Gracie Does Home Reno

[Cynthia White]

I was talking to one of the guru's here by PM, and he suggested I post this for all to enjoy the fun and games and make suggestions.

We're going to take a bedroom upstairs and make it into a walk-in closet for the master bedroom. So in order to do that we have to open the wall between the master and the next bedroom, and then wall off the doorway in the extra bedroom to the hall. I mentioned this a while ago, and the issue has reared it's ugly head again, so I have to open up this wall tomorrow.

Not a lot to see here, but this is the master bed side. To the left is the outside wall, and to the right is the wall to the hallway. we're going to take out 2 studs, 16" on center and have the opening from one stud edge to the other, roughly 46-47" wide. not gonna put a door there. You can see that there's an electrical outlet on the master side on the right. I'll start the opening just past that stud there, i.e. one stud in from the interior hall wall. I have to be careful because I don't know where the wires are behind the wall.



Here's the other bedroom wall right behind the previous picture. So to the left is the interior hall wall and to the right is the outside wall. On this side there's a phone outlet in the same place as the electrical outlet on the other side. don't need no stinkin' phone in the closet. The next photo (sorry it's out of focus) shows a heating vent in the floor. I'll stop the opening at the stud just left of the heating vent so I don't have to move it () or close it off. That's the main reason I'm not starting the opening one more stud away from the interior hall wall side--I don't want to deal with that heating vent. I starting drawing some vertical lines on the edge of a stud, then I realized I had to move one stud closer to the side wall, that's why there are 3 vertical lines.

So I've got a Sawzall, but I'm not using it, don't worry, until I know where the wires are. So I'll open the wall tomorrow. It'll be stomp and steer.





Any suggestions are appreciated.

[Ken Cook]

Sounds like you have a plan, that's half the battle ..what kind of suggestions are you looking for? Paint color? Square footage between his & her's ...I'll add this tid-bit, when you open the wall, do it in small sections and between each stud so you can see down inside for wiring or other surprises.

[Cynthia White]

Sounds like you have a plan, that's half the battle ..what kind of suggestions are you looking for? Paint color? Square footage between his & her's ...I'll add this tid-bit, when you open the wall, do it in small sections and between each stud so you can see down inside for wiring or other surprises.

that's the kind of tidbit I need. I'll be careful.

Paint color? nah, I got that down to a science.........square footage? nah, that's easy. 1 shelf for him, the rest for me. His wardrobe would fit in a brown paper bag. must be a guy thing. I'm a newlywed, and he was not pleased when I moved in with 15,000 pounds of stuff.

[Ken Cook]

... His wardrobe would fit in a brown paper bag.

Don't know about a wardrobe, but I have carried a liquid lunch in a brown paper bag ..................... have fun!

[Steve Southwood]

Cut your access hole up around 4 foot or so and look down into the wall. There SHOULDN'T be any wires at that height.

[Cynthia White]

Well, I followed your lead, Steve and started at about 4' high. I was really really careful, and I still barely nicked a wire--just the plastic sheath I think--I'll show it to LOML later. I haven't gotten to the ceiling yet--need a step stool.

The lessons I learned today:

1. This is dirty dusty work.
2. You need eye protection and a respirator (see #1)
3. You need a step stool or ladder.
4. It's helpful to empty the shop vac *before* you drag it up 2 flights of stairs.
5. No sense suffering trying to force the tip of your drywall (hand)saw into the wall to get started. A couple of good whacks with a hammer gives you a nice hole to stick your saw in.
6. Nobody who does this stuff all day needs to go to the gym for exercise.

[Rennie Heuer]

It will be fun to watch someone else go through this for a little while.

[Steve Southwood]

Been two days, get anymore done?