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.