bathroom
renovations
date: July 7, 2025
location: San Jose, CA
camera: Leica Q2
Two Months, One Bathroom, and a Whole Lot of Learning
After 10 years of renting our home, we finally tackled the project we'd been dreaming about: renovating our single, incredibly dated bathroom. Our landlords are absolute gems who've let us make real improvements over the years – central AC, painting the entire interior — so when we asked about a full bathroom gut, they gave us the green light.
The Plan (vs. Reality)
The contractor estimated one month for our tiny space. Since we only have one bathroom, I had the brilliant idea to rent a luxury bathroom trailer complete with shower. Game changer! I absolutely loved the design process — picking materials and working through layouts with my aunt was the highlight of the whole experience. Then we broke ground, and reality hit hard.
The Daily Circus
Every day brought a new rotation of workers. Our poor cat spent her days behind a baby gate, banished to the front of the house while strangers tramped through with tools. Some days, no one showed up at all. Communication with the contractor became increasingly frustrating, and I found myself taking on way more project management than I'd ever planned.
The toilet finally went in after three weeks. Unfortunately, our luxury bathroom rental was only for a month, so when that disappeared, we got creative. Picture this: my husband and I taking turns holding a shower curtain while the other carefully showered in our half-finished bathroom with no glass doors. Gym showers became our backup plan.
Lessons Learned the Hard Way
Two months later (a full month behind schedule), we could finally call it complete. Despite the contractor challenges, every single skilled worker who came through was incredible. The bathroom looks absolutely amazing, and I'm so proud of what we accomplished.
But I learned some important things about myself: I really only enjoy the design part of renovations. Once construction started, I felt like I needed to be constantly present to check work and catch mistakes. We had several instances of things done incorrectly due to poor communication, plus all the fun surprises that come with an old home.
Worth Every Frustrating Day
Despite the delays, stress, and shower curtain gymnastics, my husband and I are so grateful our landlords trusted us with this project. Our bathroom went from dysfunctional to serene and beautiful. Sometimes the most challenging projects teach you the most — about renovation, about yourself, and about the value of really good contractors.
