Demolition Woman: How I’m Planning to Survive a Week-Long Bathroom Renovation

If our bathroom renovation doesn’t go as planned, do you think our neighbors would be OK with this in our backyard? (Photo: BeDe Design)

We live in one of the many charming post-war traditionals in Casa View Haven, a wonderful, up-and-coming neighborhood that is less than a mile from the lake and has a wonderful neighborhood association. We love this neighborhood, our little house, and the huge trees up and down our quiet little — a place where we know everyone and everyone knows us, and we wave and chat when we’re outside.

But, I hate my bathroom. Seriously hate.

It was ugly when we bought the house in 2007, but we knew that we were going to renovate. But renovating a bathroom in a three-bedroom, one-bath home is a lot more of a challenge than you realize. Any momentum you get toward actually remodeling gets sucked in the undertow of realizing that you’re going to be without a bathroom for as long as the renovation lasts.

We had a wonderful contractor that helped us spruce up our kitchen, so we’re hiring him again to redo our bathroom, which we’re pretty much gutting. All of the ugly linoleum and yucky cabinetry is going to be yanked out, the drywall replaced, and new tile floors and tub surround, as well as a new double-sink vanity, installed.

We couldn’t be more excited, for the finished product, but not so much for what it’s going to take to get us there. Our wonderful contractor says he can do it without us going without a toilet (AWESOME) but we may have to rely on the kindness of our sweet neighbors, or just head to a hotel or our lovely in-laws’ house in the meantime.

I keep telling myself it’s just a week, though, but it’s going to test our mettle.

Have you ever been in a similar fix?