Bathroom Nightmare

This is what we started with. (Yes I know the picture is sideways, but I had a hard time just getting it here, so just turn your monitor on it's side.) The toilet supply line was leaking. The vanity was literally falling apart. The floor was so soft by the toilet that we were afraid to use it. At this point we didn't know that a second floor had been added on top of the original, so we tried adding a third floor which, of course, did not work.

When John pulled the vanity out we could see the extra floor and second layer of linoleum. If you had tried to stand where the vanity had been you probably would have stepped right through. You can also see the bottom edge of the tub where wood molding had been added, rotted and mildewed. Notice the rotted wallboard - it was much worse than it appeared.

We realized that we, or rather John, would have to rip out both floors and put down a new one. SIL let slip that he had done this type of work before and was immediately drafted! John is not on his knees, he's standing on the ground below the missing floor.

Not knowing that we could buy 3/8" wallboard we used plywood after I had scrubbed out all the mildew between the walls and sealed the inside of the wall with mildew resistant paint. We knew that the plywood would work because two of the rooms in our last house were done this way by the previous owner. Thanks Tricky Dicky!

The guys work was done and I got to work scrubbing, priming and painting. John was able to rehang the door so that it worked right and the boulder was no longer necessary. After the painting was done we had a professional lay the new flooring. I was able to clean up the old toilet and John was able to get rid of the iron build up with a stone brush. The tub took a good deal of elbow grease. We got the toilet put back and the new vanity installed. We kept the old counter top but put in a new drop in sink.