Friday, June 8, 2012

Bathroom Construction: End of Day 17

This is the first day that all of the work was mine. None of the contractors or subs was scheduled today (and fortunately, none came!). Ironically, all I did was pour a bit more self-levelling mortar over the outside of the bathroom to smooth out the concrete, though I didn't do the best job ever and a fair number of air bubbles popped up. I knew to expect this from the previous day's heating mat pour, so I watched closely and manually popped as many as I could. The air bubbles are likely caused by one of two things -- stirring the mortar too quickly during the mixing, or by not using primer. I thought I was careful not to mix too quickly, but I also used primer. Perhaps I didn't do enough of each. I also did my own electrician coordination. Our general contractor's electrician wouldn't come out (a short story with a rational explanation, but not internet-friendly) so I found one on my own to connect my three new circuits. (I had opened the panel myself, but it's always intimidating to me -- especially since we don't have a main cut-off and so you need to work with a live circuit inside the panel, which is just outside my comfort zone of staying alive.) I also had him upgrade a circuit's wiring that used to be the laundry room light, but now only runs the refrigerator (and microwave and toaster -- or as my wife put it, the lunch circuit). The wire was old, and a bit too short so I would have had to put in two junction boxes, and I felt it was easier to upgrade, especially given the eventual kitchen remodel we're bound to do now that the old staircase is filled in.

No comments: