Discount Bathroom Vanities Blog

Before you hire a contractor to install your bathroom vanities, it is very important to check the contractor out to make sure that the work he promises to do, will be done to your satisfaction.

There are a lot of excellent review sites that allow people to review contractors for any jobs you may need done. While most of them are paid sites there are a few that are free. It might be worth it to spend a few bucks to make sure you have a peace of mind when trusting someone to work on your home.

You should  ask the contractor to see some of the work that he has done in the past and ask the homeowners if they were satisfied with his work and the job.  Was the job started and finished when promised?  Did it come in on budget?  Were the materials that he used the ones that you specified?

If the contractor has some jobs that he is working on now, you might want to look at those jobs to see if he is doing a neat job, it is on time, etc.

If you do not know the contractor, you might even want to check out his place of business.  This can tell you a lot about the contractor.

One last item to keep in mind is that you want to make sure that the contractor can pay his bills and will not skip out on the job when it is half finished.

Before starting your bathroom project the following items should be considered:

Fixtures

• Vanities

Do you need a vanity with storage?

Do you need one basin or two?

Do you like where it is located or should it be somewhere else in the room?

• Faucets

Do you like your faucets?
Do you want a different look, material or style?

• Tub

Is the tub in the right location?

Is it large enough and comfortable enough?

Do you want a whirlpool bath?

Is your tub safe?

Can you easily reach the faucets?

• Fixture color

Do you like the color of your fixtures?  If not, you should choose a new color.  Just remember that different manufacturers’ colors are different.  You should stick with one manufacturer so that all of the fixtures match.

• Shower

Do you want a standalone shower?

Do you want it large enough for one person or for two people?

Do you want it to be a steam shower?

Do you want it to be large enough to have a seat?

What type of door do you want or do you want one without any door?

Lighting

Do you have enough lighting for all of your needs?  Remember to have outlets for reading, makeup, shaving, etc.

Make sure you have CFCI outlets to guard against shock

Storage

Do you need storage for all of your needs?

Do you have a linen closet outside of the bathroom or do you need storage for all of your bath and grooming needs within the room?

Do you have enough space in your shower and bathtub for shampoo etc?

Do you have enough towel bars and hooks?

Ventilation

Do you have ventilation in your bathroom either through an exhaust fan or a window?

If you have an exhaust fan is it too loud?

Heating

Is the heat from the rest of your house sufficient for your bathroom or do you want to consider supplemental heat such as radiant floor heat?

Maintenance

Are the surfaces in your bathroom easy to clean and maintain?

Bathroom Space

Is it easy to maneuver in your room?

If your room has to be used by multiple people, can it handle family needs quickly?

Do you need any special features such as hand rails, etc?

All of the above items should be considered before you start renovating your room.  If you are only making small changes, look at those sections that you are going to redo. Make sure you plan thoroughly before starting your job.

Written by Discount Bathroom Vanities
Discount Bathroom Vanities does not claim to have exclusive rights on all posts, images and video recordings published. All the pictures, graphics, photos, images, video recordings, etc. shown on this blog are the property of their respective owners

WATER
The water comes into your home either from a well or a city water system. Inside it feeds into two different pipes, one for hot water and one for cold. The water is heated by a hot water heater or a hot water boiler before going to your bathrooms, kitchens, laundry room and other rooms where you have water access. Both the hot and cold water pipes travel side by side throughout the house. Plumbing without fixtures connected is known as “rough plumbing”. All fixtures have standard rough-in dimensions.

Water travels under pressure. It is important to know your water pressure when adding or changing your fixtures, since you have to know if you have enough pressure for what you want to install. You also have to check to see if the pipes are big enough to supply the water needed to existing fixtures as well as new ones.

Pipes can be copper, plastic, brass or galvanized steel. It is important to check with your local building inspector and your local codes to find out what is allowed in your city and state. Older homes had a lot of galvanized pipe, but because of its tendency to rust and corrode, it is not favored anymore. Brass pipes as well as steel pipes are subject to leaks.

Copper pipes are preferred for water, but plastic has become more common. Some housing codes will not allow plastic, so make sure you check before installing any new pipes.

As the water pipes proceed throughout your home, they take various turns. Each turn has a fitting. That is where two ends of pipe are joined together.

All water pipe systems have valves. They control the water supply. It allows you to turn off water in one area without having to shut off water in the entire home. Usually sinks and toilets each have their own valves.

WASTE
The waste system in a house is known as a drain-waste-vent system or the sanitary drainage system. The lines connected to sinks and tubs are called drain lines. The line from the toilet is called a waste or soil line.

The waste system works by gravity. The waste moves in pipes that are sloped downward. The system also includes traps which are designed to prevent gases and vermin from entering the house through the line openings at the fixtures. Traps are designed to be opened to clear blockages. They have a curved shape, so they can get clogged.

The main drainage line known as a “stack” is usually made of cast iron but can be made of plastic or copper. The branch lines may be galvanized steel, copper, brass or plastic.

Before starting a renovation or replacement of pipes, make sure you check with your local building department to make sure you are following the codes. If you don’t, you will have to go back are replace pipes before you will pass your housing inspection.

For steps on how to install most common pop-up drains please visit this tutorial on pop-up drain installation.

Written by Discount Bathroom Vanities
Discount Bathroom Vanities does not claim to have exclusive rights on all posts, images and video recordings published. All the pictures, graphics, photos, images, video recordings, etc. shown on this blog are the property of their respective owners