In my last blog post, I shared some tips on prepping walls.
One of my latest projects was a bathroom renovation at a long time client. I want to share some insight on how to make a bathroom renovation a reality. I was really proud of my home owner. She did her homework to find the right materials for her bathroom.
In my newsletters, blog posts, video – my goal is to help you become an educated home owner who can talk shop with your contractors. Even if you don’t want to learn how to do every aspect of a room makeover yourself, take time to understand the scope of it. The more you know, the more comfortable you will be in dealing with the pros.
SIDE NOTE: You can be a smart consumer too by doing your research whether you are getting your car repaired, buying life insurance or renovating your home.
So you want a new look in your bathroom?
Where to shop for materials is always a big question. For this recent bathroom flip, my client shopped a number of online stores. Before her shopping spree, we had discussed the measurements so she knew how big a vanity cabinet the room could handle. The biggest factor for that decision is where the plumbing comes in and how to center the vanity off of that! The old cabinet was only 22 inches wide, not enough room for three kids sharing the space. So we could fit in a 30 inch cabinet and still have adequate leg room on the potty.
You have to consider what’s on the left and right of your space. Measure the potential cabinet width based on the center of the current faucet/drain placement. If you really want to move the plumbing set up to accommodate a bigger cabinet, it can be done… for a price. You would need a plumber for that part!
The other thing to consider when buying a vanity cabinet is height and drawer/shelf arrangement. Some plumbing drains are set low and shelves or cabinets will need to be cut to accommodate them. No worries, it can be done. But for you newbies, a cabinet that is wide open underneath is the easiest to install. Decide if you want a cabinet that is flush to the floor or one that is more like furniture. If you have floor or wall vents near the cabinet, make sure you leave room for that!
Installing a new cabinet is fairly easy, unless you have to deal with the drawer/shelf issue. For my client we had to cut a whole for the drain to pass through and then had to cut through the shelves. For cutting through the shelf, we used a hole saw. Roughly $15 tool that fits on drill like a bit. Awesome problem solver that is good for door knobs, crafts and plumbing!
For the drawers, we had to use a specialty tool that I think every home needs. The Dremel Multi Max cuts through a thousand things. I use it often for wood, metal, plastic, drywall and even to remove grout. Watch how easily it cut through the thick solid wood drawer in this video. Anytime I cut through a wood surface I apply painters tape to minimize chipping! After we cut the shelf and drawers we were good to go and the cabinet was ready for install! I also took a black sharpie to fill in the nicks. Yes, it works beautifully!
Some power tools like the Dremel may seem a little scary to use but it is a user friendly tool because it oscillates rather than cuts! If you scrap your finger across it, it won’t cause the damage another tool might. If you think you are ready for more advanced DIY projects, invest in a Dremel! I got mine at the Home Depot of course!
