The home renovations continue and I wanted to post an update on the second floor bathroom. Because we couldn’t find a plumber to do it, we did it ourselves. My brother can do basic plumbing and carpentry so it directed the project and did the more complicated parts. We put in new flooring, patched and painted the walls, added floor trim, a new sink, vanity, mirror, and toilet. All we have left is the shower.
I’ve learned a lot this summer on the building trades. A challenge in the Upper Peninsula is a lack of young people here and going into the these types of jobs. The other obstacle is a lack of homeowners requiring work, especially in the winter and late spring months. It limits the number of contractors and tradesmen that can make a living. Almost all of the people I contacted had full schedules, up to a year in advance full. It will take time for me to become good enough to projects on my own. I struggle with loosing a tight connection on a pipe or what tool to use for a particular task. I now understand basic plumbing however, and it is amazing that in 2025, everyone can get hot showers at anytime in their homes. 200 years ago that was a luxury.
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