In order to better understand building construction I believe that experience in the field is vital to improving knowledge and implementation of good architecture. There can be a disconnect between sitting behind a computer all day drafting details and that of being in the field understanding order of operations, and construction means and methods. Understanding how paper design becomes built architecture is an important endeavor all architects should pursue. In this case, I took on a full bathroom remodel starting with the shower/tub demo and install, because believe it or not, I don’t mind getting down and dirty in the throes of building construction.

Admittedly, this was my first house remodel project that I’d be tackling for the majority of the work on my own. I had the help of my brother for some of the first steps, and to walk me through other tasks that posed a challenge. It felt a bit like learning to ride a bike with training wheels before having them ripped off mid inaugural flight. I would reference multiple books, watch Youtube videos, and search the internet when I had questions or to make sure I was doing something right. It was the same vein of “measure twice, cut once” only this time more like, “research multiple outlets, triangulate the best method, and still wonder why everyone does it differently” methodology. Eventually, “learn thrice, measure twice, and cut once” became my go-to mantra for staying on track and doing the work correctly (not always perfectly).

When I first started the work, the demo was fast, loud, and showed great signs of progress. It isn’t until you get down to the nuts and bolts of the project do things slow down - in this case the pipes. The existing house is plumbed with galvanized pipes that have been rusting, and by the evidence of stained/damaged wood, leaking for years. This posed a greater problem, one that I would kick down the road when the time comes to replace all the galvanized pipes in the house. For now, I had to keep my scope focused on the task at hand and connect to the galvanized pipes before transitioning to PEX tubing. This was probably the most difficult part of the project, disconnecting existing piping; a process that involved lots of sweat, muscles, and a few expletives here and there for good measure.

One other expectation versus reality you might overlook is the amount of tools required - and good tools at that. There is literally a tool for every task you might encounter, but that doesn’t always mean you need to buy a new tool. This is where experience from the field comes in handy of knowing a workaround, or having a multifunctional tool that does more than one job. In my case, back to the research to find an alternative method, or convincing myself not to make another trip to the hardware store until I’ve exhausted all possibilities. Quantity of tools and the shear number of times you’ll find yourself at the hardware store were all a surprise to me.

Having completed the bathroom shower demolition and remodel, I can say definitively that I’m hooked and will be continuing with the rest of the bathroom remodel myself. There’s nothing like seeing your work and knowing the amount of labor (sweat - lots of sweat) and equipment that went into the project. Not to mention all the hidden elements that no one will notice like new PEX supply tubing for the shower components. Enjoy the snippets of photos below that I took of the process, and be sure to scroll to the bottom to see the end result!