BATHROOM vanities are a DIY nightmare. I don't know why homeowners think it's a no-brainer -- probably, they've been been watching television. Or, they might have gone into a big-box store and been told it's easy to just switch out your vanity, and presto, your bathroom is updated.
Well, good luck with that ... and here's why:
Let's say you're good at the DIY game. Maybe youve done some painting and drywall, tackled tiling and even hardwood flooring. And now you are looking at updating the bathroom, but don't have the budget, or the skill, for a complete renovation. But the vanity seems doable.
Vanities are available in every shape, style and price range, and you need to consider lots of factors before you bring one home. Typically, there are separate pieces that need to be selected -- the cabinet, the sink and the taps and faucet -- and they all have to go together. But (this may seem obvious) if you hope to salvage some of your old bathroom vanity, you need to make sure everything goes together.
Many vanities today come with a pre-installed undermount sink, particularly if you go with a design that has a natural stone countertop. You may not be able to reinstall your old faucet, depending on the hole configuration in the counter. Is it a three-hole system -- for two faucet handles and the middle spout? Or one? You may find you've got to buy a new faucet set -- or return the cabinet.
The biggest consideration is the size of the unit in proportion to the size of the room. Everybody wants a bigger vanity, with more counter space. But do you have enough room? Will you be able to move around in the bathroom, and close the door, once it's installed?
Choosing a cabinet that's the same size as the original one might be the way to go, not just because a smaller cabinet will definitely fit the room and be easier to install, but you also won't be looking at a tile-repair job. If the tile floor was only tiled up to the edge of the old unit, and your new one has a smaller or larger base, there will be noticeable gaps left on the floor, or the cabinet might not sit properly. You may have to re-tile the floor -- or return the cabinet.
A popular feature is banks of drawers, in place of the cabinet-style doors. Drawers in cabinet vanities are great for organizing, but if you ever wondered why the previous vanity had no drawers, all you need to do is look underneath the sink and look at the space -- or lack of space -- there. Those drawers now fill up that valuable real estate where the plumbing -- the sink drain and trap, and the hot and cold water supply pipes with the emergency shut-off valves -- typically goes.
If your bathroom reno is a complete gut, and you're designing from scratch, then you can plan for the right configuration of plumbing that will work. When your floor and walls are accessible, your plumber will be able to reposition the pipes to best work with the space limitations inside the new box.
But for the DIYer who wants to simply swap out the vanity, the old plumbing needs to work with the vanity as it is -- or you've got a problem. Either you're going to have call in the plumber and do a bigger job than you'd anticipated -- or return the cabinet.
Before buying a vanity, check to see how far back the drawers go into the box. Many smart manufacturers have installed half-depth drawers in order to leave some space for the plumbing further back.
The typical problems arise when the homeowner buys parts that might not work together, or that won't easily swap out with what's existing. A professional contractor knows what potential problems to look for, such as plumbing and tiling, and he or she can work with the homeowner to get the job done right the first time.
Catch Mike in his brand-new series, Holmes Inspection, airing Thursdays on HGTV. For more information visit www.hgtv.ca.
-- Canwest News Service
