“How Long Is This Going To Take?!” (A Master Bathroom Update)
I’m hoping you read that title in your best King Julien voice (from the movie Madagascar, of course). Matt and I often joke that if it weren’t for movie and TV quotes, we wouldn’t know how to communicate with each other. 😀 And while lines from the sitcom Friends will always be the most used quotes in the Linauer household, this line from Madagascar is probably the most used movie quote between the two of us. And when it comes to the master bathroom remodel, it’s quite fitting.
Matt asked me just this morning, “Now that most of the junk is cleared out and the dumpster is gone, how much more time do you need for the bathroom?”
So I told him that I would take pictures and show him what still needs to be done, and I thought I’d share those with you as well.
Here’s where everything stands as of this morning…
The wainscoting on the home gym side of the room is so close to being finished! The side to the left of the door needs a little more caulk and then one more coat of paint. The door also needs one more coat of paint. Then I need to install and grout the accent tile, and the wainscoting on this side of the room will be done.
Then I need to install switch and outlet plates (and figure out how to make them blend with the walls). Once I get the door painted with the second coat of paint, I can then remove the plastic from the glass panes, add the privacy film, and install the door pulls.
On the vanity, I still need to do a final sanding with 220-grit sandpaper on the two little drawers, and give those a final coat of the Rubio Monocoat. Then I need to install the faucet, finish up the plumbing, add the glass shades back onto the sconces, and hang the mirror.
The drawers on the center storage chest and the other vanity also need the final sanding and final coat of Rubio Monocoat.
On the exterior wall side of the room, this section of wainscoting is lagging behind all the rest. I still need to install the base cap molding on this section, and then it needs to be caulked, primed, and painted. And none of the wainscoting on this side of the room has the section where the accent trim goes, so that all still needs to be installed.
Also, this door needs privacy film, a new doorknob, and a new dead bolt.
Around the vanity, everything that needs to happen on the other side needs to happen on this side — mirror, sconce shades, faucet, plumbing, outlet and switch covers, etc.
So there’s really not a whole lot of stuff left to be done. But what there is is a whole lot of detail stuff, and it’s time-consuming stuff. Installing base cap on the wainscoting, wood filling, sanding, and caulking takes way longer than one probably assumes. It’s that kinds of stuff that just eats through my time and is making this take way longer than I think it should.
But I told Matt that this weekend, I need some accountability. I need to be in here working on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and I need to give it my best effort to get all of these final projects finished, or as close to finished as I can. I even told him that I need him to be tough on me. If he sees me sitting down to watch TV or waste time on my computer, I asked him to make me get up and work like a drill sergeant, and not to accept any lame excuses I may come up with. 😀
So he’ll hold me accountable, and hopefully putting this here for all of you to see will also give me that extra push. It’s so close. Sooooo close!!!
Addicted 2 Decorating is where I share my DIY and decorating journey as I remodel and decorate the 1948 fixer upper that my husband, Matt, and I bought in 2013. Matt has M.S. and is unable to do physical work, so I do the majority of the work on the house by myself. You can learn more about me here.
Wow, it’s going to be great! You are such an inspiration, dear!🌿💐🌿😊💚😘🌿💐🌿
What a nice surprise to get a post on a Wednesday! You are approaching the Finish Line!! Yay, Kristi!!
I do want to know: How do you go about completing all these little detail tasks? Do you tackle all the items one wall at a time or do you do all the wainscoting, painting work, then move on to privacy film, then hanging things, etc?
Curious as to your order of completion as I was trying to figure out how I would do it if it were my project.
Personally, I like to tackle them in sections. So my goal is to get the lower wall sections, including the accent tile, all finished on the left side of the room. Then I’ll get that faucet and plumbing finished, mirror hung, sconce shades placed back on, etc. I find it motivating when I have a completely finished section that I can look at.
Thank you for your reply. I was thinking that is how I would do it, too. Then I thought perhaps it would make more sense to get all of one thing done at a time. However, like you, I would want to see the whole section finished. 🙂
You are an inspiration! You stated you are changing the knob and dead bolt leading to outside. When that becomes the master bedroom will you be leaving the deadbolt? What’s the process of filling the holes left behind without replacing the door if removing deadbolt? Thank you! Can’t wait to see your progress after the weekend!
When that doorway leads to a bedroom instead of outside, the whole door will be replaced. Right now, the door is a steel exterior door. But it will be replaced with a 15-lite interior door just like the one leading from the bathroom into the home gym. (You know how I am about symmetry! 😀 ). It’ll also be a pocket door, and that wall already has the space built in for the pocket door when the time comes.
Great plan to get it in the rear view mirror. Best of luck on it but like you said the details do eat up time. We all will cheer you on.
Great plan! You and Matt deserve this magnificently beautiful bathroom!
I’ll be honest I see around 2 weeks of work yet. It looks more done, but the DIY details take focus and time. You got (2) days each: carpentry (includes time for caulking/fill, and putting away the tools from it), tiling, painting. Plus (1) day of each: Finish carpentry, accessory install (mirrors, shades, plumbing, switch covers, vent cover, door hardware), Film install, cleaning. That’s not including the notes you had on finishing the switch cover to blend into the wall & to hem your shower curtain. For the switch covers keep them plain and let that be a thing for later.
Yes you can overlap some while things set up/dry, but some things do better to wait till things are set, a lot of the tasks require a focus for detail. Schedule in my head: Carpentry, finish carpentry, Tile, Paint, Accessory install, Film install, cleaning. Somethings you jump to the next task, then go back to it after it sets (filler, tiling, caulking). Just commenting for accountability, not to be rude. Good luck! I bet you’ll get a ton done anyway because a lot of the trim work is so close.
I agree with Sewducky. Don’t rush it. That’s when accidents happen, and you might be tempted to take shortcuts you’d regret later. I know how particular you can be, so why stress yourself? Set a more realistic timeline and still ask Matt to help with the accountability thing. I find that setting up and cleaning up are what take more time than anticipated. Kinda-Slow and steady win the race!
I love your comment that the two of communicate with movie lines! So fun. It is great how the two of you work together to plan and execute.
All of us, like your dear husband, cannot WAIT TO SEE THIS BEAUTIFUL PROJECT finished… one of my younger boys used to love watching Bob the Builder (he didn’t become a builder… he’s a pilot)…. Anyways, good ol’ Bob would say…
CAN WE DO IT??????? YES WE CAN!!!!!!
I feel compelled to tell you not to be so hard on yourself! Projects like this take a long time and you’ve NEVER been a slacker on anything you’ve attempted! I do understand, however, your (and Matt’s) desire to get this one done and done. When you’re this close to the finish line, it has to be maddening to keep whacking away on the final details. It all looks fantastic though, so remember to congratulate yourself on the progress you’ve made at the end of each day (and the money you’ve saved doing it on your own) until you can take pictures and share the finished product with all of us. Can’t wait to see the smile on your face when you can stand back, look at it all, and just say “Ahhhhhh, just what I was hoping for”……
I don’t know if I missed it but what tile are you going to use for the boarder?
They’re clear glass penny tiles. I’m hoping to get some installed today (Thursday) to show you tomorrow!
WOW – I bet you can put a dent in it in three full days that will make you so happy. Then take a break before you devote a few more days totally to it. All of a sudden, it WILL be done. I had to smile about the switch covers. I read something a long time ago and tried it. I hated my darkish granite with the white covers….so, you take a photo of the granite, and print it on regular paper. Then, Mod Podge it to the cover and fold edges and mod podge again. My God, now I can hardly find my plugs and switches! 🤣 But it DOES look better! I’m gonna do it to my backsplash too one of these days….😉
That is a GREAT idea for the plates! I’ve scanned in swatches of fabric when I was short of enough to make a quilt and printed it on fabric designed for printing. Didn’t even think about paper for other purposes!
What a great idea!
OH MY GOSH, THAT’S BRILLIANT!!!!!!! I’m totally going to try that!
It is looking great! You are an inspiration for sure.
It’s going to take a great podcast like my latest favorite, In the Land of Lies by Sean Kipe. A very well done compelling story. Nothing like a good listen to motivate me!
Thanks for the recommendation! I love getting lost in a good podcast, audio book, or even a really long, interesting YouTube video (like a great interview) while working. It makes the time go by so much faster, and keeps me focused. Otherwise, my mind will wander and I’ll continue to get sidetracked.
Looking at it I though “hmmm, sounds like 2-3 days of consistent work” – so then of course this means 3-4 days if everything goes well.
Having a huge list of itty-bitty things is the worst! And having someone to keep you focused is the best course of action for it. Good plan! Looking forward to seeing a finished bathroom next week!
Hey! What are you doing reading this comment?! Back to work!
😂😂 Okay, that made me laugh.
Having that outside door is awesome. If you put a digital lock on it you can come and go outside and in without having keys with you. If you are out in the garden it is a cinch to run in, wash and head out again. Or a quick pit stop without having to go thru the whole house.
This will be a prize winning bathroom when you are done.
Get going girl! We can’t wait to see it finished. And I’m sure both you and your husband can’t wait to use this beautiful master bath. I totally understand motivation and lack there of…we returned from a 28 day trip to Europe two weeks ago. Our first day back I felt great and then I came down with my husband’s cold and I went through two days of just wanting to sleep all the time. I’m slowly getting into the routine but I need motivation to get things done! I get it! You are so near the finish line on both the master bath and the home gym. Stay focused…you can do it!!! And then you will be free to focus on your last big house project….the family room addition. We are all here supporting you and saying ‘go girl go’!
Hi Kristi- Great job on everything! I’ve enjoyed following your progress. Sometimes I get tired just reading your posts! 😂
Can you please tell me what kind of privacy film you will use on your glass doors? I have glass doors in my home and would like to do the same.
Keep up the good work! Thank you!