Waiting is Frustrating !

On the weekend, A didn't work at all and so we were out and about looking at tiles, baths, toilets, vanities, tapware - pretty much anything that we might want to replace in the bathroom.  So, because I am so anal about finances lots of stuff, we did all the homework about how much (roughly) the bathroom reno was going to cost us except A kept saying, we can get that cheaper through XXX.  On Monday I sent him off with the list of items we had seen - makes, models etc so he could get the 'mates rates' from XXX and we could see what we could really afford to get done.  No luck with him getting there on Monday but he did get there yesterday.

Original comment from XXX - bring us what you want and we will get better prices for you even if we don't deal with them normally.  Not so fast !!!!  They can't get a price on the vanity and basins because they don't deal with them but they did say here, have this brochure from the people we do deal with.  OK, so we look through that - our current vanity is 1620mm long - the longest one in the brochure 1200mm.  Can they make bigger vanities ?  I don't know - will have to ask them.  BUGGER - another day of waiting !!!!  A is really keen on a double basin vanity - why, goodness alone knows ?  We have always shared everything and it is so seldom that we both want to use the basin at the same time, I can't see the point but he hardly ever says "I would really like this" - how can I say we only need one basin ?  Geez, I don't care one way or the other, I just want to know - are we doing the reno or are we going to Canada OR can we do both ?????

Who would have thought that choosing taps and showerheads could be so difficult ?  Who knew that there were so many different ones to choose from ?  Who knew that there were so many different shower heads and combinations of dumpers, rails, out the wall, out the ceiling ?  Do we want taps or mixers ?  If you want taps what tap head would you like ?  If you want a mixer, what style mixer would you like ?  Jeepers, I don't know - I just want something that lets me get the water out the shower or into the basin.  The toilet, I just want something I can sit on and do what I need to do - does it have to be soft close - not really, does it need to do anything else - not really - can I just have some basic model that does what a toilet is supposed to do ? 

Are all renos this difficult ?  Is that why we have done very little renovating since we moved in just over 11 years ago ?  Is it just that I forgot all the hassles from that long ago, otherwise I would never have suggested doing the bathroom reno and would have just not looked at the tiles falling off the wall ?

Hopefully by the end of the week we will know one way or the other whether we are renovating or not and whether we are doing a complete renovation or a 'do what we need to but keep what we can' kind of renovation.  I know I want to do the complete renovation but don't want it to be at the expense of celebrating in Canada.  I have horrible memories of an $8k pool renovation turning into a $30k complete outdoor renovation which added great value and space to our home but one thing just seemed to snowball into another and before we knew it, our budget was blown.  Granted, none of the money was wasted and we have a fantastic entertainment area but it just shows me how one idea can lead to something so much bigger than we ever anticipated.  We have the money, it is just ear marked for something else so I guess I am going to have to play finance policeman to make sure if when we go over budget, it is within an acceptable limit.

Do you have any reno stories that may help me in my quest for making sure that, if this reno goes ahead, it goes smoothly ?

Have a wonderful Wednesday !

Love, hugs and positive energy.

TFTD : Don't use errors as an excuse to beat yourself up.  Use them as an opportunity to lift yourself up.  Forgiveness is the great healer - Alan Cohen