I'm renovating my childhood home, which was built in the 60s, and it's proving quite challenging. Today, while repainting the main bathroom, I discovered that the old linoleum flooring was wet underneath. As I peeled it back, I found a leaking toilet and even roots growing through the pipes! After ripping up multiple layers of linoleum, I also found cracks in the foundation. Now the floor is a mess of paper and glue, and I need to replace the toilet because of hairline cracks. I'm feeling really overwhelmed and unsure of my next steps, especially since I'm new to renovations and on a tight budget. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
3 Answers
Honestly, if you’re feeling overwhelmed, it might be worth considering hiring someone to help. There’s no shame in recognizing when a job is too much, especially with the plumbing problems you're facing.
If it were me, I’d just rip everything out and start fresh. It sounds like you found a lot of underlying issues, so it’s better to fix it all now rather than patch things up and have more problems later.
I feel for you! A wet floor and a leaking toilet are definitely not what you want to find during a DIY project. For the glue and paper, try wetting it down a bit; it should scrape off easier that way. Just be ready—those roots could be a bigger headache and might require a plumber to deal with.
Good tip! Also, if the roots are in the sewer line, definitely don’t try to handle that yourself.
Thanks for the advice! Starting fresh might be the best route, even if it feels daunting.