Wow... A lot of effort put in to make a mess that big!

I did see it at one point during mid construction where the old subway tile from the previous powder room and the new subway tile they installed (and later removed) were on two different levels horizontally and two different planes front to back. So it was even worse at one point.

But I saw this wall and said "wouldn't it just be easier to tear the whole thing down and build a new one?" Apparently they didn't think so. They thought it was easier to cobble the four different parts of it together. (and remember its all new, no new joined to old here)

Luckily they didn't compound the issue by nailing the pocket door into the pocket when they installed the trim like another contractor I saw the work of.

Anyway it works and the shower doesn't leak so it is okay for the renters and it is so abysmally bad I will feel no guilt whatsoever in demolishing a nearly new bath when the time comes.

Oh, that is hysterical!! I'm sure their agent must have told them that if they sold the house as having X number of bathrooms and they didn't finish this that you could come after them for fraud or non-performance or something. Your poor renters. :) Tell me at least this was use what's on hand? Not couldn't be bothered to buy all the same materials?

Well, it's odd looking but at least it's functional and not dangerous. They just demo'ed the old fireplace in our house. Apparently it was put in in an early remodel. It had a large hearth that covered 2/3 of the wall. We found that they had:

- used that flexible gas line stuff to go from the floor through the hearth to the firebox;
- put wire nuts on the wires from the electrical boxes that had been in the wall to extend the wires to new outlets on the hearth;
- cut out a piece of a joist that was in the way of the flue.

They didn't box around the cut out joist to join it to the adjacent joists or anything - the ends just come to the edge of the hole for the flue and stop.

This all looked fine from the outside and we lived with it for more than 20 years without knowing what was there.

You're alive! I saw all the mess that Irene threw at PA and was worried about your two properties. It's great that this monument to incompetence was preserved for prosperity.

The apartment (1840s bldg.), had some water infiltration around the windows and this was solved by keeping towels on the sills and changing them occasionally. It was driven in around the storm windows and the brick also picks up some water. Nothing we haven't been through before.

The new house had a tiny bit of water in the basement near the outside drain for the patio.

We did find some splinters on the floor from the exposed wood ceiling/rafters on the third floor of the new house from the earthquake. The old house made a lot of noise but no cracks in plaster or anything. I was more worried about the old house since it is self supporting masonry, but there were no wall collapses in the neighborhood. There were across the river though.

Yea, that bathroom is so awful I could only laugh and shrug. There is no half measure in saving it. As long as the plumbing doesn't leak until we move in, I will be ok with it.

Just look at the innovative use of reclaimed building materials! I find it green and quaint!

(There's someone in my family who displays that sort of workmanship. He's not in PA. It's a source of family shame. No, I didn't have him help with my remodel.)

And this is a real co? How do they get away with this, and still get paid? No one gave them a license I, hope.

You win. :( I've seen some amazing stuff tacked up in advance of my appraisal, but I have nothing to beat that.

Apparently the first contractors were fired. I seem to remember that there was a pocket door attached right to the ceiling at one point and that's why the walls didnt match at all. It just kinda came over and bumped into an obstruction.

(this may or may not be true, I may have dreamed that part--but it's certainly a likelihood)

I think the second contractors just cobbled together most of what was there to the best of their ability.

There was lots of drama behind the scenes, because I think this second bath was done under the advisement of the Realtor based upon feedback and once things started to go south the sellers said any further expenses would come out of his commission.

I think this is what happened in the past: the woman who lived in the house was assisted financially by her father in the purchase. In 2007 something happened and the woman moved back in with her parents and did an inexpensive kitchen and 1.5 baths redo (White laminate flush cabinets and counters, and scratch and dent appliances; all white bathroom with nice pedestal sink and all the rest big box store).Considering they were done on a budget, completely inoffensive and a decent "fit" for the house.

The house was meant to go on the market at the time the market went south so she moved out but held onto the house.

The market continued to rise in the zipcode and she decided to sell the house and got the feedback about only 1.5 baths.

I am saying this because the house was basically that of an untidy person (dirty light switches and receptacle plates; dust on the tops of the door trim and an overall kind of "painted over grime")... But...the DW, fridge and range were pristine inside. I don't think the oven has ever been turned on, and the half bath, (before it was destroyed) looked unused. But the appliances are several years old, not for new for the sale at this time. I think she literally moved out and kept the house running but empty.