An important meeting today resulted in a plan for fixing the leak where the roof of the addition meets the old roof of the house. It was determined that the old roof shingles are very brittle, and many of them cracked when disturbed by the new construction. This caused the leak.

Before the project began we thought the old shingles were in acceptable condition. This turned out not to be the case. So we will be re-shingling the roof on the south side of the family room, an expensive but necessary solution.

Meanwhile, the new bathtub arrived, and this time the drain is at the correct end!

New bathtub.

Todd the plumber set the new tub in place on its bed of mortar, another step forward.

The bathtub on its bed of mortar is securely in place.

Lots of plumbing work was accomplished today. Todd the plumber extended the PEX water lines from the bathroom into the new shower, then hooked them up to the shower controls.

Bathroom water lines.

The new shower will have a conventional shower head on the left and a handheld shower head on the right. The diverter in the photo below will send water to one shower head or the other. There will be a bench on the right so that one can sit down while using the handheld shower.

This is a small example of “universal design,” the concept that a room should be equally usable for both able-bodied persons and those with disabilities. In this case, the bench and handheld shower are intended primarily for a disabled family member, but an able-bodied person can use it, too. Everyone benefits.

Shower plumbing, with temperature control on the bottom and diverter above.

From the shower, the plumber extended the water lines into the laundry room and plumbed the connectors for the washer. This flexible PEX water pipe sure beats the more expensive copper pipe!

Washer hookup.