5x8 bathroom remodel: looking for feedback

[GeoffD]

I own a 980 square foot cottage as my 6 month summer residence. The project this winter is a total bathroom remodel. One of my best friends has done all my contracting and carpentry so this is his January into February project.

This is what I have now:

Pocket door, small shower, vanity that's too big for the room, and a toilet where I bump my side into the vanity when I'm sitting on the throne. 7 foot ceiling.


Here's what I'm thinking:


Step 1:
Gut the room completely. Floor completely removed. Ceiling completely removed.

Step 2: Install radiant heat in the floor as a separate zone. My boiler is already plumbed for it and the HVAC guy I use has quoted me a price I'm happy with.

Step 3: Vault the ceiling and install a manual-open skylight on the angled part of the vaulting.
You can see what it looks like vaulted in the kitchen:


I'll probably go with a Velux like this one:


Step 4:
To pick up some storage, re-frame the wall between the bath and guest bedroom with 2x8 and install a shallow closet to hold "bathroom stuff"

Step 5: Replace the double hung window with a 4'x4' Pittsburgh-Corning block glass window. They make them pre-assembled and vinyl framed. It can be done so it won't ever leak.


Fixtures:
I'm thinking I'll use a white cast iron Kohler 36"x60" shower base. I've been toying with a curbless (roll in) shower but I think I'd rather have a shower base.



a glass door and wall similar to the photo above, and white subway tile.

I'm hoping I can use a wall-mounted toilet with the tank buried in the wall. Probably a Toto. I'm 6'3". I'll mount it at comfort height.



I'm thinking I'll suspend a corian counter in the corner and put a vessel sink on it. I may opt for a small vanity but I kind of like the idea of having an uncluttered 4' x 5' heated tile floor that is easy to clean.

[SHawthy33]

Your new layout is a no-brainer. If you want into the majority of bathrooms this is the layout, shower is always along the back-way. Having it up front by the pocket door just closes too much in.

Sky light is a bonus and an awesome feature in a bathroom, I would just spend the money and make sure its vinyl/aluminum/stainless everywhere or its going to be an issue in short time.

If your going to tile the floor, why not tile the shower and do a roll-in? I'm not seeing the benefits of a shower basin. I would go tile all the way through the place and right up to the ceiling around the shower.

[Oliver@triplezoom]

Your plan looks good. IKEA has some nice compact vanities that can be wall mounted. I would check them out.

[GeoffD]

Your new layout is a no-brainer. If you want into the majority of bathrooms this is the layout, shower is always along the back-way. Having it up front by the pocket door just closes too much in.

Sky light is a bonus and an awesome feature in a bathroom, I would just spend the money and make sure its vinyl/aluminum/stainless everywhere or its going to be an issue in short time.

If your going to tile the floor, why not tile the shower and do a roll-in? I'm not seeing the benefits of a shower basin. I would go tile all the way through the place and right up to the ceiling around the shower.

Yep. The current layout doesn't work. The shower is way too small. It drives me nuts that I bump into the vanity every time I sit on the crapper.

I'm still uncertain about whether I want a cast iron 3x5' shower base or a roll-in. I really like the look of a cast iron shower base. The roll-in is only attractive to me because you never know... I'm in my early 50's, plan to retire in this place, and I ski & don't have intact ACLs so I suspect I'm going to have knee replacements in my future at some point. I could do a 3' glass door roll-in since I'm hoping to use a wall-mount toilet so I have the room for the bigger door. I guess my next step is to pull in the good tile guy in town, the good glass door guy, and see what they think. Since the floor is already coming out (rot and radiant heat going in), it's not a big deal to pitch the whole floor towards the drain and drop the floor joists for a shower pan.

I only have a 7' ceiling in this cottage. That's why I'm vaulting the bath. I'm thinking subway tile up to 7' in the shower enclosure so the outside wall is entirely glass block and subway tile. It might look funky trying to run it up on an angle where the side walls of the shower enclosure follow the roof line. Again, I'll hash it out with the good tile guy. I might end up tiling the whole shower enclosure including the vaulted ceiling.

[vmekdubyu]

I hope your best friend is in the 6' club, because nothing sucks more than having to bend or stoop to make it under the shower head.

[crawford]

Personally not a fan of glass block. It's about as up-to-date as those brass fixtures you're showing.

[GeoffD]

I hope your best friend is in the 6' club, because nothing sucks more than having to bend or stoop to make it under the shower head.

Hmmm....

I'm 6'3" and the shower head in my 7' ceiling bathroom is fine. After I vault the ceiling, I'll be able to mount it even higher. My intention is to have both a shower head and a wand/hand shower on a wall-mounted rail.

[robr2]

I'm not a fan of windows in showers - IMHO, it's impossible to get they water-tight.

I'd turn the sink and WC 90 degrees and place them on the outside wall and then make the shower longer against the kitchen wall. Lastly, I'd lose the door from the guest room. I'd use that space for medicine cabinets/towel bars.

[spockcat]

I'm not a fan of windows in showers - IMHO, it's impossible to get they water-tight.

I'd turn the sink and WC 90 degrees and place them on the outside wall and then make the shower longer against the kitchen wall. Lastly, I'd lose the door from the guest room. I'd use that space for medicine cabinets/towel bars.

He is in VT. Unless he can run water up from the floor below, he shouldn't have pipes/plumbing fixtures on the outside wall as they may freeze.

I would agree on the window issue, especially in VT. At the very least, it should only be at about 5' to 6' above the floor. Of course, he may have an issue with changing the size of the window and the outside siding. In that case, I think his glass block solution is better than a standard window.

[Mk1Racer]

I used to be in the kitchen and bath remodeling business. I like your new design a lot. Can't go wrong w/ a Velux skylight or a Toto toilet (I use both in my house).

A couple of things though. Before I re-did that wall for 'storage', I'd put in some kind of toilet-topper wall cabinet. Much simpler solution, and you're not stealing floor space w/ a bigger wall.

Glass block is a funny thing. It can look horribly 50's/60's, or it can really work. I think a lot of it depends on the rest of the design. Since natural light is limited in that space, I say go for it. My main concern would be for the insulating value in the winter. And has been already pointed out, don't run any plumbing up that outside wall.

I have no experience w/ in-the-wall toilet tanks, but my initial reaction is how do you access them if (when?) you need to replace parts? Cool idea though, buys you floor space. I have a nice Toto 1-piece low boy toilet. Comfort height and elongated bowl w/ the soft-close seat. Best toilet I've ever crapped on! Projects just under 30" off the wall.

Also, w/ the limited storage space you have, I'd go w/ a traditional vanity base and a medicine cabinet above the sink. You can still do a vessel sink w/ that, if you're set on having one.

Can't offer any advice on the shower pan, that's a personal decision. Although, before I got an enameled cast iron one, I'd look at a terrazzo one. I forget the company I used to get them from, but they were very nice. And depending on what's below, you might be able to notch the joists and set it lower so that you could have your roll-in option.

[GeoffD]

I used to be in the kitchen and bath remodeling business. I like your new design a lot. Can't go wrong w/ a Velux skylight or a Toto toilet (I use both in my house).

A couple of things though. Before I re-did that wall for 'storage', I'd put in some kind of toilet-topper wall cabinet. Much simpler solution, and you're not stealing floor space w/ a bigger wall.

Glass block is a funny thing. It can look horribly 50's/60's, or it can really work. I think a lot of it depends on the rest of the design. Since natural light is limited in that space, I say go for it. My main concern would be for the insulating value in the winter. And has been already pointed out, don't run any plumbing up that outside wall.

I have no experience w/ in-the-wall toilet tanks, but my initial reaction is how do you access them if (when?) you need to replace parts? Cool idea though, buys you floor space. I have a nice Toto 1-piece low boy toilet. Comfort height and elongated bowl w/ the soft-close seat. Best toilet I've ever crapped on! Projects just under 30" off the wall.

Also, w/ the limited storage space you have, I'd go w/ a traditional vanity base and a medicine cabinet above the sink. You can still do a vessel sink w/ that, if you're set on having one.

Can't offer any advice on the shower pan, that's a personal decision. Although, before I got an enameled cast iron one, I'd look at a terrazzo one. I forget the company I used to get them from, but they were very nice. And depending on what's below, you might be able to notch the joists and set it lower so that you could have your roll-in option.

I was already planning have some kind of cabinet above the toilet. I have that now. I'll also definitely have a medicine cabinet above the sink.

Point taken about storage in a vanity. The problem is that I loathe getting down on my hands & knees to fish things out of the vanity. Invariably, the only accessible items are toilet bowl cleaner, shower/tile cleaner, glass cleaner, and a sponge. I want easy access to things. What I'm considering is some kind of wall-mounted vanity with a pull-out drawer and a vessel sink on top.

This is a Kohler "Purist". Something like this.


With a shallow closet between the bath and the guest bedroom, I'm stealing space from the guest bedroom that doesn't change the furniture layout in the guest bedroom. I'm only thinking of grabbing 4" using 2x8 framing instead of 2x4 framing on that wall. On the guest bedroom side, I pick up a built-in bookcase behind the shower part of the wall. 4 linear feet of shallow closet in the bath gives me a ton of storage space in a cottage that is really lacking it.

Corning-Pittsburgh makes Energystar-qualified glass block. You can order it pre-assembled in a vinyl frame. That's what I was planning to use. It won't be as energy efficient as a 2x4 wall with insulation but I need the natural light. In researching windows in the shower, glass block kept popping up as the solution least likely to leak.

The only plumbing I have anywhere near an outside wall is the kitchen sink. The plumbing comes up into the cabinet from below so it's not in the wall. I have a forced hot water kickboard radiator with an electric fan underneath the sink.

The wall mounted tank has a plate for the flush mechanism. If you remove the plate, you can get at everything to replace any parts of the flush mechanism that have worn out. If something really goes wrong, it will keep the tile guy employed afterwards. I want to tile high enough behind the toilet so it's easy to clean if the wall gets pissed on. In a 5x8 bathroom, I really want to pick up the extra floor space of a wall-mounted toilet even if I'm risking a PITA tile repair job every time something serious happens with the toilet.
Note to self: Have a few boxes of spare tile on hand.

I have a crawl space underneath the bathroom floor. The floor is coming up anyways to install radiant heat. I can do whatever I want to accommodate a shower pan or shower base. I'll take a look into terrazzo as an option to cast iron or tile.

[TheGreenspanator]

I just came in here to say I ****ing love glass block (in the right context, as mk1 said), and that I also have tiny bathrooms.

I went with a Kohler Archer petite vanity in the one- it's sort of open but still has some storage. 23". I feared if... well if I could even find a closed cabinet small enough, it would make my bathroom look even smaller.


Kohler's a little spendy but they do have a nice selection of smaller vanities; looks like American Standard came out with a lot of cool stuff since the last time I checked, too.

[GeoffD]

I just came in here to say I ****ing love glass block (in the right context, as mk1 said), and that I also have tiny bathrooms.

I went with a Kohler Archer petite vanity in the one- it's sort of open but still has some storage. 23". I feared if... well if I could even find a closed cabinet small enough, it would make my bathroom look even smaller.


Kohler's a little spendy but they do have a nice selection of smaller vanities; looks like American Standard came out with a lot of cool stuff since the last time I checked, too.

If you look at my floor plan, I'm going to have the bathroom sink in a corner. I ruled out pedestal sinks since you really can't put them against the side wall. I think the Kohler stand/vanity you selected has the same problem, right?

I'm trying to create the illusion of space in a small bathroom. When I researched it, a pedestal sink or your variation on the theme was what the experts suggested. I have never seen one that could go in a corner. That's why I started looking at wall-mounted vanities to achieve the same thing.

The wall-mount toilet, glass shower door & wall, glass block window, and vaulted ceiling + skylight were all tricks to try to make the room seem bigger. I don't have a bathroom sink solution I'm in love with yet. Right now, I'm thinking a vessel on a 24" white Corian counter with a wall-mounted vanity.

[Mk1Racer]

I was already planning have some kind of cabinet above the toilet. I have that now. I'll also definitely have a medicine cabinet above the sink.

Point taken about storage in a vanity. The problem is that I loathe getting down on my hands & knees to fish things out of the vanity. Invariably, the only accessible items are toilet bowl cleaner, shower/tile cleaner, glass cleaner, and a sponge. I want easy access to things. What I'm considering is some kind of wall-mounted vanity with a pull-out drawer and a vessel sink on top.

This is a Kohler "Purist". Something like this.


With a shallow closet between the bath and the guest bedroom, I'm stealing space from the guest bedroom that doesn't change the furniture layout in the guest bedroom. I'm only thinking of grabbing 4" using 2x8 framing instead of 2x4 framing on that wall. On the guest bedroom side, I pick up a built-in bookcase behind the shower part of the wall. 4 linear feet of shallow closet in the bath gives me a ton of storage space in a cottage that is really lacking it.

Corning-Pittsburgh makes Energystar-qualified glass block. You can order it pre-assembled in a vinyl frame. That's what I was planning to use. It won't be as energy efficient as a 2x4 wall with insulation but I need the natural light. In researching windows in the shower, glass block kept popping up as the solution least likely to leak.

The only plumbing I have anywhere near an outside wall is the kitchen sink. The plumbing comes up into the cabinet from below so it's not in the wall. I have a forced hot water kickboard radiator with an electric fan underneath the sink.

The wall mounted tank has a plate for the flush mechanism. If you remove the plate, you can get at everything to replace any parts of the flush mechanism that have worn out. If something really goes wrong, it will keep the tile guy employed afterwards. I want to tile high enough behind the toilet so it's easy to clean if the wall gets pissed on. In a 5x8 bathroom, I really want to pick up the extra floor space of a wall-mounted toilet even if I'm risking a PITA tile repair job every time something serious happens with the toilet.
Note to self: Have a few boxes of spare tile on hand.

I have a crawl space underneath the bathroom floor. The floor is coming up anyways to install radiant heat. I can do whatever I want to accommodate a shower pan or shower base. I'll take a look into terrazzo as an option to cast iron or tile.

Sounds like you've got it knocked. Since you're looking at re-doing the wall between the bath and the spare bedroom, is it possible to take a little more space and actually build closets for both rooms? Or bump a little into the bedroom, and make a pocket for a dresser in the bedroom? If I were going to go to the trouble of modifying that wall, I'd want to make some actual usable storage space.

/edit

I just looked at your proposed layout again. Does the spare BR door really swing into the space like that and not against the wall to the left? If it does, it would seem that you could easily at a set of paired closets where that wall is.

[1stRabbit]

Noticed the Purist vanity you linked... I've got the same idea, but am looking for either another brand or having a custom made cabinet in the same style. $1600 is ridiculous for what that vanity is.

I think the shower head + wand is a good idea as well.. I won't have mine on a sliding rail, but just a simple post... The Toobi line is what i'm looking @ in kohler for the wall piece, then the cylindrical tube wand with a nice hose.

I like your layout and think it makes very good use of your space.

[Oliver@triplezoom]

You can get something from IKEA for under $300: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/pr...1/#/S99894736/

[1stRabbit]

That model looks decent, it's just not quite the right size. Sink is 16 1/2" from front to back, plus need space for the faucet hole. I also am not a fan of the gap between the top drawer and the bottom of the sink, but that's minor. I think I could make that work if I cornered the faucets toward the back left instead of having them straight ahead though.

Here's what i'm going for, minus the square sinks:



I think Geoff was thinking the same thing, but with 1 sink.

[GeoffD]

I just looked at your proposed layout again. Does the spare BR door really swing into the space like that and not against the wall to the left? If it does, it would seem that you could easily at a set of paired closets where that wall is.

The guest BR door has to open in that direction. There is a closet door on the other wall behind the linen closet.

I've had some discussion about turning the guest BR door into a pocket door that slides into the wall between the guest bedroom and the bathroom. I'm not sure I can steal that much space out of the guest bedroom.

The guest bedroom is tiny. I can't possibly put paired closets there. Stealing 4" is about it.

Here is an architect drawing from when I was first moving walls around, vaulting ceilings, and re-doing the kitchen:

[GeoffD]

That model looks decent, it's just not quite the right size. Sink is 16 1/2" from front to back, plus need space for the faucet hole. I also am not a fan of the gap between the top drawer and the bottom of the sink, but that's minor. I think I could make that work if I cornered the faucets toward the back left instead of having them straight ahead though.

Here's what i'm going for, minus the square sinks:



I think Geoff was thinking the same thing, but with 1 sink.

I think that's a different color of the same wall-mounted vanity I referenced earlier in the thread.

....and yeah, it's what I'm thinking but I'll likely go with a custom cabinet that matches whatever I pick for the closet doors and cabinet above the toilet. I just want one drawer to hold things that I don't want to come crashing down from the medicine cabinet. I may continue the maple/white Corian theme from the kitchen.

One of the main purposes of that vanity is as a spot to mount the toilet paper roll. I'll have a glass shower wall with a towel rack on the other side of the toilet.

[1stRabbit]

I think that's a different color of the same wall-mounted vanity I referenced earlier in the thread.

....and yeah, it's what I'm thinking but I'll likely go with a custom cabinet that matches whatever I pick for the closet doors and cabinet above the toilet. I just want one drawer to hold things that I don't want to come crashing down from the medicine cabinet. I may continue the maple/white Corian theme from the kitchen.

One of the main purposes of that vanity is as a spot to mount the toilet paper roll. I'll have a glass shower wall with a towel rack on the other side of the toilet.

Let me know what info you find... custom wise from a cabinet maker i've been getting prices of $600+ each

[vmekdubyu]

I hope it works out for you, Geoff..=))

[Mk1Racer]

Geoff,

I'm guestimating from that drawing that the guest br is ~10x10. That door swinging into the space instead of against the wall is a major no-no from a design perspective. I'm guessing if it swung the other way, it would interfere w/ the closet door, not to mention I'm sure the light switch is already to the left of the door (next to the closet), as you walk in. I'd still flip that door, and move the light switch.

Although, if you do a pocket door, you'll have to bump that wall to be in line w/ the current door jamb. Not sure exactly how far that is. Certainly doable. For your storage, you could then do a shallow built-in cabinet on the bathroom side. Again, not optimal, but given your constraints, probably workable.

And given the layout, I'm guessing the smaller BR was actually intended as the 'master', since it's closest to the bathroom, and has the door out to the porch/balcony. Looks like a cool place for a single person.

[GeoffD]

Geoff,

I'm guestimating from that drawing that the guest br is ~10x10. That door swinging into the space instead of against the wall is a major no-no from a design perspective. I'm guessing if it swung the other way, it would interfere w/ the closet door, not to mention I'm sure the light switch is already to the left of the door (next to the closet), as you walk in. I'd still flip that door, and move the light switch.

Although, if you do a pocket door, you'll have to bump that wall to be in line w/ the current door jamb. Not sure exactly how far that is. Certainly doable. For your storage, you could then do a shallow built-in cabinet on the bathroom side. Again, not optimal, but given your constraints, probably workable.

And given the layout, I'm guessing the smaller BR was actually intended as the 'master', since it's closest to the bathroom, and has the door out to the porch/balcony. Looks like a cool place for a single person.

At one point, this cottage had a divorced woman and 3 children living in it. As you say, the Master was what I'm calling the guest bedroom. Before I moved walls around, what I call a study was used as a small 3rd bedroom. That 3rd bedroom had no heat and almost no insulation. A cool place for a single person or empty nesters. I can't imagine 4 or 5 people in the place.

From the guest bedroom door to the glass door that opens to the back deck is 9 feet. Most of the room is 9' 6".

It's 11 feet in the other direction.

I have to decide what I want to do with the guest bedroom this year. The cheapest approach is to just steal 4" out of the room for my shallow bathroom closet, paint the new wall, put the carpet back, and deal with the room some other year. Other than as the main passage to the back deck, the queen bed in that room is mostly used by one of my cats.

[Mk1Racer]

So if you don't use it regularly as a guest BR, why not ditch the queen bed and put something like a futon in there? That way you have a spare room for the few times you have guests, and you're not stuck w/ a queen bed in there all the time. That would let you steal some more space for a bathroom closet. Or, I'd look at making that room the study / office (since it has access to the deck) and make the current study a spare room w/ a futon for the occasional guest. Get some more space in the current study by taking down that closet. I'm guessing that you moved that wall so that you could fit a dinning room table. I guess it all comes down to money and what you want to eventually do w/ the place. Like I said, looks like a great place for a single person or a couple w/ no kids.

[GeoffD]

So if you don't use it regularly as a guest BR, why not ditch the queen bed and put something like a futon in there? That way you have a spare room for the few times you have guests, and you're not stuck w/ a queen bed in there all the time. That would let you steal some more space for a bathroom closet.

I'm not willing to give up the queen bed in the guest bedroom. Even though the room is under-utilized, I want people to be comfortable when they stay with me. I thought about a Murphy bed but I wouldn't use the space for anything else. I have a 50" plasma in my living room so it's not like I need a TV room. My office / study is really well set up and I don't need more space for that function.

Or, I'd look at making that room the study / office (since it has access to the deck) and make the current study a spare room w/ a futon for the occasional guest. Get some more space in the current study by taking down that closet.

I make use of that closet in my office. It's the only closet near the side entrance to the cottage that everyone uses. I use half of it to hang coats. I use the other half for my printer and lab equipment. I telecommute and do cable modem technology for a living. I have a Cisco CMTS in there along with a Linux PC.

I don't plan on ever selling the place but it would destroy market value if I did anything to prevent my guest bedroom from being used as a bedroom.

I'm guessing that you moved that wall so that you could fit a dinning room table. I guess it all comes down to money and what you want to eventually do w/ the place. Like I said, looks like a great place for a single person or a couple w/ no kids.

Yep. All of my original remodeling was done to fit a real table into the kitchen.

So I had a lengthy conversation (and way too much to drink) with my carpenter friend who is going to be doing the work during the Patriots game on Sunday. I had drinks with the tile guy on Friday night.

* I'm definitely doing a pocket door for the guest bedroom.

* To make the pocket door fit, the closet in the bathroom shrinks to more like 18".

* It should be no big deal to fabricate a custom wall-mounted vanity that matches the maple slab of my kitchen cabinets. The closet door will also be a maple slab.

* I'm going to stick with a 3' x 5' Kohler cast iron shower base. It makes the project much simpler and cheaper.

When the project kicks off, I still have to make a decision about gutting the guest bedroom. That will likely wait for another year.

[1stRabbit]

What size vanity are you going for?

I've got a line on one for $400 and they are 20"w x 21 1/2" d x 16" h and have a pull out drawer. Would like to go 22" or 24", but the price goes up drastically (minimum $600).

If you are having one or two made, i'd be interesting in kicking in $$ to have a couple more made, especially if you're going for a design like the purist line.

[GeoffD]

What size vanity are you going for?

I won't know for sure until everything is opened up. Like everything else in this cottage, there are a bunch of hacks to unwind. Until I know where the toilet will be and where the reconstructed bathroom pocket door wall ends up, I'm not sure how much space I have.

I'll bet that when all is said and done, my little wall hung vanity will end up being really expensive. I'm paying for that kind of work by the hour including the head scratching time and the runs in the van to pick up materials. A customer cabinet maker is bound to be cheaper since they are so much more efficient at it. I doubt I could get the attention of a cabinet guy here to take on such a small project.

[Mk1Racer]

Geoff,

Have you considered putting a mud pan in the shower and extending the radiant heat into it? I'm thinking since that's an outside wall and that you're in Vt., that cast iron pan may get pretty cold, and take a while to warm up when you're jumping in for a shower.

[1stRabbit]

I won't know for sure until everything is opened up. Like everything else in this cottage, there are a bunch of hacks to unwind. Until I know where the toilet will be and where the reconstructed bathroom pocket door wall ends up, I'm not sure how much space I have.

I'll bet that when all is said and done, my little wall hung vanity will end up being really expensive. I'm paying for that kind of work by the hour including the head scratching time and the runs in the van to pick up materials. A customer cabinet maker is bound to be cheaper since they are so much more efficient at it. I doubt I could get the attention of a cabinet guy here to take on such a small project.

Just wanted to drop in and tell you I took delivery of my vanities this week... They are VERY nice.

Also, on sale down from $800 to $400.

Here's a link from Home Depot if you're interested, they have quiet close doors as well.

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1...atalogId=10053

[GeoffD]

Geoff,

Have you considered putting a mud pan in the shower and extending the radiant heat into it? I'm thinking since that's an outside wall and that you're in Vt., that cast iron pan may get pretty cold, and take a while to warm up when you're jumping in for a shower.

This bathroom remodel is in my summer place in Massholia. Of course, it still has the same issue that it gets pretty cold in the winter. I'm doing radiant heat underneath the cast iron shower base. It will be plenty warm.

Among other things, a cast iron shower base is much simpler than a custom pan and a tiled shower floor (and quite a bit cheaper). It's easier to clean. I don't have to worry about maintaining grout. It's way less likely to develop leaks. 30 years from now, it can be repainted and look like new again.

The only thing I'm giving up is a true roll-in shower. If I end up in a wheel chair some day, I'll be facing another small remodel job.

[GeoffD]

The project is now underway. Just like when I re-did my kitchen, it's a case of trying to fit 10 pounds of crap in a 5 pound bag.

Revisions:
* The guest bedroom door is now going to be a pocket door.
* The 2x8"-framed wall between the guest bedroom and bath now has a pocket door in it so the shallow closet in the bath shrank.
* I'm going with a Kohler wall-mounted lav with a shroud instead of a wall mounted vanity
* I flipped the lav and toilet. The lav is now in the middle between the wall-hung toilet and the shower

The exterior walls of the guest bedroom and bath have now been re-framed/glued/screwed with 2x4 studs. The exterior glass door and window in the guest bedroom are now framed properly.

The subfloor in the bath was ripped up, floor joists modified to slightly drop and level the floor, and a new subfloor has been screwed down.

The pocket door into the bath is now 2'6" instead of 2'0".

I'm going with 3" white honeycomb tile on the floor with a narrow dark blue accent and 3x6 white tile at the border. The walls will be 3x6 subway tile, a similar dark blue accent, topped by a 3x6 white bullnose. The shower enclosure will continue the accent and have subway tile to the 7' break to the vaulted ceiling.

I had a big go-round with the architect about using Pittsburgh-Corning glass block in a 48"x24" window in the shower. The first issue was energy code. It's low E glass block with R 3.33. That problem went away. It's rated as safety glass and the Massholia requirement is tempered glass. There's a waiver for glass block that meets the safety standard but the building inspector could reject the window on a bad day and make me appeal to the state.

The architect plan for the building permit. It really doesn't show the shallow closet in the bath between the shower enclosure and guest bedroom pocket door:


This was in the "Kludge" thread and shows the original doubled-up 2x8 framing used in this cottage that is now replaced with standard 2x4 framing:


The bathroom and guest bedroom pocket door openings looking from the kitchen:


2'6" pocket door opening, a vast improvement over the old 2'0" pocket door:

[Ashton8100]

Man i'm not expert in this regard.But i did a google search the other day for furniture.I found one site from there.This contains really nice interior home works in rooms.This is really helpful to take nice ideas to make your home more beautiful.This will be helpful for you.I will be next time post that site name here.

[shawny0123]

I'm sorry but you should fire whatever architect drew that plan and get your money back. You NEVER put the toilet next to the door and put the vanity in the middle. The first thing you want to see when you walk in a bathroom is not the toilet. That is horrible design.

[GeoffD]

I'm sorry but you should fire whatever architect drew that plan and get your money back. You NEVER put the toilet next to the door and put the vanity in the middle. The first thing you want to see when you walk in a bathroom is not the toilet. That is horrible design.

The architect drew up MY plan for the building permit. I'm touching framing to vault the ceiling so the town requires an architect/engineer stamp.

Please explain how you can enter a 5x8 bathroom and NOT see the toilet immediately no matter where you place it?

Besides, it's a wall hung toilet. When you look into the bathroom from the kitchen, you'll see the shower enclosure and wall-hung lav, not the wall hung toilet. It's one less step to the toilet if you have to take an emergency power dump.

I have the toilet there so I have a place to put the toilet paper dispenser. If the toilet is in the middle between the shower and the lav, there is nowhere to put toilet paper. The toilet is 21" off the wall. This way, I have a 2'6" wall to mount it on so I don't have to reach back for it.

Edited:
I'd add that the usual reason the lav is closest to the door in a standard 5x8 bathroom layout is because it's the only way to get swing room for 3'0"-ish door and most people want to put the biggest door possible in their bath just in case they need to deal with a wheelchair some day. If you put the toilet closest to the door, the door will hit the toilet. If you go with a smaller door, it will still bash you on the knees if someone opens it while you're sitting on the toilet.

I have a pocket door. I don't have that problem.

[shawny0123]

The architect drew up MY plan for the building permit. I'm touching framing to vault the ceiling so the town requires an architect/engineer stamp.

Please explain how you can enter a 5x8 bathroom and NOT see the toilet immediately no matter where you place it?

Besides, it's a wall hung toilet. When you look into the bathroom from the kitchen, you'll see the shower enclosure and wall-hung lav, not the wall hung toilet. It's one less step to the toilet if you have to take an emergency power dump.

I have the toilet there so I have a place to put the toilet paper dispenser. If the toilet is in the middle between the shower and the lav, there is nowhere to put toilet paper. The toilet is 21" off the wall. This way, I have a 2'6" wall to mount it on so I don't have to reach back for it.


Edited:
I'd add that the usual reason the lav is closest to the door in a standard 5x8 bathroom layout is because it's the only way to get swing room for 3'0"-ish door and most people want to put the biggest door possible in their bath just in case they need to deal with a wheelchair some day. If you put the toilet closest to the door, the door will hit the toilet. If you go with a smaller door, it will still bash you on the knees if someone opens it while you're sitting on the toilet.

I have a pocket door. I don't have that problem.

I'm simply telling you since I design houses every day, and make good money doing it, that you don't put a toilet first in a bathroom as it looks horrible. I suppose if the extra few steps is really the difference between you making it to the dumper and not than you have bigger issues than your toilet being next to the door. Also a 3'-0" door is overkill into a 5x8 bathroom and a bathroom that size in no way meets ANSI regulations for an accessible bath so it doesn't really matter the size of your door for wheelchair access since it is too small for manuverability anyway. Obviously you can do as you please but I was simply telling you from an experienced design professionals perspective you are doing it all wrong.