that his best course of action was to make sure...
that the first layer of cement went down in the shower pan...
so it could cure over the weekend...
so to that end, he mudded the seams of the purple board...
on the shower walls and on the bench...
much like you do with normal drywall...
then he bagan putting down the first layer of craft paper...
[a tar paper moisture barrier...]
when it was all neatly positioned over the dam...
and around the drain assembly...
it was time to mix cement out in the driveway...
a crumbly consistency, not unlike shortbread dough...
then he brought it inside in buckets...
and began to spread it with a float...
making sure that the floor sloped down to the drain...
R has quite a touch and made it look easy...
after all, he has 25 years experience...
& he learned his craft in LA, from "old union guys"...
working on homes for Sammy Davis, Jr. & Michael Jackson...
[and yes...he's met them both...]
soon, the first layer of cement was done...
and sloping properly to the drain...
so R cleaned-up, packed-up & left until Monday...
he'd been gone a few minutes when G arrived to dry fit the "P trap"...
after he was satisfied that he had everything just right...
he announced that the sink wall could be closed now...
on Monday, they'll do that...
as well as remove the old toilet...
insulate & close the wall behind it...
and after all the walls are closed...
the floor gets covered with hardibacker & paper...
and the new toilet can be seated on the new flange...
the walls that will be closed will also be done of purple board...
meaning mudding the seams...then wire & cement...
[real "old school"...just like what was here...]
the shower pan will get a layer of plastic...
then more cement...& a last layer of paper...
R tells me that he hopes to be tiling by Tuesday at the latest...
and wants to be done by the end of the day on Friday...
that means that by this time next week...
all the tile might be done...
the floor will be last...
but those hex tiles come in 12"x 12" sheets...
so that should go fairly fast...
as both the floor & shower floors aren't very big at all...
I'm SO looking forward to tomorrow...
I'm going to sleep in...
and then try to address getting plants watered...
I might let SPie & Charlie out of the bedroom...
but then I'd have to move a bunch of stuff SPie would get into...
it may be too much trouble along with everything else...
because I have to do laundry...
and get myself cleaned-up for church on Sunday...
without freezing to death while doing it...
I'm NEVER going to take the absolute luxury...
of a hot shower for granted...ever again...
4 comments:
You might want to ask these guys if they would like to live in the sunny southeast (after they finish your bathroom, of course). We need them here. My experiece with craft people in this area is that they are, in the main, unskilled, sloppy, uncaring and supercilious. A royal pain to deal with, if they even deign to show up. You can't get a rehab job done because they would all rather work on new construction. (Well, who wouldn't? But there are old houses here that need work too.) I need some sheetrock repaired behind the washer and dryer. I would give up and do it myself (I know how) but I can't move the danged washer into the garage and out of the way by myself. Unless it's completely out the door into the garage, there's no room to move and work. So, without anyone willing to take the small job, there it sits, unfixed. That's typical. Sigh.
...I have the feeling that the original "guys" would have been like most of the ones I've encountered...
who are as you described...
the skilled craftsman/cabinet maker & cat whisperer and these guys, were "sent" to me....
there was a lot of waiting involved...
I had the shutters in boxes for over a years before I found the SC/CM/CW...on the bulletin board at my chiropractor's office....
I believed that God would send me a guy for the bathroom, and about 3 long month s AFTER losing the first guy...I walked with Molly, right up to this guy's trailer, 5 houses down...he was there 1 day, for a few hours..& that's when I decided to take a walk... hmmmmm....
a convoluted path...
but it was surely worth it...
BTW...I've moved washers myself using a hand truck...and there are always strong young guys around a church who might want to pick up a few $$..
I think I know R, he looks like someone I worked with on the south side back in th 70's
...I don't think so...he would have been in SoCal then, as a teenager...
he grew up & learned his trade down there...I don't know how long he's been up here, but I'm pretty sure it's not been since the 70's...
that was 30 years ago...
his name is "Rich R..."
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