# Welcome To My Nightmare!



## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

THought I would share the latest project. Redoing the mudroom and bathroom.

The ceiling is being raised, No idea why they put it at 6.5 feet when it could have been at 8 feet... 

All of the old plumbing is coming out and all new going in... Along with new water heater and Peroxide injection treatment system. 

New recessed lighting, new vanity and sink, new medicine chest.... new drywall... 

The old exterior wall is coming out from the inside, I had to replace all the studs from the outside since they were rotted... I will be installing all new insulation into the wall, along with all new in the attic... 

Yeah, I bit off one heck of a chunk of work..


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## cindilu (Jan 27, 2008)

Oh my goodness, that looks like a nightmare I would NOT want to tackle BUT I had no idea you have so many skills. You are doing a good job and my hat goes off to you. That said, wow you have a huge project on your hands. Question? Do you think it is easier to build from scratch or do a remodel project like this? And what is cheaper, starting from scratch or doing a remodel?


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

I'd rather build new, but it's cheaper to rebuild... I just HATE all the tear out and prep. I enjoy putting it back together... 

I'm hoping to have this done within a month after I start taking the water out this weekend. I hope to only be without water for 4 days at most. A big part of not having the water is getting the wall replaced behind the water heater and bladder tank, letting the mud dry and getting it painted before I can re-install it all.. That meaning if I get it done in a month, I can move to the next project and admire this one... The next project is a large pantry in the kitchen.


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

OH, speaking of pantry, I just realized in my "selfie" the shelves behind me is what is going, and that will be the enclosed pantry.. ........next project..


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## moeh1 (Jan 6, 2012)

They have really fast setting mud for your first couple thick coats, drys rock hard very fast. wish I had known about it years ago.


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

Yep. I have a big bucket of fast trying light weight mud... also got a bucket of the regular stuff. 

I'm just thankful I sed to work as a sheetrocker and also a drywall taper.. .on.. and worked with a few plumbers, and also used to be a framer for new construction... 

Some times having kind of done it all over the years pays off well.. but then again, it sure would have been easier to claim ignorance and farmed out the work 

But when it all boils down to it.. If you want it done right.... Like none of it was


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## cindilu (Jan 27, 2008)

simi-steading said:


> OH, speaking of pantry, I just realized in my "selfie" the shelves behind me is what is going, and that will be the enclosed pantry.. ........next project..


Don't think I missed your pantry because I didn't. I zeroed in on that in real quick time. One project I want in my new house is a pretty good sized pantry and I am pretty sure I am using the same type of shelves that you used.


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

Those shelves were there when we bough the place. One of the few things I' haven't torn out yet... We're still talking what kind of shelves, pull outs, drawers and doors.... My wife has plans a lot bigger than I was planning for it.. LOL...

I just got done pulling out all the insulation and as much framing as possible until I'm ready to take out the plumbing... Man I hate working with fiberglass...


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## Candogirl (Oct 21, 2014)

Yikes! But YOU CAN DO IT!


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

Candogirl said:


> Yikes! But YOU CAN DO IT!


I keep telling myself that... I know I have the ability, but will I get bored with it?

DOH!


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## Roadking (Oct 8, 2009)

Never figured you as a "selfie" guy! LOL!
Looks challenging and messy, but you'll get it taken care of.

Matt


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## Bret (Oct 3, 2003)

Yes. You can do it and you are. Show us when you get all the gak out. Good work.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

Smart man! You sure have a hard job ahead of you; yet when it is all done, just think at how good you will feel knowing you actually did it yourself!


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

motdaugrnds said:


> Smart man! You sure have a hard job ahead of you; yet when it is all done, just think at how good you will feel knowing you actually did it yourself!


I've been dreaming a lot of how it's going to look when it's done.. I still go outside and admire the other side of the wall.. new siding and all... Yeah.. it does make you proud to know you've done it yourself... 

I'm started this morning tearing out all the water stuff out and the wall behind it. Right now waiting for the water heater to finish draining.

I'll be adding pictures to this thread as I go along... oh what a mess I've gotten myself into..


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

I REALLY hate doing jobs like this... I just found out one of the walls I had no intention of removing has a lot of old termite damage... One more piece of pie added to the plate, and I'm pretty much full up right now...


Some times, you just feel like walking away and flicking a match over your shoulder as you do...

BTW, it's the wall behind the bathroom sink... Well, I guess now I can go ahead and recess the medicine cabinet. We had intended to flush mount it since we weren't going to mess with that wall other than the closet.


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

Fast update... Sorry I don;t have pictures to add yet... I'll try and get some soon.. 

I got half the outside wall replaced as I had planned. I also got a part of that mudded and painted so I could set the new hot water heater in place along with the bladder tank and carbon filter. 

I've got new electric in, got the water heater vent in and got the injection pump system in.. 

I got everything plumbed from the well water inlet, through the bladder tank, to the injection pump to the filter, and am now just hooking into the water heater.. Oh, I do have the gas connected to the water heater too.. 

I also got heat tape on the well pipe where it's outside the house and got it insulated..

Tomorrow I'll have water, after I go get a couple more parts I need... Seems I picked up the wrong size fittings.. AURGH... 

Other wise, it's looking good... I got all the old plumbing cut out, and I got most all the old insulation out.. I still have about a third of it left to remove.. 

After I get the water in, I'll start replacing the wall I had to remove because of the old termite damage.

My wife says she can't believe how much I've actually gotten done in just a couple days... I can't believe how much more I got to go...


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## Bret (Oct 3, 2003)

Good work. Encouragement for you.


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

Thanks Bret.. I need it... Feeling pretty overwhelmed at the moment.. 

I did get the plumbing done today. I will have another sink to add later ot the plumbing, but for now I can get a shower tonight. Letting the glue dry another half hour or so before I test everything and make sure it's all leak free.. 

So. hopefully once I get the rush on getting the water done, I can start getting everything else done. I have no clue how people live without water.. I hate having to bring in water.. 

I had filled a 55 gallon barrel and some jugs. Once I got my bladder tank back in yesterday, I at least had water at the outside hydrant.. Still too much work for me getting water.. Such a pain.. Especially not having hot water..


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

WOW.. talk about a huge world of difference with our water now... AMAZING how good our water is now, and it doesn't take a lot of peroxide to be injected into te water to take out all the iron and especially sulfur smell... 

I also got a shower after I got the treatment system up and running and crazy how much better soap lathers. Plus the bathroom doesn't smell like a rotten egg now.. 

As far as drinking it, really tasty... Before it was a little salty tasting, along with a heavy iron flavor. I didn't mind the iron flavor, but I knew it wasn't water I wanted to drink before.. 

Can't wait to see how we like this after living with it for a little time.. 

OK.. on to the rest of the remodel... The water was the biggest priority..


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## nosedirt (Sep 24, 2014)

Can't imagine why you wanted to change any of that. 

Sounds like you made good progress. Are you using a contact tank in your system? 

nosedirt


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

No contact tank. The Peroxide is injected directly into the water stream proportional to the amount of water flowing. There's a meter that doses the water as it flows.. Then it runs through the carbon tank and leaves iron, sulfur and manganese free.. 

I had done a huge amount of research on treating the kind of water we have, and this was the best option, also the cheapest and easiest maintenance.. I'm very impressed by how well it's working.


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

Some updated pictures.. 

Yes, I got one little corner done and painted. I did that because I wanted paint behind the heater and wasn't going to move it later.. I hate having to do a job in peices, but if I wanted water, it was the only option..


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## nosedirt (Sep 24, 2014)

Looks like progress.

I've installed a few HP systems commercially but never in a residential setting. The systems used a contact tank and more than one carbon backwash. I have a daughter that lives in your state in Tyler county. I hope to be installing a HP system for her in a few months. I have seen mostly injection for residential but have seen a couple with contact tanks. I've made a few calls to some folks to hopefully get some idea as to the difference in a residential system but they only know about large, overgrown systems. What I dealt with was for public pools, a bottling plant, and a couple small waste water treatment facilities. I just want a simple residential system like yours. I don't think she is going to measuring her water use in acre feet. lol
How long have you had it? Did you sample before calibrating the injector or is that not an option?


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

keep after it...looking good !


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

nosedirt said:


> Looks like progress.
> 
> I've installed a few HP systems commercially but never in a residential setting. The systems used a contact tank and more than one carbon backwash. I have a daughter that lives in your state in Tyler county. I hope to be installing a HP system for her in a few months. I have seen mostly injection for residential but have seen a couple with contact tanks. I've made a few calls to some folks to hopefully get some idea as to the difference in a residential system but they only know about large, overgrown systems. What I dealt with was for public pools, a bottling plant, and a couple small waste water treatment facilities. I just want a simple residential system like yours. I don't think she is going to measuring her water use in acre feet. lol
> How long have you had it? Did you sample before calibrating the injector or is that not an option?


I got my system from US Water Systems.. www.uswatersystems.com.

The system I got is called the Infusion Oxi-Gen system... They size it by your well flow per minute... That decides the carbon filter size.. I got one size bigger than the minimum for my flow rate. That way I also don't have to backwash every day like they call for. For me and my wife I'm at two days now, might bump it to three days.. 

The panel like I have is now an upgrade. When I got it back in April, that was the only way you could get it. Now they have the Stenner pump on the peroxide holding tank, and you mount their meter in line with your water, then it injects direct into the carbon valve... I'd still go with the injection panel... Easier to deal with, and plumb.

I bought it in April but I just got it in. Today was the second day using it. I just got done digging 60 feet of 2 foot deep trench to bury the waste line. I'm draining the backwash to the creek. I didn't want to pump that much extra water into my septic.. 

So far I'm loving it. They have a simple way to set your peroxide levels just watching the bubbles in a glass of water... .I'm pretty close now to where it should be.. I figure another day or three of tasting, watching the bubbles, and seeing water the discharge from the backwash looks like to get it dialed in a little closer.. 

Oh, it came with a huge 35 gallon holding tank for the peroxide... No way do I think I'd use that much in a few years.. .I got a 5 gallon bucket with a lid and am using that as my holding tank. They say not to put more in the holding tank than you can use in a few months. That tank took up way too much floor space. That's why I have the bladder tank on the little table, so I could put the bucket under it.


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

elkhound said:


> keep after it...looking good !


Thanks.. After my ditch digging today, I'll be looking good.... all cut and buff.. LOL..


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## nosedirt (Sep 24, 2014)

Thanks for the info Simi. Hope you enjoyed the ditch digging.


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

LOL.. no I didn't.. I'm sore today, but I know tomorrow will be worse.. Took about 4 and a half house of digging to get it done.. Now I still need to bury the line, and wouldn't you know.. it rained today, and my dirt is all heavy clay!


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## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

That's a heck of a job you're doing semi. Looking good where you've worked on it.


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## nosedirt (Sep 24, 2014)

Simi,
Hope all is going well on your project. Thanks for the info on your water system. Looks like that is what we are going to go with. Appreciate the help.
nosedirt


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

Glad to hear I could give something useful... We're still really happy with this system. My only worry with it is the discharge from back washing.

Right now I'm backwashing every other day. I'll probably go to every three days, but right now I'm running the water out to the creek. I didn't want to run that much water through my septic system. I'm worried about the line freezing up during the winter though... A point may come I do have to run it into the septic so I can keep the line inside.

I have it buried, but there is a part of it that's in a protected area, but I know it gets cold there.. We'll see... 

The job is back to Sloooooowww.... Got more wall in, but had to take a day off to heal up I was so sore from digging the trench o bury the discharge line, and I had to take yesterday off to go fight a brush fire, so I'm not getting much done.. today I have to take the day off to go get a key made for my truck since I lost my only key.... Gotta go to the dealer


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## nosedirt (Sep 24, 2014)

Bummer.


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## littlebitfarm (Mar 21, 2005)

simi-steading said:


> I have it buried, but there is a part of it that's in a protected area, but I know it gets cold there.. We'll see...
> (


Don't know how you have your drain line laid out but,assuming a bit of a slope to the line, with a little extra work you could get it to drain and not worry about freezing. If you had a valved off open pipe, you could open the valve and it would just siphon itself empty. No freeze worries. Just need to remember to shut the valve before the next backwash.


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

littlebitfarm said:


> Don't know how you have your drain line laid out but,assuming a bit of a slope to the line, with a little extra work you could get it to drain and not worry about freezing. If you had a valved off open pipe, you could open the valve and it would just siphon itself empty. No freeze worries. Just need to remember to shut the valve before the next backwash.


I just saw this post... Great idea.. because I had that idea last week and just got the parts to do it today since I finally made it back to town.. 

When I laid the line, I made sure it was sloped, and that I didn't have any low spots since it's not below the frost line.


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## sisterpine (May 9, 2004)

We also use the 3x5x rule around here. I have been building and remodeling my own homes for the past 40 years and am well versed in the process. So we bought this little farm and proceeded to do some remodeling...DB and I came through it well...however...DD almost went insane. The constant noise (apparently she is sensitive to loud noises and will not wear earplug, plus having mom move in with us before the bathroom shower was finished was almost the end of her. I had not realized that she had not participated in all of the work I did while raising her??? The new shower is lovely though!


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

3x5 rule? The shower and toilet are the reasons I rushed through the plumbing, and I wished I wouldn't have. I did a couple things I don't like, but they are not a problem, just not how I would have done things if I would have thought it out a little more... I just couldn't deal with being without water for more than three days.

....while I am posting, an update.. 

Got all the plumbing and electrical done, except for the plumbing to the bath vanity and the electrical to the lights for it. I do have the electrical for it roughed in though.
.
Got all the other lights installed and wow.. what a difference. We never had much light there. Also got the vent hooked up for the bath vent to the outside... 

Today I got all my mess cleaned up, and am finishing out the framing in the bathroom. Just minor framing for drywall nailers

Getting ready now to go out to my shop and get the drywall jack down. I'm going to start drywalling the bath ceiling today..

YAY!!!!!

OH, I'll try and get some more pictures up after I get some drywalling done..


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## chuckhole (Mar 2, 2006)

Love the thread. I like following remodels. I am glad to see you put your sheetrock up horizontal instead of vertical. You sistered in wall studs real nice too. Good work.

Just curious why your avatar is the international sign of distress. Is that reflective of this project? It doesn't look like it to me.


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

Thanks... I got the ceiling up in the bathroom last night, and man does that make a world of difference. I can't wait to get the rest of the ceiling up and the insulation in.. 

Things are going to slow down a bunch here in the next couple weeks.. I'm getting ready right now to go put up a tree stand an pull my game cam so I can check it out. Deer season starts Monday, and I get two solid weeks of hunting. 

I used to sheetrock for a living years and years ago, so I did learn to do it right  However, I'm pretty rusty, and my fit and finish isn't up to the quality I'd like.. It's gonna cost me time and work during the mudding.. ugh... 

As far as my Avatar, I feel like I'm stuck in a communist country. My government is ruling my life. My government is out of control... I am not happy with this government, and if I could move somewhere else, I'd be all over it... I feel my government has failed me, lied to me, and is constantly stealing from me... hence my avatar..


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## chuckhole (Mar 2, 2006)

When you are on your own time, you can do your work at your own pace and not someone else's. I enjoy it more that way and have more time for the small details. It looks like you got yours covered. And good luck on the hunt. Here in Texas, archery season started the first week of October. I have struck out so far......but I don't try to stick just anything that walks. I did stick a hog though.



simi-steading said:


> As far as my Avatar, I feel like I'm stuck in a communist country. My government is ruling my life. My government is out of control... I am not happy with this government, and if I could move somewhere else, I'd be all over it... I feel my government has failed me, lied to me, and is constantly stealing from me... hence my avatar..


But the good thing about this country is we get to choose somebody new to do that to us all over again.


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

LOL.. yep.. we do.. 

Today I'll have the bathroom completely rocked in. That's gonna be nice because then we can shut the door and keep he heat in until I can get the ceiling in the mud room... Amazing how much cold air comes out of the attic.. Just got done squaring up a corner that was WAY off... I would have had a two inch crack beside the vanity. I should have just taken out the wall and started over, but a little late for that.. Looks nice now with rock on it though.

Thanks for the luck on the hunt. I'm not a bow hunter. I might think about it for next year... I won't shoot just anything either. It has to be big enough to make it worth the effort.... Here in WV, I can't get over how small the deer are. If I was in Illinois, I would have not shot even the biggest deer I've seen here.

Can't get picky though... If I waited for the big one, I'd never get a deer... even the big ones here are pretty small to me.


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

OK... just so you all don't think I've been slackin too much... Updated pictures.. 

Got all the ceiling in, and 2 layers of R-30 insulation above it.. I messed up and put the lights over the vanity too far out so I need to move those. I need to get the closet built and get the vanity set and hooked to the water. 

All the other plumbing and electrical is done.. 

Where you see the area at the top of the walls, I will dry wall that, trim the bottom of it, the I'll have shelves all around the whole room for storage.

The back bathroom wall that isn't drywalled in yet will be all shelves too. As soon as I get the water to the vanity hooked up I'll drywall that.. 

If I wouldn't have been busy with other things like deer season, sausage making learning, and pigs and such I'd probably have all this done.. 

BUT, it is now all closed in, insulated, and my wife is SO HAPPY the toilet seat is no longer frozen... LOL..


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

Today I got all the drywall done.. Now I need to get it mudded and taped, painted, trim, and the closet door on and the shelves installed.. 

All the hard work is done.. YAY!!!!! But it will stlll take me a while to get it all done.


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## Darren (May 10, 2002)

Looking good!


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

Thanks Darren.. Next time you see it you're gonna think you walked into the wrong house.. LOL..


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

Oh boy oh boy am I getting closer... 

Got the bathroom painted today... Tomorrow I get the closet shelves put in, then I'll get all the trim put in and painted. Also got the last of the lights in the bathroom put in today.

I can't wait.. The bathroom should be completed by the weekend.. I HOPE!!!... 

I'll try and get pictures of it as soon as I have it done.. 

Then I start to mud and tape the mudroom... Man has this been a project..


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## where I want to (Oct 28, 2008)

simi-steading said:


> Oh boy oh boy am I getting closer...
> 
> Got the bathroom painted today... Tomorrow I get the closet shelves put in, then I'll get all the trim put in and painted. Also got the last of the lights in the bathroom put in today.
> 
> ...


Civilized before you notice. Think of it as a life time of stories. 
I can remember reaching a point with one house, right after I moved the little barn alllllll by myself, where I actually was so afraid of what I would find, I refused to even look at any problem. Lest it mean I would have yet another massive project on my hands.


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

LOL... Yep.. If I think there's a problem, I run away fast... 

I had to take down one of the cabinets in the kitchen this weekend because the glue was old and coming loose, and the sides were pulling off from the back and starting to come off the wall.. 

Then that lead to finding a leak under the kitchen sink... I HOPE I got that fixed.. 

It's no wonder why I can't get this job done.. I got too many other things falling apart.. LOL.. .


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## Bret (Oct 3, 2003)

Way to stay at it. Good work.


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