I am so freaking bummed out!!

18 years ago

OK, OK, I live in a 190 year old house and nothing is level, everything is crooked.

Doing a bathroom remodel....carpenter said he would level the floor, which we needed to do for the tub and the vanity.

Previous tub and vanity were shimmed up and the discrepancy covered up by cove molding 30 years ago. 30 years ago I was oblivious to decorating and any solution on a very limited budget was ok with me. (I even picked out my bathroom faucet from 2 faucets the plummer had rattling around in his truck)

Anyway, our bathroom (9X8) connects to the next room by a 'doorway'

with no door in it, and that room is a dressing room that is carpeted.

Well, the difference between the two rooms after the leveling and after a heating mat and after porcelain tile is 3 1/2 INCHES !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If we raise the dressing room floor to match, the 3 1/2" discrepency will happen between the dressing room and the hallway!

The dressing room has a clothing closet with bifold doors, a linen closet with a regular door and the door to the room itself from the hall.

The carpenter wants to put a steep ramp between the two rooms. It can't be gradual as a closet door has to open nearby and a ramp would get in the way.

I don't want a 'step' there, as in the last 2 weeks I've already tripped or stubbed my toe multiple times. I would be petrified of falling.

I see no solution other than the stupid ramp, which would be oak.

I just wanna cry.....

The bathroom floor is now perfectly level and the porcelain looks great, but..............................................:-(

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Comments (5)

bill_vincent
18 years ago
It's kind of late now, but I have two comments. First, I know what you mean. I'm renting in a 100 year old farm house right now, and about to buy another one right next door. I've kinda gotten accustomed to the "oceanic" floors. However, once into the "new" house, not a thing is being done to any of the floors until I get someone in there to jack and brace the joisting to bring the FRAMING of the floors atleast CLOSE to level. Once that's done, atleast to the point where it's not noticeable, THEN I'll flatten the floors, and install the tile, hardwood, and carpeting. That brings me to my second comment. The floor does NOT need to be level-- Only flat-- as far as the tile's concerned. As for the tub, that's a different story. You say the floor was out 3 1/2", but you didn't say over how big a span. If the tub only had to be shimmed 1/2- 3/4" on the low end, you could've kept with what you had. By the time underlayment and tile went down, the gap would've been hidden.
sombreuil_mongrel
18 years ago
It's more comfortable if the toilet can be level. This was one thing I was able to accomplish in my bath rehab. Overall the floor slopes 1.75 inches in 8 feet, but I planed and shimmed around the commode so the water level in the bowl matches the rim!
Casey
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igloochic
18 years ago
We live on pilings, so we don't attempt level...just flat as Bill mentioned. The slope grows from the first level to the fifth so much that I had to go outside and check if we were in the leaning tower :) Bringing it "level" would no accomplish anything...well I suppose it would, but only until the next earth quake hits (which is monthly).

I'm wondering...can you put the sloped jam in the bathroom side of the door, and yes it would be a quick slope, but if you could hide a few inches under the door jam it would help visably. It's too late to "fix" things correctly, but at least if you cut out some of the tile, and begin the slope on that side it will help.
Molly Brown
Original Author
18 years ago
OK, here are some photos:
The height difference between the two sections of the bathroom. (by the way, there is a 'doorway' between the two sections, but no 'door") Difference is 3 1/2 inches.
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The right side of the height diff to show that there is a closet door there that a ramp might interfere with...
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The other end of the 'dressing room' as it joins into the main hallway...
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ARRRGGGHHH!!!!
igloochic
18 years ago
Personally...I'd rip it all out and start over hun...it's awful. THe tub could have had a raised area constructed to make it a feature of the room, without being a tripping hazard. A ramp is going to be a tripping hazard, and it's going to be ugly...you could fan it out to fix some of the tripping issues, or even build a step with rounded ends (like at the base of stairs) but a 3" step is also a tripping hazard (since the body expects a standard 7" rise).

If you don't rip it out, the closet will never open properly and it's gonna be...well funky. I'm completely understanding about working on stuff, but you don't want to end up with funky...we passed on two homes because of funky stuff like that (we're looking at homes out of state...all historic). I'd be embaressed to be that "craftsman" (I used the term very very lightly in his case) since no craftsman of his ilk would leave you with a mess like this...did he not notice the door to the closet? If you're going to have a step...he could at least build the room out to the door jam so it won't be totally goofy, or do a recessed and decorative step inside the room...but you don't end mid door with something like this.

Honestly....I'd rip it out (or have him do it since he owes you...) then hire a real carpenter to do it right.