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small bathroom remodel

Huck | Posted in Photo Gallery on

upstairs bathroom remodel – the before pictures first

View Image Ã¢â‚¬Å“Good work costs much more than poor imitation or factory product†– Charles Greene
CaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com

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  1. User avater
    Huck | | #1
    View Image â€œGood work costs much more than poor imitation or factory product” – Charles Greene
    CaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com
    1. User avater
      Huck | | #2

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      View ImageView Image â€œGood work costs much more than poor imitation or factory product” – Charles GreeneCaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com

      1. User avater
        Huck | | #3

        a rough sketch of the general idea - eliminate the big platform with the square dogwash tub, build a smaller platform with a drop-in tub under the window, and a shower area adjacent. 

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        View ImageView Image â€œGood work costs much more than poor imitation or factory product” – Charles GreeneCaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com

        1. User avater
          Huck | | #4

          demolition!

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          View Image â€œGood work costs much more than poor imitation or factory product” – Charles GreeneCaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com

          1. User avater
            Huck | | #5

            rough plumbing

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            View ImageView Image â€œGood work costs much more than poor imitation or factory product” – Charles GreeneCaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com

          2. User avater
            Huck | | #6

            Bob - contractor, carpenter, plumber, and all-around good guy to have on the jobsite!

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            View Image â€œGood work costs much more than poor imitation or factory product” – Charles GreeneCaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com

          3. User avater
            Huck | | #7

            rough framing and new cabinet

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            View Image â€œGood work costs much more than poor imitation or factory product” – Charles GreeneCaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com

          4. User avater
            Huck | | #9

            the plumber wanted access through the side of the platform after the tub was dropped in, but the tile guy said No Way, he had to wrap his membrane up the side.  Didn't want to cut the beam behind the tub for access (exterior wall), and the exterior window trim made access from that side out of the question.  So here was the solution - access from the ceiling below. 

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            View ImageView Image â€œGood work costs much more than poor imitation or factory product” – Charles GreeneCaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com

          5. User avater
            Huck | | #10

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            View Image â€œGood work costs much more than poor imitation or factory product” – Charles GreeneCaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com

          6. User avater
            Huck | | #11

            Greenboard is now purple board!

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            View Image â€œGood work costs much more than poor imitation or factory product” – Charles GreeneCaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com

          7. User avater
            Huck | | #12

            There's no reason for the mud on the purple board - just pure showmanship for the homeowner, I guess.  Had to open the wall and straighten out the plumbing for the mixing valve.  Wish we had moved the stub out for the tub spout up then - we had to go back and do it later, after the tile guy built up the platform with too much mud (don't know why he did that, can't even see why it needed mud, but thats what the granite guy requested), and the tub rim and tub spout conflicted.

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            View Image â€œGood work costs much more than poor imitation or factory product” – Charles GreeneCaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com

          8. User avater
            Huck | | #13

            expanded metal lath

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            View ImageView Image â€œGood work costs much more than poor imitation or factory product” – Charles GreeneCaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com

          9. User avater
            Huck | | #14

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            View ImageView Image â€œGood work costs much more than poor imitation or factory product” – Charles GreeneCaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com

          10. User avater
            Huck | | #15

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            View Image â€œGood work costs much more than poor imitation or factory product” – Charles GreeneCaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com

          11. User avater
            Huck | | #16

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            View Image â€œGood work costs much more than poor imitation or factory product” – Charles GreeneCaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com

          12. User avater
            Huck | | #17

            these guys are brothers, and their oldest brother is the tile contractor - I've known him for probably 20 years, and only recently got back in touch with him after not seeing him for many years.  I was glad to have him on this project.

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            View Image â€œGood work costs much more than poor imitation or factory product” – Charles GreeneCaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com

            Edited 8/16/2008 8:38 pm by Huck

          13. User avater
            Huck | | #18

            this was my helper/office worker for well over a year, and then suddenly things went south, and she just started getting a negative attitude (long story I won't go into here), and stopped coming to work.  She was a family friend, almost like an adopted daughter to me, and it hurt to have it end that way.  Guess that's why its not always a good idea to hire friends!

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            View ImageView Image â€œGood work costs much more than poor imitation or factory product” – Charles GreeneCaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com

          14. User avater
            Huck | | #19

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            View Image â€œGood work costs much more than poor imitation or factory product” – Charles GreeneCaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com

          15. User avater
            Huck | | #20

            granite

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            View Image â€œGood work costs much more than poor imitation or factory product” – Charles GreeneCaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com

          16. User avater
            Huck | | #21

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            View ImageView Image â€œGood work costs much more than poor imitation or factory product” – Charles GreeneCaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com

          17. User avater
            Huck | | #22

            once the granite was set, we could bring the tile guys back. 

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            View ImageView Image â€œGood work costs much more than poor imitation or factory product” – Charles GreeneCaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com

          18. User avater
            Huck | | #23

            marble tile

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            View ImageView Image â€œGood work costs much more than poor imitation or factory product” – Charles GreeneCaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com

          19. User avater
            Huck | | #24

            grouted!

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            View Image â€œGood work costs much more than poor imitation or factory product” – Charles GreeneCaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com

          20. User avater
            Huck | | #25

            floor tiles

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            View ImageView Image â€œGood work costs much more than poor imitation or factory product” – Charles GreeneCaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com

          21. User avater
            Huck | | #26

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            View ImageView Image â€œGood work costs much more than poor imitation or factory product” – Charles GreeneCaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com

          22. User avater
            Huck | | #27

            backsplash

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            View Image â€œGood work costs much more than poor imitation or factory product” – Charles GreeneCaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com

          23. User avater
            Huck | | #28

            looking up through the dining room ceiling below

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            View Image â€œGood work costs much more than poor imitation or factory product” – Charles GreeneCaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com

          24. User avater
            Huck | | #29

            up and down these stairs, all day long!

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            View Image â€œGood work costs much more than poor imitation or factory product” – Charles GreeneCaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com

          25. User avater
            Huck | | #30

            thankfully this tub was really light

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            View ImageView Image â€œGood work costs much more than poor imitation or factory product” – Charles GreeneCaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com

          26. User avater
            Huck | | #31

            typical jobsite stuff

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            View ImageView Image â€œGood work costs much more than poor imitation or factory product” – Charles GreeneCaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com

          27. User avater
            Huck | | #32

            Bob and Jerry - two good guys to have on any job!

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            View ImageView Image â€œGood work costs much more than poor imitation or factory product” – Charles GreeneCaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com

          28. User avater
            Huck | | #33

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            View ImageView Image â€œGood work costs much more than poor imitation or factory product” – Charles GreeneCaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com

          29. User avater
            Huck | | #34

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            View ImageView Image â€œGood work costs much more than poor imitation or factory product” – Charles GreeneCaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com

          30. User avater
            Huck | | #35

            H.O. picked out the sinks

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            View ImageView Image â€œGood work costs much more than poor imitation or factory product” – Charles GreeneCaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com

          31. User avater
            Huck | | #36

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            Can you tell I had to move the outlet?  H.O. wanted it perfectly centered. 

             

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            View Image â€œGood work costs much more than poor imitation or factory product” – Charles GreeneCaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com

            Edited 8/16/2008 9:42 pm by Huck

          32. User avater
            Huck | | #37

            shower panel was an inexpensive model the H.O. bought on internet.  Simple hookup. 

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            View Image â€œGood work costs much more than poor imitation or factory product” – Charles GreeneCaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com

          33. User avater
            Huck | | #38

            baseboard in and painted

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            View ImageView Image â€œGood work costs much more than poor imitation or factory product” – Charles GreeneCaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com

          34. User avater
            Huck | | #39

            pretty close to finished - just needs shower door and some paint touch-up (and all my junk hauled off!)

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            View Image â€œGood work costs much more than poor imitation or factory product” – Charles GreeneCaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com

          35. danno7x | | #41

            Looks great man you gonna glass the entire tub/shower section off? That's a neat concept.  Did you have to match the trim(baseboard and door casing) in the rest of the house? because it looks cheep compared to the fine work you have done in there, too bad couldn't be bigger (more elaborate) I think it would complement better

            Excellent job thanks for sharing, I love the pic posts.

          36. User avater
            Huck | | #43

            you gonna glass the entire tub/shower section off?

            Yes.   We discussed a few options with the H.O., and this was the one they picked.

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            Did you have to match the trim(baseboard and door casing) in the rest of the house?

            Door casing was existing, I didn't touch it, except with paint!  Baseboard to match.  This was a budget job - I gave him the marble and floor tile (leftovers cluttering my garage) at a very low price, to get the job.  I basically put $500 in the bid price for a tile materials budget, and told him I'd bring all my leftovers from home, and he could pick what he wanted.  He had to buy nine more boxes of marble tile out of his own pocket to complete the shower, but he still ended up with a heck of a deal. 

            I dropped $500 for eliminating another shower head that he originally wanted, and I dropped $300 for leaving the wall between the toilet and the rest of the room (originally slated to come out).  He let me sweat it out for a few weeks, and finally called back and said OK, lets do it.

            View Image â€œGood work costs much more than poor imitation or factory product” – Charles GreeneCaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com

            Edited 8/16/2008 9:36 pm by Huck

          37. danno7x | | #45

            From the sounds of it he got a great deal, sounds like good negotiating on your part to land the job when times are slow.  Working out deals like that should keep you busy, best of luck to ya.View Image

          38. Pelipeth | | #68

            Georgeous, except for you know what, really detracts from the room. Like the shower/tub area combo. Will they need a door?

          39. User avater
            Huck | | #69

            Will they need a door?

            Its there, look again.  Frameless.

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            View ImageView Image â€œGood work costs much more than poor imitation or factory product” – Charles GreeneCaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com

          40. stevent1 | | #8

            Thanx for sharing. Keep the pics coming.

             

            Chuck S

             live, work, build, ...better with wood

          41. User avater
            Huck | | #40

            Thanx for sharing. Keep the pics coming.

            Well, happy to oblige!  I know this is not as dramatic or as involved as a lot of stuff on here, but I was happy to get this job, at a time when most everyone I know has almost no work at all.  Things are very slow here in Bakersfield.  I just read today that California unemployment is way ahead of the rest of the nation.  People losing their homes and their jobs right and left.View Image â€œGood work costs much more than poor imitation or factory product” – Charles GreeneCaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com

          42. mrfixitusa | | #42

            I like the sinksThe bathroom looks great!

          43. User avater
            Huck | | #44

            I like the sinks.  The bathroom looks great!

            Thank you.  The H.O. bought the sinks, faucets, shower panel, and tub himself.  I first thought they were a little funky, but now that they're in, I like 'em too!  The room has a real "Zen" feel to it.View Image â€œGood work costs much more than poor imitation or factory product” – Charles GreeneCaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com

          44. DonCanDo | | #46

            Nice pics, thanks for sharing.

            Those sinks... they don't look bad, but it's not my style.  It sort of makes the sinks the focal point of the room which may or may not be intended.

            How practical are they?

          45. User avater
            Huck | | #47

            Well, your wife won't be dyeing her hair in them, but they don't spill or splash out water, like they appear.  The edges of the basin angle up just enough to be efficient at holding the normal amount of water that occurs when using the faucet.  Work fine for washing your hands or rinsing out a sponge.  One difference we noticed: no overflow drain.View Image â€œGood work costs much more than poor imitation or factory product” – Charles GreeneCaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com

          46. danmart | | #48

            Hey Huck

            I really like the new bathroom. Nice job.

             I am remodeling a small bathroom. I have the walls done and I am about to put a new cabinet in the room. I plan to put backer board over the plywood subfloor before I tile with 12" square tiles.

            I am planning on putting in the cabinet resting on the plywood subfloor and then nailing in 1/4 backerboard then the tile. A friend came by and said - "you should put the cement backer down and tile the entire floor (including the area 21 x 60")  before you set in the bath cabinet.

            Question: Is this the better way to go? I know the cabinet surface will be about a 1/2-3/4" lower when I build up the floor but it just seems to be a waste to tile under the cabinet footing. Would you comment on what you think is the best way to go?

            Dan

          47. User avater
            NickNukeEm | | #49

            I'm not Huck, but I always prefer to tile the whole floor prior to installing cabinets.  It makes future remodeling easier.

             "I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul."  Invictus, by Henley.

          48. User avater
            Huck | | #50

            A friend came by and said - "you should put the cement backer down and tile the entire floor (including the area 21 x 60")  before you set in the bath cabinet.

            I can think of no logical reason to tile under a cabinet. 

            This job the floor was floated with deck mud, but when I use another tile guy, he does the backerboard thing.  He sill uses thinset first, then nails the backerboard with ring shanks, then thinsets the tile.  Make sure there is no flex in the floor whatsoever, and make sure there are no high spots or humps, or else you will have "kickers", tile edges that stick up.View Image â€œGood work costs much more than poor imitation or factory product” – Charles GreeneCaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com

          49. jesse | | #51

            That bathroom looks great...but I have one question. Shouldn't there be tarpaper behind the lath?

          50. User avater
            Huck | | #53

            Shouldn't there be tarpaper behind the lath?

            I'll ask my tile guy about it.  To be honest, that marble is installed virtually tight - very little grout line whatsoever.   I think you could turn a fire hose on that wall, and I doubt any moisture would make it from the grout through all that concrete to even get to the moisture-resistant drywall, not here in the desert.  But what do I know.  I'll see if he's had or heard of any problems arising from lack of tar paper. 

            The old shower (with wide grout lines) had tar paper, but no moisture-resistant drywall, and there was no evidence of any moisture reaching the paper.  The only evidence of water seepage was in the pan, there was a small leak in the membrane adjacent to the drain, but it never reached the ceiling below.View Image â€œGood work costs much more than poor imitation or factory product” – Charles GreeneCaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com

          51. Biff_Loman | | #52

            Nice work! For me, it's very educational to compare my work experience with other remodeling outfits. Is it a regional thing to paint cabinets in place? I currently work for a custom builder who is in love with painted built-ins. However, all vanities and kitchen cabinets are pre-finished, even if they're painted.Also, I'm used to seeing the finish floor run under the cabinets. Of course, that makes more sense if one wants to install a pre-finished cabinet at the end of the process. You wouldn't want to get caught with the cabinets not covering.The clients picked the sinks. . . How much do you advise clients on design decisions? My previous employer didn't give much guidance, which led to some amazing (not in a good way) color schemes and odd decor. Actually, the only job that came out flawless was one in which they had both a designer (our company) AND a decorator.

          52. User avater
            Huck | | #54

            Is it a regional thing to paint cabinets in place?

            To be honest, I seldom deal with painted cabinets.  However, it isn't uncommon here to stain and lacquer cabinets in place. 

            The painted cabinets were one concession I traded for a drop in my bid price.  Normally, on a standard job, I'd go with black lacquer for a job like this, and I'd have them pre-finished before installing.  I did actually paint the cabinet before installation, its just that I painted them in that room, and they were just setting in place up until then. 

            But as it was, they gave me the paint they used (dark bronze, not black) for their downstairs cabinets, which they wanted me to match, so I just used their paint.  Latex acrylic over primer, then I added a coat of clear polyurethane on top.  Same finish I have on my office cabinets, and it has held up well.

            Also, I'm used to seeing the finish floor run under the cabinets.

            Now that must be a regional thing.  I've never done it that way, and never seen it done that way, except when due to poor planning the cabinets are on back order, and the job can't wait.  Someone else mentioned taking the cabinets out later, but I've never heard of that rationale before either.  By the time the cabinets come out 25 years from now, they generally want a new floor too.

            The clients picked the sinks. . . How much do you advise clients on design decisions?

            As much as they request - or to point out any glaring potential problems.  The first sinks the client ordered were huge.  I didn't like 'em, and pointed out that it may be a squeeze to get the faucet in behind.  The wife vetoed 'em, and they went back.

            My previous employer didn't give much guidance, which led to some amazing (not in a good way) color schemes and odd decor.

            I have my own opinions, but try to give the clients what they request, since it's their dollar.   If the clients are happy when they write that final check, then I've done my job.

            View Image â€œGood work costs much more than poor imitation or factory product” – Charles GreeneCaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com

            Edited 8/17/2008 5:25 pm by Huck

          53. User avater
            Huck | | #55

            Finally finished up today (had a delay with the glass shower doors)

            View ImageView Image â€œGood work costs much more than poor imitation or factory product” – Charles GreeneCaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com

          54. User avater
            Huck | | #56

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            View ImageView Image â€œGood work costs much more than poor imitation or factory product” – Charles GreeneCaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com

          55. User avater
            Huck | | #57

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            View ImageView Image â€œGood work costs much more than poor imitation or factory product” – Charles GreeneCaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com

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            Huck | | #58

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            View ImageView Image â€œGood work costs much more than poor imitation or factory product” – Charles GreeneCaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com

          57. User avater
            Huck | | #59

            before and after

            View ImageView Image â€œGood work costs much more than poor imitation or factory product” – Charles GreeneCaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com

          58. User avater
            Huck | | #60

            before and after

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            View Image â€œGood work costs much more than poor imitation or factory product” – Charles GreeneCaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com

          59. DonCanDo | | #61

            I've never seen a tub and shower sharing the shower area before.  I'm surprised that I haven't seen it because it seems so logical and an efficient use of space.

            Was that your design?  Any thoughts on how well it works?  It seems like it may be a little extra work to keep it clean.

            Oh yeah, nice work!

          60. User avater
            Huck | | #64

            Thank you.  They asked if it would be possible to have a separate shower and tub.  I toyed around with some possibilities, and this is one I came up with.  They asked for a bigger tub platform, but I recommended against it.  I wanted also to allow for a shower curtain between shower and tub, but they wouldn't go for it, wanting the open look.  I wanted the shower head to be on the back wall (same as the tub spout) but their budget didn't allow for the extra cost of moving it.

            I told them they would have to keep the tub platform sponged off.  There is an awkward little strip of platform between the tub and the window wall.  And the window location itself is not ideal - its a full visibility window.  Fortunately, its a second floor window with a tree right outside, but nevertheless, it could potentially be awkward to be standing in front of it.

            The space that the tub and shower occupy is an oddity - you saw how the original designers handled it.  Another thing that a lot of people wondered about during construction was the tub platform/vanity/glass enclosure issue.  I stopped the vanity short by a few inches, which created a narrow awkward space between the end of the vanity and the glass enclosure. 

            I still think this was the best option under the circumstances, and it doesn't seem out of place at all, now that the project is finished.  In retrospect, I wish I had left it a little bigger, so that you could put a small wastebasket there.  As it turned out, its about 6".

            This was an economy job.  The smaller budget (just under 20K) didn't allow for all the options I would have liked.  The H.O. picked the drop-in tub and the shower panel, both of which were inexpensive internet purchases.  I pointed out to him that the tub is not really designed to be installed in a shower, but I don't foresee it being a problem.  The shower head is a rain-drip, meaning water does not come out under pressure.  The spray from the body wash does not reach the window, but it does reach the tub platform. 

            So bottom line is, in many ways the job is a compromise, but I think it was a successful one given the circumstances, and the H.O.s are very pleased.View Image â€œGood work costs much more than poor imitation or factory product” – Charles GreeneCaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com

          61. mackzully | | #65

            "So bottom line is, in many ways the job is a compromise, but I think it was a successful one given the circumstances, and the H.O.s are very pleased."The only perfect job is the one the archy got paid for ;)Z

          62. User avater
            aimless | | #66

            Of course the homeowners are pleased - it looks like they got class A work for a class B budget.

             

          63. User avater
            Huck | | #67

            it looks like they got class A work for a class B budget.

            - they did.  Of course, it hasn't always been my experience that that leads to happy customers!  =)

            We really went round and round on the pricing.  They (he, really) wanted me to drop my price , and I was forever trying to find compromises to drop the price - since I wasn't about to drop it without him giving something up from the job.

            At some point he revealed that there were no other bidders - it was just price I was bidding against.  I finally got it down about halfway to where he wanted it, using concessions that he would consider (he would not give up certain things - like the granite countertop, for example).  I said thats the best I can do, take it or leave it.  He sat on it for about 2-3 weeks, then called out of the blue and said Lets do it.

            But in the end, like you said, they got a heck of a bargain on a very nice bathroom.View Image â€œGood work costs much more than poor imitation or factory product” – Charles GreeneCaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com

          64. michael_maines | | #62

            Huck, excellent job!

            I think the tile guys raised the tub deck up so there wouldn't be a narrow sliver of tile left.  Just a guess.

            If you don't mind I'd like to steal your idea.  It would work perfectly for master bed/bath suite I'm designing right now.

          65. Planeman | | #63

            Great job Huck!  I am shamelessly stealing ideas for my own bath remodel currently underway.

             Experienced, but still dangerous!

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