom accessories- the towel rack, the toilet paper holder, the hand-towel ring, and the robe hook!  And I was wondering how I was going to find those items for free!








So I might be able to pull off this project after all!

Rule #2: No Avocado Green Toilets

I could be done in a month if I would take the first free items that come along.  In fact, if you live in the Boston area, this one might still be available for the first taker!  But the result would be a sure winner of the remodeling while smoking crack contest.  Maybe not that bad, but it would double as the Smithsonian's exhibit of your grandmother's bathroom. For your viewing pleasure, check out one blogger's compilation of outdated bathrooms


Seriously, though, the second rule is that this bathroom needs to feature the design and styles that at least match the house.  My house is approximately 20 years old.  I have no illusions that Better Homes & Gardens will send a photographer to feature my bathroom, but it needs to look good.  No, professional.  Guys often overlook important design details.  A white toilet next to an ivory shower is not okay.  Brass faucets don't go with chrome towel racks.


To help with this, I will work with my wife especially on this part of the project.  She will have veto power for any piece that I collect.  In the end, I want her to be proud of her new bathroom.  And not just because its free!  Free doesn't have to mean second class, junky or nasty.  But it will take time to be picky, though.


So, if you have some like-new pink tile, don't even call me.  The answer is NO!

My First Freebie: A Throne!

I have not yet finalized a design for the bathroom, but I have started collecting some pieces!  The first piece, and how appropriate: a white toilet. Yes, I started with a toilet, but it was ivory.  And you don't mix white and ivory pieces in a small room!  Having a white toilet allows me to go work with whatever I can find of the harder to find items- a shower or toilet.

I grabbed this a couple of weeks ago, before I went public with this project.  I had been scouring my favorite place on Craigslist-the free page- looking for items.  There it was . . . the magic throne . . . Okay, that's a bit weird, but I responded and it was offered to me.  But it was on the north side of the metro, and I live on the south side.

I justified the 50 mile round trip because there was another listing nearby for several free household renovation items.  Unfortunately, that listing featured several items set out in front of the guy's garage: first come, first served!  The first lesson you learn from Craigslist is that if an item is sitting in front of someone's house, first-come-first-served, it will be gone within 1 hour if it is at all desirable.  In my case, I showed up 3 hours after the listing posted and it was all gone!  In the end, I drove 50 miles for a white toilet!

My first piece of advice for getting free stuff on Craigslist:  respond to ads quickly, tell them the earliest available time at which you could pick up their item, assure them that you will be there on time, and ask them to hold the item until you get there.  Then make sure you show up on time!  Most people who put free items on Craigslist learn quickly that humans are liars as they endure no-show after no-show.  Eventually they toss their items in the driveway, list their address, proclaim first-come-first-served, and conveniently leave out their phone number and email address.  

Luckily, my toilet donor left the porcelain throne on his front porch before leaving for work.  I showed up, as promised, and now I am good for toilets!

Rule #1: Play by the rules

I have already thought of twenty ways I could get my free bathroom quickly and easily.  However, I don't want to break my streak of jail-free nights, so 10-12 of those automatically off the list.  I am also arrogant enough to think that someone might read this blog and try it for themselves.  Therefore I would like my project to be successfully repeated by others.  So I have developed a set of rules for myself. And I need your help to stay accountable to them!

Rule #1: Play by the rules.  My daughter might someday take a shower or curl her hair in this bathroom.  I would prefer that she not scald herself with what she thinks is cold water, nor electrocute herself with a mis-wired outlet!  That means I will have to find a GFI outlet, not settle for the non-GFI one sitting in my electrical supplies tote box!  I will submit myself to professional construction standards and city codes.  I will probably need a building permit. (And I am not sure how I will get that for free).


There is a huge temptation to view building codes as overreach of government, breach of privacy, and cover-your-butt overkill.  But they are not.  And I just need to get over it and submit.

I will also try to work safely at all times.  I can't promise that I will wear safety glasses at all times, but as a good Boy Scout, I will try to live out what I learned from the Safety Merit Badge.