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Watto's Junk Yard / Re: The Homeowners/Home Improvement thread
« on: June 26, 2009, 01:44 PM »
I'd say call a plumber, but that's just me. You may be able to get away with using a diverter assembly like those for the clawfoot tubs, but I'm not sure it would fit with the current tub. A handheld shower assembly might work also. If you run into a relatively knowledgeable person at the Home Depot, he/she may be able to help, too.
As for us, we've recently had a couple major upgrades to our home. First, our old (O'Keefe & Merritt) stove finally kicked the bucket when the oven door broke. It was unfixable, so we needed to upgrade. The problem was, our kitchen was using the old setup, with no vent hood, no electrical, and only a chimney pipe venting the oven through the wall up to the roof. There was also just an open vent on the ceiling above the stove that "vented" the stove to the roof. It was an awfully inefficient setup. But now that we needed a new range, we needed electrical for the ignition and a vent hood. We decided to go with a microwave/hood combo for more space, and we had the contractor patch the roof vent so that should save us a little in heating costs during the winter. Ah, the kitchen is finally in the 20th century.
The second upgrade was to the bathroom. It still had the original clawfoot tub with the whole stupid encircling shower curtain and eyesore faucet/shower assembly. The vanity was some aging and mildewing cheapo wood and formica heap and the flooring was peeling up at the edges. The medicine cabinet was the original '40s built-in with about 50 layers of dripping pain and a scratched up mirror. The toilet was surprisingly in good shape and as a bonus, wasn't low-flow. It was, however, Dapped to the floor, and you could tell by the anchor bolts, the Dap was what was holding it down. The whole bathroom was awful. So, we had the contractor replace the tub and shower with a standard tub with faux marble and brushed nickel fixtures. The vanity was replaced with a pedestal sink and matching fixtures. The medicine cabinet was replaced. The toilet anchoring was fixed, and the flooring replaced. And additional storage was placed above the toilet. Nothing fancy, but my gosh, what an improvement.
Next up, a new backyard fence and cement patio with landscaping.
As for us, we've recently had a couple major upgrades to our home. First, our old (O'Keefe & Merritt) stove finally kicked the bucket when the oven door broke. It was unfixable, so we needed to upgrade. The problem was, our kitchen was using the old setup, with no vent hood, no electrical, and only a chimney pipe venting the oven through the wall up to the roof. There was also just an open vent on the ceiling above the stove that "vented" the stove to the roof. It was an awfully inefficient setup. But now that we needed a new range, we needed electrical for the ignition and a vent hood. We decided to go with a microwave/hood combo for more space, and we had the contractor patch the roof vent so that should save us a little in heating costs during the winter. Ah, the kitchen is finally in the 20th century.
The second upgrade was to the bathroom. It still had the original clawfoot tub with the whole stupid encircling shower curtain and eyesore faucet/shower assembly. The vanity was some aging and mildewing cheapo wood and formica heap and the flooring was peeling up at the edges. The medicine cabinet was the original '40s built-in with about 50 layers of dripping pain and a scratched up mirror. The toilet was surprisingly in good shape and as a bonus, wasn't low-flow. It was, however, Dapped to the floor, and you could tell by the anchor bolts, the Dap was what was holding it down. The whole bathroom was awful. So, we had the contractor replace the tub and shower with a standard tub with faux marble and brushed nickel fixtures. The vanity was replaced with a pedestal sink and matching fixtures. The medicine cabinet was replaced. The toilet anchoring was fixed, and the flooring replaced. And additional storage was placed above the toilet. Nothing fancy, but my gosh, what an improvement.
Next up, a new backyard fence and cement patio with landscaping.
It is kind of amazing how kids are soooo much bigger today than when we all grew up. Imagine fitting kids into a compact car. How utterly absurd. But hey, if you're cool being mistaken for a soccer mom, that's really none of my business. 
At least I take solace from the fact that it's probably one of the safest vehicles for the kids. But that's pretty much it.