There are disadvantage to apartment
living—different ones than living in a house with neighbors,
sometimes worse--Like leaks. I have been suffering from my upstairs
neighbors carelessness for almost a month...Intermittent leaks.
Over enthusiastic auguring out a
clogged trap , actually drilled a hole in the shower drain
pipe—They had “moisture” (on the floor) I had rain storms.
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| the big hole above shower |
Today, I have 2 huge holes in my
ceiling—and a pair of plumbers traipsing in and out—the trap is
easier to access from my apartment--(they do have to go upstairs and
loosen up the drain in the upstairs neighbors) but actually changing
the trap has to be done from my apartment-So there are two plumbers
sweating open the joint (I didn't know traps were soldered—They
generally aren't to my knowledge.) and doing all sort of destruction
to repair the leak. Like enlarging the hole to gain access to the
trap —Oh the joy of plaster dust!
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| the tub below the big hole |
I feel twice punished—first by a leak
(not my leak, not my fault) second by the destruction of my bathroom.
There are some silver lining to this
black cloud, for 1: the paint (glossy white enamel) was in very good
conditions when I moved in, and the bathroom is the only I never
painted. (you can see the wall below the hole is damaged, too, and parts of wall near the other hole are also blistered.
Over time I had hung some shelves—one
I bought, one that was recycled, plus a stainless steel “bin”
(for combs/brushes/hair dryer) –and since they were all done piece
meal, the arrangement wasn't the best—but moving and re-arranging?
I keep putting it off.
Now, the walls have been stripped clear
of all the shelves, the ceiling destroyed, (well partially, by the
huge holes used to find the find, and more so, by the plumbers to
repair the leak) and the wall paint damaged by the leak, too.The
repair hole (above the shower) is about 24 X 24--(using the 6 inch
wall tiles as an estimating tool)--(that's about 60cm square—20 in= 50cm,
another 4 inches—is another 10cm)
The hole in the inner ceiling is where the trap pipe was (in corner of lighter grey rectangle, the rest of pipe can be seen to left.
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| Another view of tub' |
Another bit silver lining—I am not
responsible for leaks (nor is my upstairs neighbor, even though they
likely contributed to the leak)--The building management is. So the
plumbing repair is their job, and the ceiling repair is their job,
and the repainting of my bathroom is their job. below is the second, smaller hole-- (and the lovely mess in the tub!) As I was writing this, they enlarged the hole in the inner ceiling using a hand held impact hammer (aka a jack hammer.) Now they are cleaning up the edges of the outer (big) hole with a reciprocating saw, cutting through the metal lathing..
Oh what fun it is, a big mess and painfully loud noise and the smell of metal on metal cutting!
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| the little hole hiding behind cardboard |
I am going to buy the paint—not
white, but a very very pale cream (slightly yellow)--the same color
as the tile work. My bathroom is full of neutral colors—light grey
tiles on the floor, cream color tiles on the wall, and white above
the tiles on ceiling and walls. The fixtures are all white, and my
shelves are white, (and stainless steel), too. Technically, the
building is responsible for providing the paint, too—but I will buy
premium grade (not just good) paint—and I will chose the color,
too. (the default is white)
I want to change to cream walls, with
cream tiles—and then white accessories—both the bathroom
fixtures, and shelving. There will also be stainless steel accents,
too; like the curtain rod, the waste can, and the storage bin (which
is about the size of large box of tissues)--and other details
(tissue box, etc.)
Right now I have a cream and beige (and
clear) shower curtain. —The curtain,while perfectly serviceable, is
almost 10 years old, and well, if I get new paint, and reposition
the shelves, and re-organize the bathroom, I might as well spring for
a new shower curtain! Since there is no window in the bathroom—I
will look for a curtain that has some clear plastic elements, again.
(A solid opaque curtains feel a little claustrophobic) Other than
that—I don't know what color I will get. Likely something fairly
neutral—my bathroom is size of a postage stamp—not quite 6 X 8
(smaller than 1.5 meters by 2 meters)
Eventually, all this will be past
tense, and I will have a bright refreshed bathroom-New paint, new
ordganization, and new shower curtains. I really should complete the
refresh an buy a new lav—Lavatory is the correct term for a
bathroom basin-- I am thinking about it.
So as for the sock? Flap finished, heel
turned and gussets started –Tomorrow will be a 9 to 7 day—First
the zoo, then lunch and nap (for the girls), a quick stop to store
for paint, and then setting up for CSA-- breaking it down, too. So no
photo's today, and none tomorrow either—the next progress report
will be Friday.
