basement progress - framing a bathroom

It's cold here.  Which means we are inside a LOT... so R has been busy framing in the latest additions- a full bathroom (well, technically I think it's 3/4 since there is no tub) and sauna.  I am already looking forward to spending time in the sauna, because I have been freezing this month. :)

We had the plumber install the drains before the concrete slab was poured.  So that was (mostly) in place when we started.  I wasn't happy with where the shower vent came up, because it made the space for the toilet 12" larger than our architect intended.  I know that a foot doesn't seem like much, but when it means your shower can be extended from 4 feet to 5 feet, without encroaching on the sauna, you ask you husband to jack hammer some concrete.  Guess what, he called some friends over and they did it.  I will be forever grateful!

If you look closely, you can see the toilet rough-in to the right.  They moved the vent closer to the toilet, so that full wall required between the shower and toilet leaves a 3' space for the toilet, and bumps the shower up to a whopping 5 feet (insert Kermit excited arm-flail yell! YAAAY!).  Not to mention the toilet will now be centered in the space.  The mere thought of a toilet sitting randomly in a 4' cubby, completely off center, was giving me chills.  But no more!  This problem was solved by 3 guys and an entire day of jackhammering and mixing concrete.

After the drains were finalized, walls started going up, followed shortly by the plumbing vents and electrical.

 ... keep reading!  there are more pictures.

basement progress - finished family room

This post is a little overdue!  We have finished our basement family room, and it's awesome.  We knew when we designed our home that the open staircase would lead down to a TV room/family fun space. (Notice how we are avoiding man-cave at all costs.)  When we moved in, the basement was completely unfinished, so our builder installed a door at the bottom of the stairs.  We started by removing that door, cutting back the wall, and then got busy finishing drywall.

Here's what it looked like when I last left you.

Since then, R has installed the drop ceiling, finished the dryall, primed and painted, moved and framed in the support post, and installed trim.  We brought someone in to install the flooring, and matched our upstairs vinyl plank and carpet.  The plank is awesome, because it's completely waterproof- perfect for our snowy weather and future sauna & hot tub feet.

Check it out.