Adding a (much needed) Bathroom

Welcome back to renovation memory lane.  We last left off here:

The suspense was killing you - I know.  What on earth is going on.  Well this little bungalow had one bathroom and 1250 square feet (thus nowhere inside to add another bathroom).  So we decided to put one on the back.  We went from here...

To here...

To here in about 4 months.  Whew...

And here's what we ended up with.  A double vanity (because I don't like to share).

And a huge shower because it's awesome.

And an even huger second closet (because I don't like to share).

This was SUCH a learning experience.  We had the entire project done by a general contractor but there are so many decisions that had to be made (and usually they needed making within the hour). 

So here's what I learned from the bathroom project:

1.  Additions are not that big of a deal.  Relatively speaking they aren't that expensive either.  We ballpark $100 a square foot finished (but not over the top finished and that doesn't include bathroom or kitchen fixtures).

2.  Never put the shower sprayer on an exterior wall.  It will freeze every. single. time.

3.  Save money by just having the top of the shower glasses in.  It still has the open, not-so-claustrophobic feel of a glass shower, but the wall and tile are much less expensive than the huge piece of tempered glass.

4.  Use kitchen cabinets to make a vanity.  The size and layout options are much greater, and the vanity is a bit taller.  The installer did have to cut the backs down so they would be vanity depth (22 inches) not kitchen counter depth (24 inches) but it wasn't an issue at all.

5.  Travertine tile weighs a ton.  No literally.  And it will not fit in the back of your compact.  Even if it will fit in the trunk, the car will not be able to move.  Plan accordingly.

6.  A huge closet (that you don't have to share with a man) that has a great mirror and ottoman is a wonderful thing.  I actually also had a dresser in there so it really was a private dressing room.

Why, oh why did we sell that closet?  I mean that house.