Hardin Home: Home Improvement Projects at a Country Home in Verona, WI
Home Improvement Projects at a Country Home in Verona, WI
After sitting in the back of my truck for a couple of weeks, I finally was able to truly get rid of the old cast iron bathtub from the lake house. I took it to Resource Solutions Corp in Madison, and they were able to toss it into a dumpster and recycle it. I am … Continue reading Goodbye, Bathtub
Today was the final day of demolition for the lake house bathroom project: I removed all of the old shower plumbing from the wall, and removed all of the old lighting. I installed valves on the pipes to make it easier to do the new plumbing work, which I’ll start after Christmas. I also stripped … Continue reading Final Demolition
I was in Dallas the entire last week, so I was able to stop into the Knox Henderson Restoration Hardware and look at vanities. I am planning on ordering a Reclaimed Russian Oak vanity with a marble top and a farmhouse-style sink, which connects the mid-century modern meets lake house style that I’ve tried to … Continue reading Vanity Shopping
Today, I called in a pro to help with three plumbing issues at the lake house: Installing the Dishwasher Disconnecting the Bathtub Drain Connecting the Refrigerator Water Lines The second and third issues were things I could have done myself, but since I already had a pro helping with #1, I figured I might as … Continue reading Three Plumbing Problems Solved
Last week I was supposed to have the new dishwasher installed at the lake house, but the Best Buy installers were unable/unwilling to solve a basic plumbing problem and were unwilling to allow me to do it for liability reasons. The basic issue was the placement of the water valve, which needs to be moved … Continue reading Dishwasher Installation Failure
This past weekend I conquered the final boss level of demolition for the bathroom remodel project: removing the cast iron tub. I had naively thought it was fiberglass, and this thought I’d simply sledgehammer it into pieces. When I tried that, I quickly saw what was underneath the enamel: Therefore, the solution became obvious: saw … Continue reading Cast Iron Tub Removal
This past weekend I finished removing the remaining tile in the lake house bathroom. I also removed the old shower’s glass doors and door frame, and did some drywall repair. The only remaining demolition step is to remove the bathtub and old shower fixtures! Continue reading Tile Removal Complete
This past weekend, I did some exploratory demolition in the lake house master bathroom, primarily to see what was under the tile on the walls and try to get a sense of how much reconstructive work would be required. I also removed a lot of fixtures, such as towel racks, baseboard heaters, etc. This next … Continue reading Starting Lake House Bathroom Remodel
Now that it’s fall and winter will be here sooner than we think, there are many minor tasks to complete at both the main house and the lake house before winter. Here is a list of tasks I’ve been working on: Re-Stain Deck Floor Fertilize Yard Hot Tub Water and Chemicals Guest House Water Pressure … Continue reading Winterizing
One of my projects for fall/winter is going to be remodeling the master bathroom at the lake house. Currently, it is a model of 70’s-tastic style. I plan on largely gutting it, and putting in something that fits the mid century modern style of the house but is significantly nicer and more luxurious. Here is … Continue reading Lake House Bathroom Remodel
