I can't write much about Brian's experience. We didn't buy the easy installation ceiling fan, which we probably should have, since neither one of us has ceiling fan installation experience. It took Brian a couple of hours to put the fan up. However, now our room looks like this:
The faucet, on the other hand, was a different story. Three weeks ago I was in serious danger of twisting the copper piping completely off. After a call from my dad, I knew what to do to loosen the coupling nut without messing up the supply tube. Low and behold, it worked! (Thanks, Dad!) I was all excited. I did both supply tubes, and moved up to the bolts that hold the actual faucet to the sink. I did the first one, which was so easy it was silly. It was making sense that the online sites I'd referenced before said it should take about an hour to replace a faucet. Then there was bolt number two. Also known as "the bolt from hell". I tried unsuccessfully for about half an hour to loosen the bolt. Tried and tried. Finally decided to take a break. Brian was still working on the fan, so I headed upstairs for a visit. He was having a rough time also, but making progress. So I decided to continue my quest of a new faucet.
After a quick prayer for strength, I managed to free the bolt (which lead to a prayer of thanks). I worked at it for another half an hour. Nothing. Then I noticed that the screw was rotating whenever I twisted the bolt. Not good. Brandon was floating between the bedroom upstairs and the kitchen to see what his dad and mom were doing. It was nice to have some company, but I was afraid I was going to drop a heavy wrench on his head. I took a break to get him out from under the sink, and plan my next move. By now I was up to two hours, Caitlin needed to get up, and the old faucet was still in our sink! And my lower back was killing me. Brian decided to give it a shot. He had slightly better luck than me, but only slightly.
So, what did it take to get our faucet out? A hacksaw! The bolt was so corroded that we actually had to hack it in half to get the faucet out! I had to head out to Home Depot to get a small hacksaw, since the one we had was to big.
Yeah! It's out! I could begin the installation of the new faucet!!! So exciting! No, not really. After getting the new faucet in and tightened, I noticed that the attached copper supply tubes from the new faucet were about an inch higher than the copper supply tubes already under our counters. AAAHHH!! They don't reach! But never fear.... I'd already bought flexible supply tubes!! I put those in, and the valve ends don't fit!!! And it was 9:08 pm. Hardware stores were closed. I took a quick trip to Wal-mart, but the supply tubes were the same as what I already had. Quietly, tiredly, I slumped home. By now it was close to 10:00 pm, and I was defeated. I was exhausted, sweaty, looked terrible, and only had an aching lower back to show for all my effort. In a strange twist, I decided to try the supply tubes again, on different sides. And they fit! I was happy and disappointed all at the same time. Why didn't I try that an hour earlier? And all that work..... almost 6 hours later.... I have, um, this...... (taa daa?)...
There's nothing wrong with our new faucet. I like it, and it works easily and well. But, man, all that work..... for a stupid faucet!!!!
Oh, did I mention we got a new sofa? Our house now feels complete. We're beat, but our house is in working order
3 comments:
oooh - nice sofa! and ceiling fan!! and faucet! well, it's just a faucet, but it cost you so much effort i felt i had to say something about it. congratulations on getting the job done and on keeping prayer in your toolbox.
i love the photo of you and brian tired but triumphant. who took that one?
Yes, we were beat by a bolt. Sad, but true. I'm sure contractors can hacksaw a bolt easily, but not us!
We set the camera on auto picture. I think our kids may have either been in bed, or on their 32nd video by that point. Aren't we great parents?
Oh man, thank goodness my faucet replacement was more the 0ne-hour version. If anything had gone that awry I may have cried myself silly!
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