| Install a Bathroom Vanity and Sink, Part 1 | |
Thinking about upgrading your old bathroom and adding some more storage at the same time? Or just tired of looking at that old vanity the builders put in and want something a little more attractive? Whatever your reason, installing a bathroom vanity is a job a competent DIY’er can take on, and it shouldn’t shut you out of your bathroom for more than a day. Things you’ll need:
The first thing your need to do is get rid of the sink or vanity that’s already in your bathroom and get the space ready for your new vanity. Check under the vanity to see how it’s attached – probably with some screws through a rail on the back (often called a “nailer”), or in the corners. While your head is under the countertop, look to see how your countertop and sink are attached to the base. Again there may be screws holding the top in place, or it may just be held in place with glue. Removing your old vanity will be easier if you take off the top (it will be lighter). Finally use a utility knife and run the blade around the edge, cutting through any caulking holding the vanity edges to the walls or backsplash.
Taking Out the Old Vanity Take off the doors and remove the drawers from the vanity. If there is any molding around the base of the vanity, remove it as well. Now get down on your knees and take out the screws holding the vanity to the wall, and if you’re going to take off the top, undo the screws holding it in place or use a pry bar to break it away from the base. You should be able to slide the vanity out and away from the wall, but in some cases you may have to pry it away from the wall. If you do, use a thin scrap of wood to protect the wall from the pry bar. It’s a good idea to put down a thin sheet of plywood or even an old blanket to prevent gouging your floor when sliding the vanity. Once you’ve removed the old vanity, inspect the area for any damage. This is when you can repair any dings or water damage in the walls and ensure your floor is sound and level. Discount Kitchen Cabinets – Bathroom Furniture – Construction Magazines – Bar Stools – Patio Furniture – Bedroom Furniture – Counter Stools Preparing the Space and Plumbing
Carefully measure the locations of the water pipes and drain lines coming out of the wall and transfer those measurements onto the back of your vanity. Use a hole saw (at least 1/2″ larger than the pipes) and drill holes for your water lines. Cut the cutout for the drain with a larger hole saw or a saber saw. Verify where at least one stud is in the wall behind your new vanity, measure and mark its location on the vanity nailer, and drill a pilot hole for the 3″ screw that will hold it in place. Finally, Installing the New Vanity Minimize the chance for damage (and make the vanity lighter and easier to move) by taking out any drawers and removing the doors. Protect your floors and move the vanity into position, then slide it into place with the water and drain pipes coming through the holes you cut in the back. Check that the cabinet is level (both side to side and front to back), and use shims to level it if necessary. Once the vanity is level, attach it to the wall using 3″ screws. Installing the Top and Sink If your new vanity has a built in or molded sink, you will need to install the faucet before you put the top in place. Start by putting the faucet through the precut holes and hand tighten them. Now turn the vanity top over and use a wrench to firm them up. Attach flexible water supply lines to the base of the faucet and the tail pipe to the sink drain. Finally spread a bead of silicone caulk all around the edge of the countertop, then turn it over and position it on the vanity with the backsplash tight against the wall. If you’re putting a separate sink into your new vanity, you will need to install the countertop first, then install the faucets to the sink, and finally put the sink into the countertop. Final Steps Attach the flexible feed lines to the water supply valves and connect the sink tailpiece to the trap and drain. Run a small bead of caulk around the base of the faucet and where the vanity top butts against the backsplash, and then install moldings around the base of the vanity. Finally, turn the water back on and check for any leaks. Add Value to Your Home with a Bathroom Remodel
If the desired outcome of the bathroom remodeling project is an increase in resale value, it is important to plan that remodeling project accordingly. There are a number of improvements that are known to have a strong impact on the resale value of the home, and focusing on those improvements can maximize the value of any bathroom remodeling project. One Bathroom Just Isn’t Enough One project that is well known to boost the value of the home is to simply add a second bathroom. Homes with only one bathroom can be much harder to sell, and sell for much less, than homes with two or more bathrooms. Adding a second bathroom can also enhance the livability of the home, whether you decide to sell or not. Installing a second bathroom right off the master bedroom can be a particularly valuable home improvement project, and a very desirable one for your family as well. The parents will love having their own private bathroom space, while the kids will love not having to share the single bathroom. Bathroom Upgrades Worth Every Penny A steam shower can be a luxurious addition as well. Like a Jacuzzi tub, a steam shower can add a touch of elegance and charm to any room, and a steam shower is a relaxing and welcome addition to nearly any bathroom. Potential buyers will also welcome this addition. Some of the fancier steam shower installations even include such modern touches as built in radios, MP3 players and aromatherapy machines. Installing a special shower can be a great touch as well. A special shower can greatly enhance the beauty of the bathroom and the value of the home. There are a number of beautiful shower enclosures, in a number of different shapes and sizes, that can add a distinctive “wow” factor to any room. Adding one of these unique shower enclosures, or simply retiling or redoing the shower itself, can perk up even the ugliest bathroom. Give Your Bathroom a New Face Speaking of retiling, adding a new set of tiles to the bathroom can have an incredible effect on the value of the home. There are many wonderful tile designs that can have a significant impact. Simply changing the color or style of the tile in your bathroom can be a remarkably effective, and remarkably inexpensive, way to redesign your bathroom. Doubling Bathroom Usefulness Adding a double basin to your bathroom is another very effective remodeling project, in terms of both your own enjoyment and the value of your home. Adding a double basin to the sink can instantly double its usefulness, and allow both partners to get ready for work at the same time. In today’s busy world the installation of a double basin can more than pay for itself in saved time and frustration. As your bathroom remodeling plans go forward, it is important to give the room a unified look and feel. It is important that the colors, styles and designs you choose for your remodeling project fit well with each other, and with the overall design of the home. It is important to choose a single theme for the bathroom, be it contemporary, classic, modern or antique, and stick with it for all parts of the project. Taking the time to decide on a theme will make finishing the project a great deal easier and less of a hassle as well. A unified look and feel will also present a more attractive picture to all those potential home buyers. Home Inspection New Jersey – Home Inspection Franchise Opportunity – Home Inspection Pennsylvania – New York Home When the first idea of remodeling a bathroom takes root in your thoughts, start forming your bathroom remodeling plan. Make some notes window.google_render_ad(); on how you would change your bathroom. Obviously, if you are thinking about remodeling, there are things about your bathroom that don’t please you. The bathroom remodeling checklist can help you pinpoint what to look for. Assemble a portfolio. Look through magazines, surf the internet and gather ideas and pictures of examples that you find pleasing. Gather brochures about materials and fixtures, and keep all the bathroom remodeling ideas you acquire together to help you build a plan. What bathroom is it that you want to remodel? There are main bathrooms, bathrooms that adjoin a mudroom, powder rooms, and master baths. Each has different needs, and different uses. Considering how this particular bathroom will be used, and who will be using it as an important part of your plan. My friend Carole, always has a very nice bathroom wherever she lives (she moves often). She has a knack for decorating and always adds some unique touches. While I always admire what she has done to her latest bath, and find them very attractive, they would not work for me. Carole is a minimalist, and can live with a minimum of things. There is very little storage or surface space in her bathrooms. I, on the other hand am a person who needs stuff. I need all the countertop and storage space I can work in. I bored you with that little story to bring up the point that everyone is different, and has a different way of living, and their own specific needs. Take this into consideration as you plan your bathroom remodel . As you gather pictures and ideas for your portfolio, consider each one and how it would work for you. After remodeling, don’t end up with a beautiful bathroom that just will not work for your needs or your lifestyle. A bathroom adjoining a mudroom would probably have less refinements, and just provide a basin, toilet and shower. If someone in the household has employment that leaves them very dirty at the end of the day, this would be a place to get presentable enough to enter the rest of the house. Plan remodeling your bathroom around it’s specific usesA powder room might be a place to add some extra frills but less fixtures if it is used mainly for guests. A main bathroom may have to serve the needs of family members and guests and be equipped fully and for a variety of grooming, bathing and bathroom functions. Then, there’s the master bath. A master bathroom is where, during remodeling, you might want to plan for some extra luxury and make it both a functional room and a luxurious private retreat. A whirlpool tub will add luxury and relaxation. We are fortunate to be living in a time long past when bathrooms were moved indoors. The bathrooms of today can be planned for easy maintenance with all the wonderful fixtures, gadgets and materials that are now available on the market . And we don’t have to suffer that cold trip outside in the winter. Whether you plan on remodeling your bathroom yourself, or will hire it done, do some planning based on your needs, wants, and lifestyle, and have a clear picture of what you want. This is your personal space for years to come, so plan well for your bathroom remodeling project . |
