Do it Solo

From Bathroom Boo-hoo's to Bathroom Bliss

By Stacy Yarrow

So here is the big day that I have been waiting for more than 2 years when my bathroom will finally be complete! The plumber is coming tomorrow and I will have a working sink again, compliments of my own design.

I really would like to be a designer, but let's face it, I don't want to work a billion hours or go back to school so I'll just be my own client and charge myself accordingly where payment received is backbreaking, time consuming work from being the contractor to performing most of the work.

Here are a couple of tips that are compliments of making the wrong choices. I share them openly with you but be my guest and re-invent the wheel if you feel necessary. Most of us don't pay attention to the “boo-boos” of others but that’s where the learning happens. I really feel there is no point in making the same mistakes I did when they can easily be avoided. Not to mention some of these problems had me dealing with anger management issues as well!

My bathroom is now my absolute favourite room in the house. When having a bath, surrounded by the fruits of my vision and labour, I am thrilled with the results. I can't believe that I used to imagine that I was living in the ghetto in order to even step foot in this tub. With this project happily tucked away under my belt I am happy to begin my new challenge of revamping the main bathroom.

Good luck with your endeavours and remember that with time, patience and some vision, the pay-off will be huge. Just give yourself the chance to prove it!

• Don't use stain resistant, premixed grout on your bathroom tiles. I had to pick it out of each square as it didn't seem to “set” properly and kept oozing into my bathwater. Gross.
• Buy an air compressor and nail gun when putting up bead-board. I didn't and it took me forever, plus you end up with hammer marks all over your walls. An air compressor is like an orgasm. Once you've experienced it, you will never go back...too bad I got one at the end of the project. BUT when I revamp my main bath, I will have the proper tool to use. I highly recommend the Coleman 3 lb. compressor—cute, easy to move around, and comes with the nail gun at a reasonable cost. By far my favourite tool thus far. You can also use staples and re-upholster furniture as well (check out my re-cover job on the laundry hamper).
• NEVER use acrylic caulk in the bathroom. With the changes in humidity and seasonal issues, it will crack and then you'll have to pick it all out and re-do with silicone caulk. So save your wrists and time and start with the silicone (although it is a bit messier).
• Don't over think things. Part of the reason the bathroom took so long is that I ended up changing my original design and created something else that didn't really work as well (so ended up going back to the original).
• Finally, leave the main stuff to the pros. I had a dry-waller put up the drywall (but I did tape the joints and sand) and the plumber come to actually plumb the sink and bat, unless you are insanely talented. If you can hold a sheet of drywall over your head and screw it in, you shouldn't even be reading this!

Stacy Yarrow lives in Ontario's Niagara Region and is a professional 'trash to treasures' explorer

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