A few weeks ago there was a devastating setback (at least in my eyes) to the kitchen renovation progress.  Yes, that project that has taken us the better part of two years has faced a challenge even harder to overcome than our own, slovenly ways.  Because it’s costing us not just time, but money.  And that, my friends, is very hard to swallow.

It’s like trying to squeeze a pimple, and rather than getting the satisfying “pop” of the defeated facial invader, you only manage to anger it and intensify its horrific appearance.

Ew.

Long story short – a mere 6 months since our new laminate was installed, I walked into the kitchen one day to face a small puddle of what appeared to be water about 3 feet away from the back door.  At the time I hoped it was water, but with 2 dogs I’m always hoping its water.  Beats the alternative.

I cleaned it up.  It was clear (whew).  A couple hours later, however, the mystery puddle was back.  In the same spot.  “Juuuussstiiiiiin,” I wailed.  This situation clearly needed a second opinion.  The astute observer of problematic leakages that he is, the hubs noted that the water was, in fact, coming up from under the laminate floor.  Not only that, but it was the third day of a persistent rainstorm, entailing winds and water accumulation the likes of which I’d never seen while living in these parts.

But we have a crawl space! How can this be?!?!

“You can see where the frame of your back door has rotted out,” noted Mike, the guy who originally installed our laminate.

“The wind must have blown the water to this weak point in the wood, soaked through to the wall next to the door, and crawled its way across the top of the moisture barrier to bubble up where it did.”  Three feet into the room!

Sigh.  Waiting for the visit from the owner of the flooring place.  Wish us luck! In the meantime, we’re stuck with this:

The lighting was bad, but this is where the laminate was torn up and we were left with the white underlayment.  It didn’t stay white for long!

Why does it feel like we’re moving backwards here?