In 2015 we remodeled a number of rooms in our home and have been enjoying the results in the four years since. I had no idea that tempered glass – used in both bathrooms – had a party trick reminiscent of spontaneous combustion, but I’m now wiser. And thankfully unhurt by the experience. You can compare the original bathroom look here, and the other bathroom’s glass looks like this. Safety glass was a term I thought I understood – in an “I know what that’s for” sort of way, versus really having a clue how it was made, what its risks vs. benefits were or anything else specific. Silly human! If you want to read a very brief overview, see what the Glass Doctor has to say.
Continue reading When your shower door “explodes”!Category Archives: Story
The remodeling project is (virtually) complete!
I’m declaring the project complete even though we have one small outstanding work item (a replaced cork tile needs sealing) and one missing warranty (for the heated floor). I still have some areas to tidy up in the post-remodel shuffle – such as replacing the doors on the upstairs hall closet, taken off to make more room when moving things through the tight 90 degree turn in that corridor – but that’ll get done soon-ish. Continue reading The remodeling project is (virtually) complete!
Water leak that was both bad news and good
Week 15: Skylight, paint, trim, skylight?
Monday: Trim for two remaining kitchen windows. Painters caulked, sanded and primed new trim. Continue reading Week 15: Skylight, paint, trim, skylight?
Evolution of the house since February 2000 – rear
Improving the world’s worst closet
What’s wrong with the bonus room?
What’s wrong with the kids’ bathroom?
What’s wrong with the kitchen?
Not entirely that, but a flyer from a realtor who sells a lot in our neighborhood mentioned that homes that had been updated – i.e. de-oaked – sold well. The house was built in 1993 with plans developed in the 1980s and it’s showing its age in all sorts of ways. Continue reading What’s wrong with the kitchen?
Week 0 – preparation

From January through most of February, I spent time cleaning out anything that could be tossed out and putting into the POD (storage unit in our driveway) things from the rooms we were planning to remodel. It’s about as much fun as moving (i.e. not much fun at all), but I’d had a dry run (which I didn’t realize was one at the time) in using a POD to empty out the garages so we could have the new storage racks installed last autumn. Continue reading Week 0 – preparation