Project Manager Without a Project Team

As it seems there isn’t any way I’m going to convince The Big Guy that moving to the Sunshine Coast is what we should do, we’re faced with a house that requires maintenance and general upkeep to keep it in a condition that satisfies our desires for someplace warm, dry and pleasurable to live in and look at.

The Big Guy has managed to turn a single leak discovered several months ago at one garage window into a major outside siding repair, deck repair, cleaning, painting, and eavestrough/downspout replacement project.

This spring, partially to avoid getting dragged into too much of the outside work, I decided to take on a couple of inside rooms.

Repainting the kitchen was pretty easy and didn’t take too long.

Now I’m working on "my" bathroom. This is the main bathroom upstairs and was last decorated by me almost 25 years ago.

Here are a few "Before" pictures.




Yeah, it’s time. That 1980’s look has got to go…

I have noticed that using baskets as decorator items is trendy again. No matter, these baskets will be tossed!


Task List (more or less in the order in which things are getting done):

• Remove mirror, light fixture, picture and other stuff attached to walls, curtain, curtain rod, towel bar, toilet paper holder, switch and electrical outlet covers, bathroom vent cover and everything sitting on the window sill, counter, toilet tank and floor.


• Remove tank from toilet.


• Strip off the old wallpaper, fill in the holes in the walls, sand the walls, vacuum up the dust and loose bits of paper.


• Clean all surfaces including ceiling, tile above bathtub, window and the sliding glass shower doors.


• Paint window trim, window sill and the outside edge of the tile.


• Put up the new wallpaper.


• Remove the moldy old grout around bathtub and put in new grout.


• Replace electrical switches and outlets (old ones are beige, I need white ones for the new wallpaper and paint color scheme). Re-install light fixture. Attach new bathroom vent cover.


• Reattach toilet tank. Check for leaks and adjust as required until nothing leaks.


• Hang the mirror.


• Install new towel rack and the old toilet paper holder.


• Install new wall shelf for the radio.


• Hang the picture. Place the stylish new bench/laundry hamper and wastepaper basket in their designated spots.


• Decide whether to rehang the old curtain (washed), buy/make a new curtain, or leave the window uncovered.


• Put back the toiletries, knick-knacks, etc., making decisions about which should return to their old spots and which should be hidden inside drawers and cupboards.


• Optional Task that can be put off until I really feel like it: Clean out the drawers and under-sink cupboard.

So far, I’m almost done striping off the old wallpaper except for the part behind the toilet. I’m waiting for a good moment to ask The Big Guy to help me remove the toilet tank. The Big Guy and Plumbing never get on well so I have to be very careful to choose the right time...

I can do everything else myself except maybe he’ll want to do the electrical work. I’ve read up on how to de-install and install electrical switches and outlets and it doesn’t look too hard to me but it sure would be a lot easier and quicker for him to do it.

Back when I used to do work that people paid me money to do, I was, from time to time, a project manager. The methods have some applicability to my bathroom improvement project. Unfortunately I have no team to delegate tasks to so I have to do nearly everything myself. And I find that not having a paying customer or a stressed-out boss makes the schedules and deadlines much more relaxed.

Sure would be nice to have that mirror back up sometime soon.

Need to have a word with the project manager about the schedule slips... Not to mention the budget.