Not Sure How You Guys Do This Every Day

[Marvo]

Today was day 1 of my downstairs bathroom renovation.

• Remove accessories like towel rail, shelves, mirror, panel heater, toilet roll sculpture etc.
• Remove basin, cistern and toilet and bath.
• Drain plumbing, disconnect redundant pipes and cap open pipes, make wiring safe.
  
• Break down brick surround that supported the bath with a jack hammer and break up & remove half a cube of concrete that the bottom of the bath rested on.
• Chisel open external wall and remove several drain pipes.
• Remove wall tiles with jack hammer.
• Remove floor tiles with jack hammer.
• Carefully remove the old adhesive from the walls and floor back to original plaster level using SDS drill in chipper mode.
• Collapse in a heap on the couch.
• Persuade wifey to assist in removing shoes and helping with the hobble to the upstairs shower to get clean.

 

[Marvo]

I'm so shagged this evening I'm actually feeling light headed. I've got no appitite and didn't eat dinner, I think my knees are permanently damaged and I can't stand up straight. I haven't worked that hard in decades and I'm sitting here in pain, typing with one finger (that's still intermittantly bleeding from the knuckle) wondering why in the hell anyone in their right mind would do this as a full time job....

 

[Time's Ran Out]

Interesting read - but I just stick the tiles on!

 

[Marvo]

Lessons learned so far;

1. Broken tiles are sharp, I need gloves.
2. I also need kneepads or a kneeling pad of some sort.
3. Painkillers are better located nearer the job to avoid having to hobble upstairs for them.
4. A larger supply of band aids is required with a wider rang of sizes in it.
   
5. A closed door and a 100mm axial extract fan does nothing to prevent the entire house getting covered in dust.

I may add more learned lessons later when the pain subsides and the bleeding slows to a trickle and I can think a bit clearer.

 

[Blunt Tool]

I’ve noticed that when I am doing work in my own house I hardly stop even for 5 minutes to have a coffee, and can’t relax, don’t know why!

 

[Waluigi]

been doing it myself, alone for the past 16 years.

 

[Albert]

As above, normally i just stick tiles on. Why? because i love
it. A little bit sad really but that's what I am in this game for

 

[Time's Ran Out]

It’s the best job in the world!

 

[Marvo]

Do you guys do the stripping out work and prep or just the tiling?

 

[Time's Ran Out]

90% of the time just preparation and tiling for me.

 

[Albert]

Do you guys do the stripping out work and prep or just the tiling?

Sometimes but mainly just tiling

 

[Marvo]

I’ve noticed that when I am doing work in my own house I hardly stop even for 5 minutes to have a coffee, and can’t relax, don’t know why!

I was like that this morning but as the day rolled on I was taking longer and more frequent breaks. Every break had a good excuse like excessive bleeding, knees in pain, sweat and grit running off my forehead into my eyes and onto my glasses giving visibility problems, the dog needing some attention and loving, I could have swore the doorbell/phone just rang.....there were lots of good excuses.

 

[Waluigi]

Do you guys do the stripping out work and prep or just the tiling?

The whole lot on every job. Apart from second fix electrics as I need my minor works certificate off a Sparky

 

[One Day]

I see your problem - you did 5 days work in just 1 day!
No wonder you're knackered!

 

[One Day]

I’ve noticed that when I am doing work in my own house I hardly stop even for 5 minutes to have a coffee, and can’t relax, don’t know why!

I am the exact opposite! Especially if the wife and kids are home, I really struggle to get on with anything.

 

[Marvo]

I couldn't do this every day. I could have done 10 years ago but not now.

 

[Albert]

I see your problem - you did 5 days work in just 1 day!
No wonder you're knackered!

Is that the voice of someone on day rate 😉

 

[Waluigi]

Working from home I’m the same. I reward myself for doing stuff by having a little break. Before I know it, I’m rewarding myself a lot and getting F all work done

 

[Marvo]

This is the main cause of the unplanned breaks, he's nosey and constantly moans because he can't see what's going on when the door is closed.

 

[One Day]

Is that the voice of someone on day rate 😉

Just messin'.

I do tend to break a job up into "events" though.
I have a day or two ripping out.
A day patching and cleaning and priming.
A day planning (seriously - sometimes it's a full day working it all out)
.....and if all is prepared well - a little time actually tiling.

as they say; "it's all in the prep." 😉

 

[WetSaw]

I like to get it all stripped out on day one..

 

[Marvo]

This was the bathroom before renovations started;

 

[Marvo]

This is the thing of beauty I have now after Day 1.

 

[WetSaw]

Have you got a bit of a problem?..

 

[Flintstone]

I think you'll find the rip out you have done today is the hardest of all the job usually. It's a job I don't do unless I really must

 

[Marvo]

Have you got a bit of a problem?..View attachment 102328

• Remove accessories like towel rail, shelves, mirror, panel heater, toilet roll sculpture etc.

I'm a closet toilet roll sculpturer.....

 

[Waluigi]

Sometimes the rip out isn’t too bad 😀

 

[Marvo]

I think you'll find the rip out you have done today is the hardest of all the job usually. It's a job I don't do unless I really must

Can't say I blame you. With 20-20 hindsight I would have got labourers in to do it....

 

[Boggs]

Sometimes the rip out isn’t too bad 😀

View attachment 102329

Yesterday was just the same for me, could have reused the tiles as not a bit of addy stuck to the back.

Plumbing today though, I bloody hate plumbing!

 

[Old Mod]

Marvo, please keep the posts coming,
It’s the funniest thing I’ve read in such a long time, and I can feel your pain with every single tap of your bleeding fingers! 😛

 

[Marvo]

I like to get it all stripped out on day one..View attachment 102322 View attachment 102323

Why on earth would they want that bathroom stripping out? If my bathroom looks half as good as that when I've finished I'll be happy.