Our bathroom renovation is finally finished (you can find the full reveal and cost breakdown on the original post). After living through the project and sharing most of it step by step, we wanted to highlight a few of the smaller problems we ran into. Renovations always come with surprises, and these five minor speedbumps reminded us that even manageable hiccups can test your patience. Fortunately, none of them were major setbacks—just memorable detours.
Speedbump #1: Where’s that awful noise coming from?
As we started putting the bathroom back together, we turned on the exhaust fan and were greeted by a high-pitched, screeching whine—and not much airflow. We suspect the fan might have been run once while it was covered with a plastic bag during demo, which could have fouled the motor. Replacement felt inevitable, especially because the fan was old and not a standard size, which would have required drywall work to fit a new unit.
Before committing to a replacement, I tried a basic fix: cleaning the motor and removing dust and debris, then applying WD-40. With the power off, I cleaned, shook, and wiped the motor a few times and sprayed lubricant on the bearings. The noise stopped and intake improved dramatically. It was a relief to avoid cutting into drywall and install a new fan—our small tune-up restored full function and probably extended the fan’s life.
Speedbump #2: Why does this pipe feel damp?
We use a simple paper-towel test under fresh connections to check for leaks. One pipe failed the test: a slow leak at a joint near the wall where two old pipes had been welded together and taped over during demo. Because the pipes were fused, we couldn’t tighten or rethread them, and replacing that section would have meant dismantling other newly installed vanity plumbing.
Since the leak was extremely slow—about one drop every ten minutes—we chose a temporary repair using epoxy putty designed for plumbing repairs. The putty pressed around the joint, changed color as it cured, and sealed the leak. We let it dry overnight before running water again and haven’t seen any further leakage. This is a reasonable short-term fix for a very slow seep, though it’s not a permanent replacement for a more substantial leak.
Speedbump #3: The towel bar is too long—now what?
We wanted a small towel bar to the left of the sink and bought the shortest one available from a big-box store, but it still proved too long for the space. Rather than hunt for a different model or return it and hope for better luck, we took advantage of the bar’s three-piece construction: two end brackets and a hollow metal rod.
A quick trip to the garage and a few strokes with a hacksaw trimmed the rod down to the perfect length. The cut piece slips into the end brackets, so the finished look is seamless. Simple tools and a little improvisation gave us a custom-sized bar that looks factory-made.
Speedbump #4: The threshold won’t survive demo
We tried to salvage the original wooden threshold, but it came out in pieces after being nailed and glued in place for decades. Its removal exposed uneven flooring, an unfinished tile edge, and the fact that the bathroom floor sat about 1/2″ higher than the rest of the house. Recreating the old custom threshold wasn’t feasible, so we chose a simple solution.
We bought an unfinished oak threshold from the hardware store and cut it to size with a circular saw. After staining it a close match to our existing floors (we used Dark Walnut) and applying two thin coats of polyurethane, we nailed it into place with finishing nails. The new threshold blended in and covered the transition neatly—an easy, practical fix that looks right at home.
Speedbump #5: Missing screws for the light shades
Before demo, we removed the glass shades from the light fixture to protect them. I left the small flat screws in the fixture to avoid losing them, but the vibration from demo gradually worked most of them loose and they ended up in the debris I later threw away. When it was time to reinstall the shades, we were short several screws.
Sherry was right that replacements would be available at the home center. Two small packs of replacement screws later and the shades were secured for just a few dollars. Lesson learned: when removing fragile pieces for demo, store small hardware in a labeled bag or tape it to the fixture so nothing disappears during the chaos.
These five minor challenges were easy enough to handle, and they serve as reminders that even well-planned projects come with surprises. Have you run into similar hiccups on your DIY projects? Share your stories—those small fixes and creative workarounds are often the most useful lessons to remember for the next renovation.