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Bathroom project - slow progress, but progress

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Basil said:
Tuesday, June 3rd. Another major piece of the project done! Today they installed the stone counter top on the vanity and cut out the holes for my sinks. I still have to re-do the plumbing for these vanities and hook it all up, then have some electrical stuff to do, but there's light at the end of the tunnel.

About the countertop stone, I had originally picked out a rather plain slab that I thought would not overwhelm the rest of the bathroom, especially the shower, which I want to be the main attraction. However, they called me recently to inform me that they had misplaced the original slab so that I had to go back down to their yard and pick a different piece. This time I decided to throw caution to the wind and picked a slab that has a lot more color, including greens that really go well (I think) with my teal sinks. In the end, I am very happy they misplaced the original slab because I'm very happy with how this came out, and more importantly, SWMBO is happy!

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OMG, Basil! British Racing Green sinks! :smile:
 
Yesterday I removed the widow sill from the second window in the bathroom (2ft wide x 3 ft) that is just to the left of the new vanity. As I was about to paint the sill, it occurred to me that it might be cool if I could have a window sill made from the same stone used to make the vanity top.
So, I called the stone works folks and ask, since there were some remnants left over from my vanity top, if they couldfashion a window sill if I gave them the existing wooden sill as a template. They said they could and they would only charge fabrication costs estimated at about $60.
I took the old sill down to them yesterday.
 
Not a hijack (exactly) but we have been having annoying water issues here at Chez Smit. Good flow then some flow then no flow. This really came to light this week as we have laid sod and need to water it in. We have a well (cleaned in April) and a water softener. Yesterday I spent most of the morning trying to sort it - and finally admitted defeat and called the plumber. (I was 90% sure it was the pressure tank which to my mind is a DIY project - hence the reluctance to call a plumber.) Long story short it wasn't the tank it was the sediment filters - one before the Softener (10 microns) and 2 after (5 microns and a carbon filter). The problem was not that they were clogged (they were) but that apparantly they are far to small for the house - leading them to get clogged far far quicker than they should. Never in a million years would I have identified this so, yes, sometimes a credit card is your best tool.

That said, the wonder of country life is that we had the plumber walking into our house less than an hour after we called. Amazing!

Oh, and - we've all been there - He is working hard trying to get one of the filters unscrewed with no success till I whisper - 'I think it is lefty loosey' - Yup especially when someone else is watching. Don't even ask how I know this happens. :LOL:
 
JPSmit said:
Oh, and - we've all been there - He is working hard trying to get one of the filters unscrewed with no success till I whisper - 'I think it is lefty loosey'
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Once I was trying to remove the sediment filter, that’s before our water softener. We have a special tool that you put over the housing of the filter to unscrew it. I was giving it everything I had and I could not break that sucker Luce to save my life.
After trying for several minutes, I had one of those head smacking moments when I realized I’ve got to relieve the pressure first. So I went in the house turned I had turned off the water went in the house, opened the faucet. After that, the filter housing came off easy.
 
JPSmit said:
He is working hard trying to get one of the filters unscrewed with no success till I whisper - 'I think it is lefty loosey' - Yup especially when someone else is watching. Don't even ask how I know this happens.
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The plumber didn't know which direction to turn the filter housing?

eek
 
Basil said:
Once I was trying to remove the sediment filter, that’s before our water softener. We have a special tool that you put over the housing of the filter to unscrew it. I was giving it everything I had and I could not break that sucker Luce to save my life.
After trying for several minutes, I had one of those head smacking moments when I realized I’ve got to relieve the pressure first. So I went in the house turned I had turned off the water went in the house, opened the faucet. After that, the filter housing came off easy.
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That is the kind of filter we have and yes I learned that the hard way also.
 
NutmegCT said:
The plumber didn't know which direction to turn the filter housing?

eek
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Oh he knew - in his sleep he knew - but when someone is watching...... :rolleyes:

I have done some version a million times - when someone is watching - and don't even get me started on my golf game.

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JPSmit said:
...

Oh, and - we've all been there - He is working hard trying to get one of the filters unscrewed with no success till I whisper - 'I think it is lefty loosey' - Yup especially when someone else is watching. Don't even ask how I know this happens. :LOL:
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I have these little shut-off valves for my garden hoses. It annoys me that they are "righty-loosey".
 
Well rats! So I Installed the first of two Delta faucets yesterday. The install went swimmingly until I got to the part where I needed to hook up the sink stopper assembly. The little horizontal "pivot rod" that lifts the drain stopper up and down was only 6 inches long - about 4 inches too short for this sink. It would not reach the horizontal strap that comes down from the drain control lever on the faucet. The problem is the sink I bough (Kohler Vox 22) has the drain a lot further from the faucet than on most sinks. Delta sells a longer 10" Pivot rod - for $18 each! Home Depot has a "universal" pivot arm with three different size balls to accommodate a wide range of sink drains, but the rod on that is only 7" still 3" short. I'm going to check a local plumbing supply company to see if I can get one that will work for a little less than the Delta version.


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Oh yes, you can see the distance from the center of the drain is pretty far in from the back of the faucet. I know it will be solved but it is a pain having to start and stop when little things like this get in the way of completing the job.
It looks GREAT though!
 
Basil said:
Well rats! So I Installed the first of two Delta faucets yesterday. The install went swimmingly until I got to the part where I needed to hook up the sink stopper assembly. The little horizontal "pivot rod" that lifts the drain stopper up and down was only 6 inches long - about 4 inches too short for this sink. It would not reach the horizontal strap that comes down from the drain control lever on the faucet. The problem is the sink I bough (Kohler Vox 22) has the drain a lot further from the faucet than on most sinks. Delta sells a longer 10" Pivot rod - for $18 each! Home Depot has a "universal" pivot arm with three different size balls to accommodate a wide range of sink drains, but the rod on that is only 7" still 3" short. I'm going to check a local plumbing supply company to see if I can get one that will work for a little less than the Delta version.
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Is there anything special about the rod such that you can't use the fittings and a plain rod?
 
John Turney said:
Is there anything special about the rod such that you can't use the fittings and a plain rod?
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What a really special. It’s just has a particularly ball with a little pointy snout on it that is loaded onto the end of the road. I have thought about just getting a rod and trying to drill out the rod ball and the fraud in there.
 
It's $18 bucks boss - buy the d*mn thing. (as a percentage of the cost of the entire project it works exactly out to done)

:cheers:
 
JPSmit said:
It's $18 bucks boss - buy the d*mn thing. (as a percentage of the cost of the entire project it works exactly out to done)

:cheers:
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It's $36 plus tax plus shipping for two, but it's not the money it's the principle! They sell these faucets for $585 each and they can't throw in a couple of drain pivot rod options? If I can't find an alternative I will obviously buy theirs, which is looking more and more likely. 🤬
 
then call the company and ask for them for free.
 
Basil said:
What a really special. It’s just has a particularly ball with a little pointy snout on it that is loaded onto the end of the road. I have thought about just getting a rod and trying to drill out the rod ball and the fraud in there.
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Can’t you just fabricate a small extension?
 
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