(no subject)
The first of the big renos is being done now. Besides everything my parents are currently building in our basement, which is hilarious and cool at the same time, because now we have a semi-finished basement, AND my parents live with me. Today is the second day of roofers pounding away at the layers of old decrepit mossy useless shingles. The forecast called for rain today - all I see are blue skies, which is a miracle in itself for January in Victoria. We spent months getting quotes, and then waiting for Kyla's dad to show up after he announced that he was going to do the roof for us. And Don Mann showed up at our door (if you're from here, you've seen the Don Mann Construction trucks all over town) with the business card to a buddy who does roofs. And eventually we said screw it, we need to get this done before February (tax credit) and before we get more rain (there are buckets catching water in two rooms) so here we are. The dog is hiding on my feet under a blanket. Things keep falling off the roof. There is a large dumpster taking up the driveway (dad is thrilled to have someplace to throw construction debris). It's going to cost an obscene amount of money, but so is everything in this house. We're all conveniently ignoring the $700 electrician bill on the kitchen table from having the wiring upstairs fixed (there were actually plugs with reversed polarity - which means, the wires were put on the wrong ends of the plug. Which means that if something metal had touched whatever was plugged into them, they would have shorted and potentially started a fire.) so that our house insurance wasn't voided. Today I will also be installing a new kitchen faucet so that the sink stops leaking water into the basement.
We have a shower now! This is YAY! When the plumbers came in to do the bathroom for the basement, mom and dad had them check out our bathroom too and see what was needed to make the tub a shower. So he showed up one day when they were up-island, and I was sleeping, and messed around for a while trying to find a part that would work for the ancient plumbing. And then coming and going twice to get parts. And then cutting a hole in the bedroom closet because the part he needed doesn't exist anymore. So he had to do some changing of pipes in the wall, which the cat was very interested in, and I pulled her out of the wall twice. And then he put in a shower, and left, and then I turned it on the have a shower...and thought I was at Deb's house. It was like...it was pathetic. Not quite misting, but more like water just...falling from the shower head. Oh god. Later that week I cut Kyla's hair. which requires a shower after to get rid of all the little tiny hairs. And it was impossible. Not only did we both freeze because there wasn't enough water to keep us warm, but the little tiny hairs wouldn't come off. Kyla rinsed her head half a dozen times, and I was still picking hairs off her the next day. And she has no hair. The exact same shower is in the basement bathroom, and when you turn it on, there is plenty of water pressure. The water sprays across the room. When the parents came back after Christmas, they called the plumbers again and he came out and looked at it. Unscrewed the shower head from the hose, turned it on, and said "Oh that's not right!", and I was like, no shit you moron, and why the hell didn't you TURN IT ON before you left last time? How do you do something like install a shower and then not test that it actually works? He had to replace the tub spout a third time, and reconnected everything, and it finally works properly. I run out of hot water again, but at least I can actually rinse my hair.
Next step...actually, I'm not sure what the next step is. The parents are going to continue working away at the basement. They're insulating it, and putting up walls. We're tearing down the studio to build one that's not made of hardboard, which is about half a centimeter thin, and that has a proper floor. We're also putting in storage shelves that are sized for big and small Rubbermaid totes, and making a rec room out of the remaining open space. Mom also has plans to build a deck in time for the wedding. We have to start planning the garden. And at some point our bathroom needs a new floor. I don't think it ever stops.
We have a shower now! This is YAY! When the plumbers came in to do the bathroom for the basement, mom and dad had them check out our bathroom too and see what was needed to make the tub a shower. So he showed up one day when they were up-island, and I was sleeping, and messed around for a while trying to find a part that would work for the ancient plumbing. And then coming and going twice to get parts. And then cutting a hole in the bedroom closet because the part he needed doesn't exist anymore. So he had to do some changing of pipes in the wall, which the cat was very interested in, and I pulled her out of the wall twice. And then he put in a shower, and left, and then I turned it on the have a shower...and thought I was at Deb's house. It was like...it was pathetic. Not quite misting, but more like water just...falling from the shower head. Oh god. Later that week I cut Kyla's hair. which requires a shower after to get rid of all the little tiny hairs. And it was impossible. Not only did we both freeze because there wasn't enough water to keep us warm, but the little tiny hairs wouldn't come off. Kyla rinsed her head half a dozen times, and I was still picking hairs off her the next day. And she has no hair. The exact same shower is in the basement bathroom, and when you turn it on, there is plenty of water pressure. The water sprays across the room. When the parents came back after Christmas, they called the plumbers again and he came out and looked at it. Unscrewed the shower head from the hose, turned it on, and said "Oh that's not right!", and I was like, no shit you moron, and why the hell didn't you TURN IT ON before you left last time? How do you do something like install a shower and then not test that it actually works? He had to replace the tub spout a third time, and reconnected everything, and it finally works properly. I run out of hot water again, but at least I can actually rinse my hair.
Next step...actually, I'm not sure what the next step is. The parents are going to continue working away at the basement. They're insulating it, and putting up walls. We're tearing down the studio to build one that's not made of hardboard, which is about half a centimeter thin, and that has a proper floor. We're also putting in storage shelves that are sized for big and small Rubbermaid totes, and making a rec room out of the remaining open space. Mom also has plans to build a deck in time for the wedding. We have to start planning the garden. And at some point our bathroom needs a new floor. I don't think it ever stops.