Bathroom dreams coming true
Loving the work, and ethic, of professionals!
January 2025
The morning air was bright and brisk as I made my way down the street towards the Prayer House, my steps matching the weather. Today was the day! Before the house was even in sight I could hear the activity, the noise fueling my excitement. As I approached, a man was pulling back the canvas on his small delivery truck and— there she was! My bath!!
Anticipation soared inside me as I stepped inside the house to the buzz of activity. The house looked amazing. I mean, it was still clearly part way through a renovation, but we’d done a good job cleaning it up and preparing for today! The living room floor was now clear and swept clean—no more pile of timber to step over!
I walked across the newly finished kitchen floor, loving that I didn’t have to step on timber frames but could now walk on boards! We were yet to lay the floating floorboards, that would come later, but at least we had a floor!
In the bathroom, a tradesman was measuring from the cement slab in the wet room (where the unit bath would be installed) to the top of the bathroom floor, double-checking everything before the installation of our unit bath would commence. Yes, the day had finally come!
I had thought the bathroom would be low on our priority renovation list, since we could just walk 6 houses down the street to Okasan’s place and use her shower! I had actually been disappointed that we were putting energy into it when I thought other things should take precedence (like a kitchen!). Now, however, I was excited! I’d have a complete unit bath by the end of the day! (A unit bath is a Japanese style bath and shower room—the wet room—in the bathroom.)
The tradesman was still doing his measurements, in the same place, which gave me an uneasy feeling. My husband, Shujin and I, had mixed and poured that cement slab. Shujin had also built the frame for the bathroom floor, along with the kitchen and toilet floors, we just hadn’t managed to finish the bathroom floor so we’d laid boards on top with the intention to screw them down later. The builder had double-checked the work prior to today, but now I wasn’t so certain that everything was OK. Something seemed amiss. Had we got something wrong??
The man stood and went to talk to Shujin. I felt something wasn’t right, but what? The work had all been double-checked! I waited a painful few minutes while they conversed in Japanese, and then finally—
“Babe, we need to finish the bathroom floor! The door frame for the unit bath door will be secured on it so we have to finish it before they can start working.” Shujin’s explanation sent relief through me—we didn’t get anything wrong! And once the relief washed over, I was straight into working mode!
It was rush, rush, rush as we laid down the thin ply board, measured up and cut timber, drilled it in place, put in the floor insulation and then screwed the final green board on top. The pressure to get it done promptly gave us speed and within a short time we’d screwed in the final screw! As I stood up, I was awed by how quick we could get something done when needed! If only the whole house could get done at such a pace!!
The tradesmen, happy with our work, were ready to get on with the installation. Shujin left for work and I left the Prayer House too, to leave the workmen to their job. After the whirlwind start to the morning I went back to Okasan’s house to recover, and eat some breakfast! Poor Shujin went off to work with none. But he’s a hybrid engine, he can run on nothing all day. I’m a diesel engine, don’t let me run on empty or you’ll ruin me!!
As I sat and ate my breakfast (rice, natto and miso soup of course!) I sent a message to my family back in Australia with a few “before pics” of our work at the Prayer House, and promises of sending the “after pics” once the unit bath had been installed later in the day.
I started reflecting on our renovation efforts. It had taken a few months to get to this stage. What an effort! But things really got underway once we had tradesmen booked in. I was starting to see the benefit of using professionals. When you had such commitments and schedules to keep, you worked hard to get your part of the job done on time!
About 2 hours later, I stood in front of the vending machine, the January sun on my back. It wasn’t strong, but it still made the cold not feel so bad. I looked at the selection before me. What drink would the tradesmen like best? Green tea was very popular in Japan, but so was coffee.
Coffee was the drink I got offered the most, so I decided on coffee. But then I still had coffee options to choose from… The variety wasn’t as insane as an Australian cafe, but there were still a few choices! I chose a black hot coffee and hoped it was to their liking. Yes, vending machines in Japan sell both cold and hot drinks in the same machine!
With the bottled hot coffee in hand, I headed to the Prayer House to deliver it, along with some snacks.
“konnichiwa!”
I called out my greeting to let the men know I was there. There was no table, not even a chair, to put the drinks and food on which now felt rather strange. Even so, I was greeted with a smile as I placed the items awkwardly on a box.
“kohee taimu (coffee time)!” I announced.
“sumimasen! arigatougazimsu! (Sorry to have bothered you! Thank you!)” came the reply.
Providing morning tea is a polite Japanese thing to do to show your appreciation to the labourers, so Shujin tells me. I liked the gesture, it reminded me of old ladies in Australia offering tea with freshly baked scones (with jam and cream!).
I wanted to be a sticky-beak and check out the installation progress, but I knew I shouldn’t get in the way. Progress had certainly been made though, as I could see the frames for the walls were up and work on the floor had started.
About 2 hours later, Okasan and I were eating lunch when there was a knock on the door. It was one of the tradesmen.
“sumimasen (sorry to have bothered you)” he started off like all good Japanese conversations start!
I was expecting he had come to use the toilet, but instead of taking my offer to come inside, he stood at the door and started talking.
“oki mado … ue … chisai …”
I’m still learning Japanese. I’m not even at the conversational level yet. But I picked up words and I immediately knew there was a problem. The window (mado) was too big (oki). The space above (ue) the window, between the window and ceiling of the unit bath, was too small (chisai).
When Okasan translated for me, I knew my Japanese teacher would be proud. I got it right.
Oh no!! I was RIGHT!!!!!
The builder had ordered the window and had drawn a line on the wall to show Shujin where to install it, but now the unit bath didn’t fit. Had Shujin not followed instructions well enough? This mistake would surely be far worse that ordering the wrong glass doors!
The tradesman continued talking with Okasan and finished with, “I’ll phone your husband,” and then he turned and left.
“‘Your husband?!’” she repeated in shock, “does he think Shujin is my husband?”
We burst out laughing and I couldn’t WAIT to tell Shujin that the tradesman thought his mum was his wife! (I’ve previously been mistaken as Shujin’s mother, so now you know why I couldn’t wait to share this with him!!! Haha!!)
After the tradesman phoned Shujin, Shujin then phoned me to explain the situation. It was what we had previously been told. He went on to explain the recommended solution: to buy and install a smaller window.
No way!
That would mean removing the cladding on the wall outside, taking out the current window, making the space smaller and building a frame for the new window... Installing the new window, putting the cladding back on again... What a disaster!
But what else could we do??
That afternoon the builder came very promptly, before the tradesmen left, inspected the unit bath, measured up everything and realised he’d got it wrong. He had ordered the wrong size window! Shujin had done his work perfectly in accordance with the measurements he was given, so it wasn’t his fault. What a wave of relief washed over us!
The builder was sooooooo apologetic! He waited outside at the Prayer House for a few hours for Shujin to get home so he could apologise in person.
He waited in his car, in 8ºC temperatures and couldn’t keep his car running with the heater on since his car was a hybrid! (Apparently?!) I had no idea he was there otherwise I would have offered him to come to Okasan’s house and have a seat at our kotatsu! (The Japanese table with an inbuilt heater.)
The builder apologised to Shujin and said they would fix the mistake and bear all the costs.
That night, there was no new unit bath to admire, no photos to send. And thoughts about work getting done quicker with professionals had flown out the (big) window. They had been replaced with disappointment, yes, but also gratitude for the Japanese work ethic and how they don’t play the blame-game, but instead take responsibility for their mistakes. God certainly did lead us to the right builder!
G’day! I’m Debbie, so glad you’re here! I’m an Aussie experiencing what it’s like to live in Japan. I started writing to share my experiences with family and friends and am delighted that Substack makes it possible to extend those friendships!
If you enjoy learning about living in a foreign country—the frustrations, laughs and wonder—you’ll enjoy being here.
If you have any interest in dementia and dementia caregiving, I see you, I feel you.
If you are curious about Japan, you’ll get to know about this beautiful country through the eyes of a foreigner.
If following renovation journeys is your thing, you’re in the right place! You’ll hear our stories about renovating our house, the Prayer House, and see the before and after pics—when we finally get there!
To all, welcome. So glad you’re here.
A great post, Debbie. There's drama in your life for sure!
Hope your bathroom gets finished soon.
🛁🛁🛁
How do you even know how to build a house? And in a different language? that's magical to me ;)