Friday, January 23, 2009

Tiling the Shower, or "Will Somebody PLEASE Tell My Contractor That It's 2009 and Kenny G Is Not Appropriate Music to Blast at a Client's House"

Ahh, adventures in home improvement. It's like a movie--an interminably long, boring-as-hell movie, set to instrumental versions of "Turn Me On" and "Hello" by Lionel Richie. I am ready for this day to be done. 

So, the story starts yesterday, when we had to go buy tile for the guest shower. We went to Lowes first, despite my proclamations after every time I go there that I will never EVER go there again. I just didn't want to drive all the way up to the north side. Anyway, this trip was nothing new. We were looking for several things: 
1) white 3x6 subway tile
2) white mosaic tile for the shower floor
3) accent piece for the shower walls
4) soap dish for the wall

What did we find? 
1) they were out of subway tile. OUT! I assume that white subway tile is pretty much any tile section's bread and butter. 
2) there was a box of white mosaic tile, but only 6 pieces. We needed 9. Could they find three more pieces? Of course not. 
3) I was too frustrated to even look for the accent pieces
4) no soapdishes

So, we drive all the way up to the north side, which is where I didn't want to go in the first place, and stopped at a real tile store. They have everything we want. Sweet. 

We go to check out, and our salesman, after a while, tells us "Well, your original total was $1,100." I have a minor heart attack, because remember, we're going for SIMPLE with this shower, and it's just white tiles. Salesman says, "But the discounted price is $875." And I say, "Umm, no. That's not in the budget." And then proceed to discuss with Eric how we'll just get the floor tile and accent pieces, and we'll get the wall tiles at the Depot. Our salesman then panics and tells us that it's so expensive because what we'd chosen (what he'd shown us) was porcelain tile, not ceramic, which is much cheaper. So I say, "Show us the ceramic." We got it, the price was cut in half, and fiscal irresponsibility averted. 

The contractor is upstairs right now, listening to his Kenny G, and laying the floor down in the shower. I hope he leaves soon, as I feel weird sitting under a blanket in the living room, reading a book/blogging/watching tv/cuddling with the pups/etc. while someone is working in my house. It's not like I'm going to go up there and help him, but I feel like I should be offering to fetch his tools or something. Ah well. 

I will post pictures as soon as he and Kenny go. 

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