Tag Archives: architecture

Sometimes I think I should come with a warning label: “Warning: Micromanaging, long-term planning, detail obsessed, anal retentive, constantly questioning engineer.” At the very least, when it comes to home maintenance and renovation, I should warn people of that. In truth, I think some of my personality traits that can probably be annoying at times, also make me a good engineer. Engineers have to think both short and long term. We have to look at both the big picture and all the tiny details. Sometimes, in my personal life, I am just not sure people are prepared to deal with those traits. I am not actually saying I would change myself if I could; I’m just saying sometimes people are unprepared to deal with someone like me.

I am currently planning for Phase 3 Home Renovation. I actually started planning for it during Phase 2. I changed the layout of the second floor of my house during Phase 2, and part of those changes were to prepare for Phase 3. One of my overall goals with my home renovation was to create a nice master bedroom closet and bathroom with a tub. The original closet was two reach-in closets that barely had enough space for two people, and the original master bathroom was tiny. It had two sinks on a small counter space, a small shower only stall, barely any storage space, and a toilet. I really wanted a nice whirlpool tub and more space. The master bedroom is next to the living room, where I had wanted to open the space up with the dining room and kitchen. Therefore, while planning for Phase 2 where I renovated the living room, dining room, kitchen, and family room, I drew, redrew, and kept redrawing the configuration of the second floor until I could have an open layout with the common rooms and also a nice master closet and bathroom that I wanted. In the final plan, I stole a six foot wide space the length of the living room from the living room and used that space to form a new master closet and a new water closet (for the toilet) that will connect to the new master bathroom. That new space was created during Phase 2. I also moved the doorway to the old master closet and bathroom to prepare for Phase 3. The door needed to be moved to fit the new bathroom configuration. I moved the doorway during Phase 2 because Phase 2 was when I was having all structural work done, and the doorway is in a structural wall. I created a 3 ft by 6 ft dead space behind the new master closet, between my master bathroom and living room that will become the water closet.

Thus, I planned the new master bathroom when I was planning Phase 2, even though the bathroom would not be constructed until Phase 3. Now I just need to get the details planned. The cabinetry will be constructed by a custom cabinetry company, so that is no issue. Much to my surprise, main problem I have found has been finding a bathtub. I really want one with both a whirlpool and air massage, i.e. one with both a water pump and air blower. Finding one with both is not that difficult for dimensions I have, but finding one with the pump and blower on the left side of the tub is. Evidently, everyone is supposed to configure their bathrooms to have them on the right side. [In case you are not familiar with these types of tubs, you have to have access to the pump and blower in case they need service.] I am dumbfounded quite frankly that everything is configured for things on the right. With the vast majority of tubs, I can’t simply rotate the tub 180° because the drain has to be in a location that the plumber can reach to hook it up to the piping. Rotating most tubs would cause the drain to be in a location that the plumber simply wouldn’t be able to reach. After much searching, I finally found a tub where the manufacturer custom makes all tubs and with several models, they can reconfigure it to put the pump on the left side. Now I need to know the access size that is required for their tubs because I am planning to have tall cabinet to the left of the tub platform. The bottom of the cabinet will essentially have a false side that will give access to the pump and blower. The cabinetry company said they can figure out how to do it; they just need the dimensions. Therefore today, I’m on the phone with the plumbing supply salesperson who is helping me find a tub. I’ve got it narrowed down to one brand, and I’m asking a bunch of questions. I’ve downloaded the specifications and other information from the manufacturer’s website, but I still can’t find the exact access size that is needed. The salesperson finally says he is just not sure, so he is going to conference call me with a guy from the manufacturer. It was perfect, and the manufacturer guy went through all the details I needed. He said once I am finally ready to order, it would be best to get a specifications drawing and mark it up to show exactly where my cabinet will be and how much access I am leaving, and they can move the pump and blower a bit to give the best access. Now I need to take their specs sheet and mark it up and send it to the cabinetry company so that they can do the same.

This is why I don’t use general contractors. I hire all the contractors: carpenters, plumbers, electricians, etc. I buy almost all the supplies, or at least the supplies that affect the design and aesthetic. I micromanage everything, and when I have used general contractors in the past, I generally drive them crazy. There is no point to me hiring a general contractor because I micromanage everything so much I am not getting my money’s worth from them since the point of having a general contractor is that they manage all the sub-contractors and details. Also, I do a lot of the work myself, so I don’t need a general contractor to manage me. I plan long term ahead to make sure everything will work. I try to plan for every single detail. I will if necessary demand that I speak to the actual person on the factory floor to get the detail I need to know that affects the next detail. I will repaint a wall three times until I get the color I want, but I’m not going to tear up tile, so I want the space planned out correctly from the beginning. I call the county’s building permit department and speak to the inspectors myself to make sure I know what code requires, and sometimes I demand that contractors do things that go beyond code when I don’t think code is enough. In most of my renovation work, I tear a room down to the studs and subfloor because in this house, I just don’t trust anything that was done beforehand. Sometimes it is just easier to start all over anyway. Yes, I should come with a warning sign.