We have been having massive problem with our bathroom. When first tiles fell off the wall, I thought that we could just replace the tiles. However, the concrete below got completely crumbled down to nothing.

After massive research of what is going on, it turns out that whoever did the bathroom, did not use waterproof materials (Mortar, topseal, whatever) and the entire wall behind it crumbled completely due to constant water exposure.)

DH was working on it for days non-stop. We sent our toddler to grandparents, and instead of relaxing for once, all time is being taken up by frantic attempt to fix this issue TEMPORARILY.
We've been eating out and picking up take-out for a week now, with no time to spare for even grocery shopping and cooking.

Few more days of work and it will hopefully be patched up enough to buy us few months before we have to rip out all walls and gut it completely.

We are just not ready to do this now. That involves probably a month of living some place else (we only have one tiny bathroom) and HUGE expense.

Plus, finding good contractor is a massive challenge.
And, if we are ripping out all walls, might as well do floors (we have cheapest possible tile from previous tenants) and replace all fixtures, and put in full size tub one can soak in, and bathroom cabinets... If the bathroom is out of commission and everything is getting ripped out, we are better off doing it at the same time.
So in the next few month we have to look at stone, tile, ideas, contractors, hardware...
And the challenge of coming up with design ideas is that we have a true NYC bathroom. No window, tiny probably 5feet by 8 or 9 feet big. So when I google for "small bathroom ideas" their "small" is what I consider huge...

Plus, we need to come up with the MONEY to do this. I am afraid to even guess how much this will end up costing. 20K probably

DH is a federal employee, so this jerking around is getting really old!

Constantly either threat of shutdown, or furloughs, and when you think you are done with furloughs, more s*t comes.

And yes, we are absorbing pay cuts by going into savings. But it is more than that. It is not a "vacation" or "unpaid days off" because you do not know "if" or how long. You can't make plans, you can't go anywhere. And YOU CAN'T ARRANGE CHILDCARE! You can't come up with a way for your family to cope with it, because you just don't know.

One can only imagine how much cost in actual loss of productivity this will end up being across the country.

And today, he has to go in just to sign some stupid paper (3 hr driving and more than $30 in gas and tolls).