Oh, wow, 10 years ago! There is a special tool meant just for grout removal, your local hardware store should have it. It will be time consuming but aside from removing everything it's probably the way you'll need to go.

I am so happy to see you here! I will have to go back and see if i can retrieve my posts... thought I would make them into a little book for my daughter, with photos. Quick run-down on the bathroom (not travels, no time) - The kitchen has a rather elegant sliding door with beveled glass panels. Painted white, since this was the original colour. GD's new bathroom has the doors I had picked earlier; i thought of polishing them but decided sprayed automobile paint (on a resin primer) would wear better. Especially since it is such a small bathroom, and she is so splashy. I have this finish in my kitchen and it has lasted 15 years now. A tad chipped here and there, but only needs a wipe down once a week. Same finish for the balcony doors, also split like the bathroom. We have a new wardrobe, a study table with built-in shelves, and a small chest of drawers for her odds and ends. I want to re-tile the tiny balcony, more as a little statement. Currently we are looking at Portuguese tiles, though I did think a mosaic with a funky cat might be nice. Let me see the costing. The room will be painted a neutral adobe, with bright white woodwork and an off-white ceiling. This means she can go wild with cushions and covers. Other changes in the flat; We have changed the glass in the master bedroom and living room from small cramped panes to a single pane for each section with a 1" bevel all round. Doubles the cost of the glass, but looks so elegant! The air-conditioning is being re-located. The compressors were all mounted in the bedroom and living room balconies, which looked terrible and meant the balconies (very narrow, only 30" deep) couldn't be used for anything. Not even plants. So they are being moved so that the compressors can be mounted at the rear of the building. two down, one to go. Now we can put in some nice plants, fishtail palms etc. The kitchen counter on one side came out intact and will be reused elsewhere. I am planning overhead storage, cupboards, and a draining cupboard for plates and glasses. Right now there is no dish washer, though a place is earmarked, but for now I will put in a cupboard with steel racks for cups, glasses and plates, all hidden behind pressed glass doors. This is all in the planning stage.... Pictures in a little while, they are mostly on my ipad and don't transfer well to the mac. They come without numbers... so I have to rename the or something. Somebody tell me how to do this!

I wouldn't put any water under there because of potential mould issues (in fact, there looks like there's a bit of mould already -- is there?). You could tile the bottom of it and put a strip of LED lights under the glass. What did you have in mind when you initially thought of the idea?

Ok thanks. After SE extention 1. NE was cut 2. SW was cut 3. water tank above toilet in center of east. 1. NE cut - Just make a shed/pargola of same height as bathroom... put 4 poles beside staircase and put up a tin shed. 2. SW cut... build a store room with 4 poles, tin shed, wall of plywood or/else any material you can afford. Door from east work area. Or door preferably from inside the bedroom. This is the bedroom in SW corner which head of the family or bread earner should occupy. 3. Water tank and toilet is not causing much problem due to height. However; I am not sure if thats exact center of your whole plot. Doesnt seem so. If anyone living there facing litigations, financial troubles or unnecessary authority problems... Just pay 500rs to a known good vastu consultant and amend accordingly. Its not practical to advise seeing pictures only, there are many things to consider. Thanks