Back to the Original with a Twist

Many changes since I met with my Contractor. We are shooting for May 6th as the start of the demolition work. Since then, I have found that the latest design layout would not work due to a problem with the closet entryway.  So it is back the original layout.

During this time, I have also had a change in the look. Instead of a white vanity, I have decided that cherry would look better with the teak floor and ceiling of the steam house. After talking with many of my friends, I have also decided to drop the sliding bathroom door, and go with a more functional door.

The new door is from
Feather River Doors Multicube Woodgrain 1-Lite Unfinished Pine Interior Door Slab



I am also considering adding glass block to the corner to let light in from the bathroom. Depending on some conversations with  Innovative Building Solutions, I may either add a glass block window or a glass block corner. It should give a lot more light around the steam shower as there is a window to the outside directly opposite.

New Layout

The revised layout now looks like this:

With the switching of the shower and sink, I can finally fit a full 60 inch double vanity into the area and still have room for the shower. 

Change in Vanity

On the bright side of the contractor delay, I was able to come up with a better bathroom layout. I actually think this is going to work out better in the long run, but I have to make sure all the dimensions work out. I had decided against the Ikea sink after seeing it at the store last weekend. While the counter top looked ok, the cabinet just wouldn't work for me. It just looked too flimsy. Going with a 60 inch double sink will definitely work better than a 48 inch.

I was able to find a local vanity warehouse that had something even better. This is a radical change from the original, and about twice the price, but I think it will really make the bathroom look nice, and it is oak with a solid frosted glass top. Going white with frosted green glass will match better with the steam shower house (as they call it on the box).

http://www.homedesignoutletcenter.com/bw-700-60-w-fgt-60-double-modern-bathroom-vanity-set-frosted-glass.html

Shower Arrives

The steam shower arrived on Friday morning. I got a call on Thursday afternoon that the shipment had arrived at the local shipping company and that it would be delivered between 10 am and 4 pm the next day. At 7:30 am on Friday, the local shipper called to say he was on his way. I had to make some quick decisions to get some help getting it in the house that early, but a couple of friends from work helped out. That was a great and so helpful!

The shipment arrived on one pallet of 5 boxes. I was only allowed to inspect the outside of the boxes before accepting the shipment, so I signed with a not that I was unable to inspect as instructed on the the information  from Atlas.

We unpacked and moved the pieces inside, as it was going to rain later in the day. The shipment was well packed and crated, and not damage was found. I am missing a couple of small buttons that act as indicators on the shower faucets knobs. They either fell off in shipment or were never installed at the factory. I checked the box, thinking they may have fallen out, but no luck. I will call tomorrow and see if they can send me the missing pieces.

I am glad that I ordered the larger of the corner units (48 x 48) as it does not seem that big. That opinion may change once we have it assembled and installed. Unfortunately, my contractor hasn't scheduled me yet and is busy finishing up another job. This may be a long wait, and I am excited to get started.

The Floor Plan

The Floor Plan

Tracking Number

Steamshowersinc sent me the tracking number along with a couple of attachments today. The instructions for accepting the delivery was quite extensive, and emphasized the need to inspect the package carefully before acceptance. They use Bullet Freight as their carrier and the delivery is estimated for middle of next week. That is about 5 working days to arrive from their factory on the West Coast to the East Coast.

SHIPPING AND RECEIVING CHECKLIST:

VERY IMPORTANT!!
PLEASE READ THIS ENTIRE DOCUMENT CAREFULLY BEFORE RECEIVING YOUR ITEM

NOTE: IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT YOU DO NOT SIGN FOR A SHIPMENT, ACCEPTING LIABILITY FOR A DELIVERY, THAT YOU HAVE NOT COMPLETELY INSPECTED.

All steam showers, whirlpool bathtubs, sauna units, toilets, vanities and other bulky delivery products purchased will be shipped in one or more wooden crates and/or cardboard boxes on pallets for the protection and safe delivery of your product. All crates are sized to fit through any standardized doorway, and will be shipped by ground for deliveries within the continental United States. All shipments outside the continental United States will require addition fees depending upon the location.

All Curbside Delivery ships within three days of the initial order, unless otherwise stated, and consists of a three to fourteen day transportation period. This may be slightly extended due to unforeseen circumstances such as inclement weather, limited product availability, and Freight Company difficulties.  Additional assistance upon delivery is your responsibility when you schedule your appointment with the freight company.

PLEASE READ:

It is very important to read the information in this document carefully and in its entirety before the arrival of your item for an informed and smooth transition.

• Upon arrival of your item, request the driver to wait and inspect all internal and external contents for damages and/or discrepancies. This is a very important procedural step because you do not want to cause delay if shipment is damaged. Carefully inspect entire contents before releasing the driver from your place of premise. Upon signing the release form, you are accepting responsibility for any damage found after the fact. This includes allowing the driver to leave without adding any notations, and therefore acknowledging that the delivery was received and all items on the shipping manifest were in the good condition.
• When a delivery item is signed and marked in good condition there will be no further requests for an insurance claim.
• When a driver is unable to remain at your premise, please note on the POD - “DRIVER UNABLE TO WAIT FOR INSPECTION – POSSIBLE CONCEALED DAMAGE – SUBJECT TO INSPECTION”.
• If damage is discovered, describe the damage, writing on the Proof of Delivery (POD) – it is vitally important that **You must have the driver acknowledge this with their personal initials and signature, and for you to retain your copy of the POD.** Contact the office immediately for any additional information and fax a copy of the original delivery receipt to 714-622-1559.
• Some shipments are in multiple boxes and/or crates and each must be inspected immediately upon receipt.
• In the event that damage is discovered, report and return ONLY the portions of the shipment that were delivered in a damaged state. Request the driver make a note on the “POD” adding the drivers acknowledgement through his or her initials. Immediately call the manufacturer or dealer that shipped the unit to you, and arrange for the delivery of replacement parts, pending availability.
• When replacements parts are available for delivery, the original damaged parts must be returned first before any further delivery can take place.

PLEASE BE ADVISED:

• IF ANY DAMAGE IS POSITIVELY IDENTIFIED, DO NOT WRITE or include additional wording such as “SUBJECT TO INSPECTION”, “NO VISIBLE DAMAGE” or “POSSIBLE DAMAGE” at any part of the POD because this is unacceptable by the Freight Company. The noted listed procedures above must be followed.
• All boxes and crates must be maintained with the original packaging for an inspector to inspect upon arrival. The inspector will note the damage and file the necessary report for a legitimate claim to be filed promptly. If the boxes and crates are missing the freight company will not accept or acknowledge responsibility for the shipping damages through delivery.
• Factory Defects or Damages of any kind must be reported within three days or seventy-two hours of the initial delivery to avoid being categorized in the “Part Warranty Repair” category.
• When a specific shipment or delivery of an item is moved to a new location after the initial delivery and damage occurs, the freight company, the dealer or the merchant from whom you purchased the item(s) will NOT be held liable because the delivered item was transported to a different address. It is the sole responsibility of the receiver / designated recipient / consignee of the initial delivery, to ensure safe transport of all items in the shipment after signing for the delivery in good condition.
• Damage incurred on the exterior of a box or crate is not indicative the product has also incurred damage during transport, but it is important for you to inspect immediately. If damage to the packaging has occurred, you are entitled to inspect the shipment, thus the driver will wait until you have completed a thorough examination of all items in the shipment.
• Specialty items such as toilets are to be inspected immediately and upon noting damage, must be documented and the delivery refused.
• Items that are delivered damaged must be reported within 72 hours. If you fail to report within 72 hours after the date and time of delivery, you are no longer eligible to receive replacement parts as all liability will be removed from the freight company and the dealer or the merchant through whom the purchase was made.

Only when the necessary and detailed instructions are explicitly followed, a claim may be filed in your behalf. Upon settlement, you will be provided with the mandatory compensation and or replacement. The freight company will not compensate for any damages when the above instructions are neglected and not followed as requested.

** IMPORTANT NOTES NOT LISTED IN MANUAL **

1. All units, excluding Ariel Platinum, come complete with stainless steel flexible hoses, ranging from 18-inch to 48-inch in length, by half-inch in width (18” x ½“ to 48” x ½” depending on model), for both hot and cold water supply lines.
2. All units come complete with flexible drain hose for placement in your waste drain approximately one-foot from drain assembly of the unit. Plumbing contractors may hard-pipe the unit, using your own hardware, as this is optional.
3. All units purchased require at least one (1) dedicated line (some units require two or more lines) connected to a GFCI-breaker to ensure electrical safety. Overall voltage & wattage requirements can be found on the back of an enclosure/control panel, and detailed specifications can be found on any of the major electrical component boxes.
4. IMPORTANT NOTE:

ALL seams on unit must be completely sealed. Begin with setting out all the panels and parts side by side, in their order of assembly, and start planning out your method of sealing all adjoining pieces. Whenever applicable, sandwich together parts/panels with silicone in between the mating surfaces, and then fasten them together. This important step provides a water tight seal. Exterior seals on the unit are completed last. Allow for curing/drying time. GE Silicone II (a silicone sealant available at many hardware retailers such as The Home Depot) works best with our products to seal all seams and parts.

Another method of sandwich-sealing panels together, if the panels are already test-fitted together, or already fastened together, would be to simply loosen the fasteners for the panels just enough for the nozzle of the caulking gun can fit in between the panels, and then simply inject sealant in between the panels, and then re-fastening them, so that the panels sandwich over the silicone. Wipe away any excess silicone, or relocate excess silicone to the rear of the sealed seam.

Seal all areas of adjoining pieces, including, but not limited to: base to the enclosure panels, enclosure panels to enclosure panels, enclosure walls to the enclosure ceiling; this includes anything in between: control panel to acrylic, control panel to glass, glass to acrylic, glass to aluminum, aluminum to acrylic, glass to weather stripping, screws, screw holes, bolts, handles, hoses, valves, body jets, led lights, keypad(s), any and every seam or hole possible. Seal adjoining pieces not mentioned above when applicable to any specific unit purchased

Regardless of pre-sealed parts directly from the overseas factories, ocean freight shipping and handling can cause damage or breakage to seals due to the combination of vibration, heat, and humidity within containers. Resealing all the components, including the jets, hoses, screws, and other moveable parts, are in your best interest, and is highly recommended. Test the unit for leaks and proper function before final installation.

Regardless of pre-sealed units from the factory, truck freight shipping and handling can cause damage or breakage to seals due to vibration, heat within the packaging. Resealing the jets, hoses, screws, and other moveable parts is in your best interest. Before final installation, test the unit for leaks and functionality.

5. Highly recommended: Access panel are highly recommended for all electrical components and plumbing fixtures. These units are considered “non-permanent appliances” and are not designed to be permanently installed; if space allows, the units can be pulled from its installation position to access any components behind the unit.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

Prior to placing the unit in its final location, test all features and components again. Again, it is very important that the unit is operating correctly and efficiently. Steam generator, whirlpool pump, keypad, lights, valves, jets, etc. must be appropriately placed and assembled to all appropriate specifications
**It is the customer’s responsibility to assure the units comply with local county and state enforcement codes. If the county or state mandates an inspection by a county inspector, ask what is required. When mandatory inspections are required, we recommend the Ariel, Ariel Platinum, and Ameristeam units, which are compliant with ETL-listings (UL-equivalent).**

It is the responsibility of the customer to be aware of state and local laws. Customer purchases of any steam shower unit or bathtub that fails mandatory inspection is considered returnable, at our discretion, under specific conditions.

The customer is permitted to return the unit for the purchase price, less the original shipping fee, return shipping fee, and less a restocking fee of fifteen-percent (15%), when unit is returned in original packaging. A twenty-five-percent (25%) restocking fee will apply when the unit was opened.**We will not accept returns, refunds when the unit has been assembled and or used. We will replace parts and or repair the computerized part, but this does not include acrylic or glass pieces.**

Master Bath Upgrade with Ariel Steam Shower

Ariel Platinum DZ962F8-W Steam Shower

https://www.steamshowersinc.com/products/Ariel-Platinum-DZ962F8%252dW-Steam-Shower.html

Steam shower enclosure was ordered on April 1, 2013 from Atlas Kitchen and Bath. Expected shipping date is April 10th. Email communication so far from Atlas have been very responsive.

GODMORGON/ BREDVIKEN

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S19903527/#/S59903238

I will be picking up the sink and cabinet from Ikea. This is one of the smallest dual sink cabinets I could find at 48 inches wide. Since the total area of the master bath is 60 inches wide by 144 inches long, it will fit without issue.