The Love Shack

One of goals for the garage is to add a bathroom to the extra room in the garage.  Carl calls this room "The Love Shack." The previous owner had used this space as a little workshop, a place to clean vegetables, and a place to store his fishing items. Since the main house only has two bedrooms, it is hard to comfortably sleep more than 2 guests.  We did have beds in the Love Shack, but if a person had to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night, he had to go outside and walk to our back door, unlock the door and then use utility room  restroom.  Not many enjoyed this process.  Since our friends live over 3 hours away and daughters and our siblings and their families live out of state, we need an additional place for people to stay comfortably and securely.

Since we have limited financial resources, of course, we want to add this as economically as we can.  So, over the years, we have been saving items like toilets, sinks, tile, faucets, etc.  from Carl's jobs, friends' remodeling ventures, and from when we just run across needed items.  The Love Shack's cabinets and floors are littered with these items along with other stuff.

Step 1:
After a few years of discussions, I drew up a very crude plan and elevation sketch.  Carl took measurements, staked it out and then developed a more refined plan. We also want an exterior shower for our quick rinse offs after being in the bay or at the beach and we want water and sewage hook-ups for friends and family that want to park their RVs in the back yard.

Step 2:
Submit plans to engineering firm to get wind-storm code specifications.  (Engineer happens to live next door!) Carl then submitted these to the city along with an application for a building permit and a site plan.

 Step 3:
I just couldn't wait so while Carl was away at a funeral and then to visit his mom, I got out my favorite red shovel and started to dig the beam. As I started digging, I called Carl and the engineer told him to have the beams 24 inches deep instead of 12 " like the beams for the Garden Shed.  I was not happy, but thankfully there weren't as many roots as in the last place dug.

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 I was so proud that I had it done  before Carl returned from his trip.  Then we got the plans  from the engineer and we need another beam in the middle!  So, I am still not done digging!
(Sort of looks like a burial mound.)

Step 4:
CLEAN OUT THE LOVE SHACK!
Refinishing utility room doors is done so I moved out my painting stuff . More stuff was moved to the Garden Shed.  One big item was a wood-burning stove that is to go into the living room.  So before we could remove that Carl had to put down tile in a part of the living room for the stove.  That progress will be in another posting.

Step 5:
Before digging any more or forming up the slab, Carl had to meet with the plumber and get that priced out and scheduled.  

Here are pictures of the east end of the garage where the bathroom will be attached.

 

Future Steps will be added as we go.