High-rise helper

Every new job site presents its own set of challenges. For instance, the lumber for a backyard deck-build on a rural property can be placed adjacent the actual build site, because the property likely grants ample access for a forklift drop, whereas the same lumber would be placed on the edge of a driveway within the city limits and carried to the site due to limited access to the backyard.

The same holds true for interior projects, such as a recently started bathroom renovation on the 20th floor of a high-rise condominium.

When the bathroom remodel was first proposed, it became clear from the onset that there would be a series of hurdles, primarily with the renovation itself; the electrical and plumbing modifications alone would require the appropriate commercial permits, installation by certified technicians and subsequent inspections which may inherently cause unexpected delays. Although these tasks would eventually be tackled, an earlier aspect of the project had eluded me until the initial demolition process began — what was the most efficient and convenient way to remove the demo’d elements of the old bathroom, before the actual renovation process could begin?

Typically, a bathroom gut can occur in a single day. The space is cleared of any and all existing amenities that are not being recycled into the new bathroom design, until all that remains is the shell of the space to then be prepped for the impending remodel. And as the elements are extricated, they are most often piled up temporarily within a quarantined area outside in the yard, close to an access door of the house awaiting pickup by a junk removal service. When these elements exist on the 20th floor of a building, the process quickly becomes more complicated.

The amenities extraction process would be broken into two; a temporary staging area within the condo itself, and then a location outside for junk pickup.

After protecting the condo flooring with roll cardboard, the bathroom was systematically dismantled; the old mirrors were eliminated, the old pedestal sink and toilet were removed, and the dated light fixtures were dismounted and kept as temporary lighting during the initial stages of the remodel. The old linen closet was completely torn down, revealing not the long end of the three-piece tub surround, but the ancient one-by-one inch tile along the previous tub and shower stall that had simply been hidden by the tub surround unit.

Before dismantling the old three-piece fiberglass tub and shower, the ceiling drywall sheathed with old tile was broken into manageable sections and placed in the staging area. The tub surround was then fully extracted, allowing the tiled wall removal to occur in sections. As you can imagine, the amount of junk began to pile up at an exponential rate. Soon it would be time to strategically lug it all down 20 floors, so it could be picked up and hauled away.

The freight elevator was reserved for the following day. The next morning, I loaded the truck with as many empty, larger cardboard boxes as I could find. I also stopped at a local hardware store to replenish my supply of heavy-duty garbage bags.

While wandering through the aisles, it also dawned on me that a dolly may come in handy, for some of the larger items to be hauled down.

To my delight, a particular dolly caught my eye — the Milwaukee 800-lb convertible dolly, which offers the traditional two-wheel dolly option and, with the flip of a lever, converts to a four-wheel platform dolly. Without hesitating, I purchased the dolly and made my way to the condo.

It quickly became apparent that the four-wheel setup provides more stability while negotiating the entryways to and from the condo suite, as well as the freight elevator.

Although it seemed like an endless number of trips up and down the elevator, to and from the suite to the junk pile outside in the back of the building, the junk pile within the condo began to dissipate.

Of the last few amenities hauled down, it was the old tub surround that presented the biggest hurdle when attempting to negotiate the tight corners through doorways and in and out of the elevator. Fortunately, the convertible dolly truly made the process plausible, hastening what surely would have been a prolonged and arduous activity.

Who knew?

I’ve often said, the proper tools are essential for efficiency and consistency. Had I not stumbled upon the convertible dolly, I would never have even conceived of its existence.

What a novel idea! I am thrilled this dolly has become a permanent part of my renovating arsenal.

Although it might not be required at every job site, it is truly comforting to know it’ll be accessible. ’Cuz let’s be honest, I’m not getting any younger — any device that allows me to work smarter and not harder is well worth the investment.

RenoBoss.Inc@outlook.com