Kitchen Renovation Update 4: Plumbing + A Video
/I used to write these renovation updates in terms of weeks, but things are just so. slow. moving. So instead of a week 4 update, it’s just the 4th update in the series because it’s actually been 7 weeks of renovation. But, we’re making progress, and in this post, I’m here to chat all about plumbing! Spoiler: things started to suck this week.
I feel like I’m getting bored of these updates, so I’m shocked (and flattered) that you’re still tuning in. But, I’m simplifying this one to just give you the highlights of the plumbing saga.
If you’re new here, be sure to catch up on the week 1 demolition, week 2 demo and framing beginnings, and week 3 framing. You can also learn about how we’re eating without a kitchen and how we’re renovating during COVID-19. And if you’re really new and have no idea what’s going on, check out this post which gives you a summary of what to expect and why we’re making some of the decisions that we are.
Watch The Renovation Update #4: Plumbing Video:
I’ve been sharing videos of the progress on Instagram Stories, but not all of you follow me there, so I put the Instagram clips into a 12-minute YouTube video so you can see the whole evolution and get a good sense of the layout, too.
The video is formatted vertically, so it’s best watched on your phone - but it works on your computer, too!
If that video isn’t loading properly, click here.
And then here’s what’s been happening lately, in text format:
The plumbing stage doesn’t get a lot of credit. It’s expensive, most of it is hidden under floors or behind walls, and it’s not nearly as transformative as demo or framing. But it’s sure important! We aren’t doing much plumbing in the kitchen because we already had an existing sink and gas line, so it was mostly just a matter of moving those things over. The plumbing work had been mostly dedicated to the bathroom because it’s all brand new.
May I remind you how THRILLED we are to be adding a second bathroom to our 3-bedroom 1-bathroom house?! Adding a second place to wash up or have alone time scrolling Instagram is going to be a game-changer for the functionality of our home. Psst! Get a sense of the layout adjustments we made in order to fit a bathroom here.
There’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes for adding a brand new bathroom. The doodles above are what plumber #1 mocked up. I’m noting the plumbers by numbers because at the end of the day, we had 4 plumbers - but I’ll get to that later.
If you want to analyze that drawing on the piece of scrap wood, be my guest. In summary, we need to run all new waste lines to the main sewer line for the new sink, new toilet, and new shower. Then, of course, we need to run water to each of those fixtures. All of this stuff that’s going to get hidden behind the walls (but is oh-so-important) cost about $2,000+. It’s not cheap!
Plumbing got started right when COVID-19 news was getting heated. Plumber #1 was working and listening to the news the day that a national emergency was declared. And then, plumbing started to get weird.
California ordered a shelter-in-place mandate and we were faced with deciding what to do with the renovation. We told the guys that we take it seriously and encouraged them to stay home. If that meant the project would get put on hold, it was something we were prepared to accept. But construction is considered an essential business and thus can continue without violating any orders. Plumber #1 decided that he would stay home, but other crew members wanted to work, so we let them continue while being mindful of the social distancing orders. You can read more about how COVID-19 is affecting our renovation here.
So, without plumber #1, we brought in plumbers #2 and #3 because they came as a duo. Long story short, these guys made a lot of mistakes.
They were breaking tools and needing to go to the store constantly. Then they decided to shut the water off to run new pipes at 4pm and had to work in the dark until 9:30pm because they were slow and not good at managing their time. This was the nail in the coffin and we let them go after a few other questionable things they did. On top of it, we woke up the next morning to a bunch of leaks. I made the best of it by putting my plants under the drips to drink up the water while the lines emptied out.
The good news is we brought in plumber #4 and he was great! It definitely pays to send away trades that aren’t doing their job right. Be firm, be strong, be assertive, and advocate for your home - because nobody else will!
Plumber #4 came in and fixed everything that the other guys messed up. It set us back several days because he had to re-do work, but it had to be done. He also finished up the work and got the show on the road.
I won’t go into the plumbing plans too much, because I shared more in the video which is a much better means of pointing out all of the details, so be sure to check it out. In video format, I walk you through what is going where and how it all connects.
But I will point out a feature I’m excited about! We had the plumber(s) install the on/off valve on the opposite side of the shower from the showerhead. Why would I do something so odd? Because it’s the only way to do it in my opinion. We’re planning to add a glass shower door which means that to get to the wall with the showerhead (where the on/off valve traditionally is located) we would have to step into the shower around the door. And then that means that when we turn the water on, we’d be directly underneath the showerhead which would surely spray cold water all over our naked human bodies. By putting the valve on the opposite side, we can reach our arm in and turn it on without getting any part of our bodies wet.
I realize this is a first-world problem, I know. But I’m just so pleased with this layout and future Ashley will be thanking current Ashley every morning when I don’t get myself drenched in cold water.
In the photo above you can see that there’s a valve on each side, so I apologize if that’s confusing. The valve that’s out of focus is the diverter which will divert water from the showerhead to the handheld sprayer which will also be on the wall with the showerhead.
The other plumbing news is that the greywater 3-way valve and actuator arrived! These two goodies will allow us to irrigate our future backyard farm with water from the shower. We can’t wait! Since that system isn’t yet set up, I won’t get into it much now so stay tuned for that one day (hopefully) soon.
And that’s about it for plumbing week! It got a bit dramatic with a bad plumbing pair and with COVID-19 affecting the crew and materials, but we made it! Well, that is until the inspector takes a look at it and potentially asks for changes.
What to expect this coming week:
Up next is electrical. And, as you can see from the photo above, they’ve already started on that step. After electrical, we’ll button up all of the other rough-in things like installing the ducting for the range hood and bathroom fan ventilation. Plus the team will do a once over and make sure we’re ready for inspection - eek!
What’s on my agenda for this week:
Finalize lighting plan and determine the exact placement of fixtures and outlets
Secure new cabinet maker
Order bathroom fan, light switches, exterior lights, and an antique HVAC vent
Come back next week or follow along on Instagram Stories for daily updates! These blog posts are always a few days delayed as I take time to compile all the info. Follow me on Instagram for live updates. And don’t forget to watch my video about the week here.
