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.

A variety of interior framing details were started today. What was originally an exterior window on one end of the family room was opened up, creating a doorway from the family room to the laundry room. This opening will get a pocket door.

Once a window, it’s now a doorway between the laundry and the family room.

A second pocket door will provide entry from the hallway into the new shower room. Some of the pocket door hardware was installed today.

Track for a pocket door.

A portion of the work day was devoted to tracking down the source of a water leak where the roof of the addition meets the roof of the existing house. A plan is in place to fix the problem before it can cause any delay in drywall work. Luckily, the problem was revealed before any finish work was done in the affected area.

At mid-morning, a representative from our flooring sub-contractor came to measure our rooms. They’ll be providing carpeting for the bedroom, hallway, and walk-in closet; ceramic tile for the bathroom and shower; and luxury vinyl for the laundry, quilt studio, and second bathroom.