A YouTube video detailing a minor bathroom upgrade that unexpectedly turned into an extensive remodel has become hugely popular online.
Kristy Letterly, a 33-year-old DIY content creator from Arizona, shared the details of the incident in a video uploaded to her YouTube channel. @designingparkside Since being posted on April 6, the video has attracted over 1.5 million views.
The video aimed to capture something simple and direct. renovation of her guest bathroom But as Letterly states in the video, "My minor facelift ended up being a major overhaul."
"This bathroom was outdated, and all of the finishes were original to the home. This is our guest bathroom that isn't used very often, but we had guests coming to stay, so my original plan was to just 'spruce it up' a bit," Letterly told Massima.
But plans changed quickly. "I made the mistake of thinking I could give this bathroom a quick face-lift, and things escalated pretty quickly," she says in the clip.
There is a larger pattern among Americans investing in home renovations A study conducted by Houzz, an online platform for home design, revealed that the median cost of renovations in the U.S. increased by 60% from 2020 to 2023, rising from $15,000 to $24,000. According to the findings, guest bathrooms were the second most frequently updated indoor areas in 2023, as indicated by 27% of participants who focused their efforts on these rooms during refurbishments.
In the video, Letterly mentions: "My initial plan was simply to replace the faucet. However, since the sink and countertop were badly damaged, I removed them altogether."
After taking out the sink, Letterly uncovered more significant problems. She explains in the video, "Initially, I planned to paint the cabinets but then noticed extensive water damage that also needed to be addressed."
That’s when the project took an unexpected twist. After removing the old vanity, Letterly discovered signs of water damage both on its exterior and on the surrounding floor. Further investigation revealed that the water supply pipes for the sink were badly corroded, and there was also a leak in the pipe connected to the toilet. Massima.
In the video snippet, she indicates a valve under the toilet and states, “When I removed the toilet, I noticed these valves had been leaking extensively.” The scene displays towels capturing leftover dampness, highlighting the issue. She further explains, “I had to install new replacements for all three valves; however, due to severe corrosion, I couldn’t remove them myself and required assistance,” as noted by Letterly.
Even with the obstacles, the avid do-it-yourselfer continued their work. "It took many hours and lots of frustration, but eventually we managed to replace all three valves," states Letterly. "However, after completing that task, we chose to take out all the baseboards along with this outdated linoleum to assess the extent of the damage... And it wasn’t pretty."
In the footage, she demonstrates raising the floorboards to expose extensive water damage. "The extent of the water damage turned out to be quite severe, not limited only to the area beneath the toilet. It extended to every corner too," explains Letterly in the clip. "As a result, I needed to take away this complete wooden section to ensure that the moisture wouldn’t penetrate further down into the subflooring."
The emotional toll of the project was clear. "Honestly, I regret starting this project," Letterly says in the clip. "I wish I could just close this door and pretend this bathroom doesn't even exist."
Letterly told Massima Her greatest remorse was attempting to undertake the refurbishment with a limited timeframe. "If I had known about all the problems that required attention, I would have postponed and carried out a thorough reconstruction rather than hastily putting everything back together for our visitors to utilize."
Even though the project took an unexpected turn, Letterly managed to finish most of the renovations single-handedly. She mentioned, “I’ve completed the bathroom overhaul myself.” She continued, “Apart from getting assistance from my fiancé in loosening some rusted water pipes which I found difficult to remove alone, the entire task was done independently by me.”
Luckily, Letterly’s stash of home improvement supplies kept the expenses of the renovation under control. She mentioned, “The most costly item was the new Vanity, however, I completed everything within a budget of less than $500.” She added, “After repairing and replacing the pipes and removing the water-damaged subfloor, the remaining work turned out to be quite straightforward.”
Would you like to share a home interior or DIY-related video or story? If so, let us know at life@Massima, and your story might be highlighted on our platform. Massima.
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