Remodelling or renovating your bathroom can be very exciting. You get to spend your days planning on how to make your bathroom more attractive, liveable, and comfortable. This also means you’ll constantly be in the hunt for cool bathroom fixtures, nice tilework inspiration, and even affordable blinds. However, despite its usually small size, bathrooms can be a bit of a pain to remodel. The size itself poses a great amount of challenge. You cannot simply begin your remodel without actually sitting down to plan every single detail of the project. You have to carefully study and identify how you’re going to execute everything you’ve planned, one step at a time.
You’ll also have to make sure that the plumbing in your bathroom is in tiptop shape. After all, the work you would have done wouldn’t matter at all if the plumbing is faulty, or worse, not working at all. The point is, plumbing, although almost always taken for granted, plays a big part in the success of your bathroom remodelling project.
Here are some ways to make sure that your plumbing is in perfect order at the end of your remodelling project:
- Go for a “full gut” bathroom remodel
- Do not DIY
- Be clear with your expectations
When you’re renovating or remodelling your bathroom, go ahead and strip everything (i.e. plaster walls, ceilings, and sub-flooring) off to assess damages better that your bathroom has acquired over the years. Normally, plumbing-related issues are extremely difficult to trace, but when you’ve got the walls and floors stripped, it will be much easier to identify the damages on your pipes and resolve them before they become a much bigger problem.
This means you won’t have to worry about opening up another wall or your sub-flooring if a problem presents itself when you’ve already completed your remodel.
Feel free to DIY every other aspect of your bathroom remodelling project, but do not attempt to DIY any of the plumbing work. Pipe-laying, installing faucets, toilets, shower systems, water heaters, etc., are much better left in the hands of a professional. This way, you won’t have to worry about accidentally damaging anything that may cost you inconvenience and a whole lot of money in the future.
Additionally, this ensures that your bathroom remodelling follows the Water Safe Regulations of 1999. This means a plumber in Southampton, London, Brighton, or wherever else in the country will follow the same standards that protect your plumbing system as well as your safety as a service consumer.
Despite having standards that regulate plumbing work all over the country, it is important to be clear with your expectations of this project. So, do some research. Read up on plumbing and bathroom remodelling.
Plumbing mishaps often stem from miscommunication, so talk to your plumber about what you want to happen, and make sure that you are both on the same page. A conversation with your plumber also helps in understanding the scope of the work they will be doing for you. This will help you avoid any unnecessary frustrations that you may encounter while working with your plumber.
Once the remodelling has been completed, you will also want to make the necessary steps to ensure that everything is in perfect working condition before you start using your newly-remodelled bathroom regularly. Here’s a list of things you should be on the lookout for:
- Make sure there aren’t any leaky faucets or showers
- Be on the lookout for clogged or blocked drains
- Double-check the attachment of any plumbing or bathroom fixtures
Leaky faucets and showers are the most common plumbing issues in a household. Aside from it being a huge source of annoyance and irritation for you and the people in your home, leaks like these could cost you a lot of money quite literally down the drain. Furthermore, an unchecked faucet drip could cause hardware damage in the form of mineral deposits and unsightly water stains. So whether you’re using existing bathroom fixtures, or are planning on changing them during the remodel, make sure that your faucets are screwed on tightly and correctly.
Like the first one, this may be an obvious item on your list. However, drain blockages aren’t exactly unheard of in newly attached bathroom fixtures. Cases like these often occur when construction debris such as sand, gravel, grout, etc., fall into the drain during fixture replacement or drain relocation when new fixtures need to be accommodated. Although this does not happen very often, checking for such issues will prevent any unnecessary expenses down the line.
Installing bathroom fixtures like sinks, toilets, bathtubs, faucets, showers, and water heaters incorrectly could play a part in any kind of damage your bathroom may acquire in the future. Ensuring that they are installed securely and properly is one way to prolong the usability of your newly-remodelled bathroom.