Home Improvements: Bathroom
So here I am again talking about home improvements. The other week I posted about my kitchen makeover project. Today I will talk about how my bathroom project went. Just like the kitchen makeover I had a small budget to work with. Lucky for me, it’s a small bathroom.
Happy Wife
Since I was replacing the floor in the kitchen and hallway, I wanted to continue with the same flooring in the bathroom. It was also time for a new toilet which made this the perfect opportunity to get one. That was the extent of my plans. Unfortunately for me, my wife had other plans in mind. The good news was she wanted a new pedestal sink and not an expensive vanity. The bad news was she wanted a pedestal sink to replace an already existing vanity. This may not sound like a big deal to some, but the vanity was there for a reason.
So after a couple of disagreements we decided to compromise and go with the pedestal sink. I started by taking the vanity apart only to find the vanity was in place before the plumbing was done. This meant I had to get out the sawzall and cut the cabinet from the water lines. With the angle of the drain and placement of the water lines, there was no way the pedestal sink would hide everything.
I had to figure out something to make it work, so I decided to remove some drywall to see if I could re-position the plumbing. The copper lines would prove to be fairly easy to move behind the wall. Luckily the lines ran down to a section of the basement without a finished ceiling. I cut the copper lines from the basement and used SharkBite fittings to connect PEX tubing. This was very easy to do and worked perfectly for running the new lines behind the wall.
Sanity Down the Drain
The drain on the other hand was not so easy. There was no room behind the wall to move the drain where it needed to be for the sink to fit correctly. It was time to get creative. Firstly, I went out to get some PVC elbow fittings and dry fitted the drain in every way I could think of to get the result I was looking for. I got the trap to the center of the room with the least amount of angle, however the piping was still sticking out too far from the wall. I had to think outside the box a little. Or in this case, build one.
I found some leftover wood from other projects and built a false wall. The 2″ X 12″ was a little overkill, but I had no other use for it and needed something to lag the sink to. I installed some shelving brackets for extra support and easier assembly. Next came the drywall and the flooring, which I somewhat enjoy doing. I can’t say the same for the mudding, sanding and painting that was to come, but it was starting to come together nicely.
The Final Touches
After the painting was done, the only thing left to do was install the new toilet and sink. With the amount of times I had to McGyver the old toilet to keep it working, it was definitely time for an upgrade. I wanted to save some water, so I elected to get the dual flush. Which was actually a little more difficult to find than I would have thought. The install however, was a breeze. The sink took a little extra finesse to position, but I managed to hide most of the plumbing and keep it center.
All in all, I think it turned out pretty well. I was also able to stay below budget which was a bonus. Even after all the extra little work, the entire project cost me under $400. That’s not too bad considering the difference it made to our bathroom.
Cheers!