Why I should have just fixed the bathroom myself:
These tiles look a little smaller.
Our bathtub has been leaking on the neighbors downstairs for a couple of months now, and after a dozen or so phone calls to the super and to the poor neighbors, we finally worked out that the super could fix the mess on Monday morning at 8:30.
He came Sunday at noon. Then he requested an extension cord, a pan for water, a marker, and some paper towels to help him get the job done. I’m not an expert on home improvement, but I think the tiles you put in should be about the same size as the tiles you take out. And I think there’s supposed to be some grout in between them things, amirite?
To the neighbor’s credit, they have been really friendly to us through the whole silly mess, despite the super snowing them with tales of our refusal to let him in. One of the polite notes they left said, “According to Benny (our lovely super), he’s been unable to get into your apartment to caulk your tub – he says you won’t leave him a key. I am inclined not to believe a single word that exits from his mouth.” You are right, wonderful neighbor. He still has never returned a phone call.
This degree of craftsmanship was really predictable, and I really did want to do the project myself, but all kinds of liability stuff happens in NYC if a tenant tries to fix something. The work I get paid to do takes precise work in such a similar context that seeing the end result of Benny’s job makes me kinda cranky.
Anyway, I’m gonna be stinky for a day or two while we wait for the mastic to dry (and we’re running a pool on when/if he comes back to caulk the tub), but we also got some promising new neighbor friends out of the deal. I think that actually makes it pretty worth the trouble.
