PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum - View Single Post - Emergency remodel in Basement "apartment"

t walgamuth · #1 08-25-2013, 08:04 AM

I have this apartment that I built in our basement when my son was attending Purdue. He was struggling with some things and needed a place to be which did not have any friends around. He lived in it for a couple of years, got things sorted and graduated. then daughter #3 needed a place and lived in it for a couple years. After that we rented it to a good friend's nephew who was from Columbia. He lived here three or four years and is now an Engineer with Rolls Royce I believe.

I have been thinking about upgrading it a little and decided to install a stack washer and dryer in the large walk in closet. I bought the unit about a month ago and proceeded to have the hookups needed installed. It has been a bit of a chore getting all the plumbing done and so forth since every body is busy. But I had all that done and with a new tenant coming in yesterday all that was left was to physically get the heavy stack unit into the closet and hook it up.

I was puppysitting yesterday as the Mrs. was in Indy at a conference with the #3 daughter. Around 845 am I was asleep on the couch taking my after breakfast Siesta with the puppy curled up against my chest when the new tenant knocked on the door. Jerking awake I knocked the puppy on the floor and opened the door.

Along with his very pretty mom I showed them the apartment, signed the lease and was explaining to them about moving the washer into the closet when it hit me that I had forgotten the doorway was 2" too narrow to accommodate the 27" at its narrowest point stack unit.

So while they began moving things in and hanging shower curtains I went into emergency remodel overdrive. The opening was a simple opening with no door or frame but the framing was wrapped with drywall and corner bead. It appeared there was no wiring or anything in the way so I began to peel things away, cutting drywall, peeling corner bead and cutting the first 2x4 with my tree trimming saw since I did not want to take the trip to my building to get the sawsall.

I called my brother to come and reinforce me with his skills and more tools. After I uncovered the first stud I discovered my notes from 22 years ago when we built it that I had requested of the framer an additional 2x4 on both sides (Had I planned for it to be big enough to accommodate a washer in the future?).

By 530 in the evening we had everything in and buttoned up. The water, drain, exhaust vent and gas line all buttoned up. Nothing leaked and it all worked.

All that was left was to apply drywall mud over the corner beads, paint and fill the double stud width hole in the floor with bondo.

A good day. My brother is six years younger than I but we are both basically broken down old men and by this time we both were on the verge of simply falling over from fatigue. I was so tired I realized this morning that I completely forgot about my usual shot of bourbon before bedtime.

I did not need it to sleep soundly.