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How to Replace Faucet?

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Remove the large nuts that hold the faucet in place. This is where you’ll want to use a basin wrench if you have one. You may have one, two, or even three nuts. Your sink may look different because they may be hard plastic, brass, or silver-colored metal. This may be the hardest part of the job, since the threads are often quite long and they may be corroded so that the nuts are difficult to turn. Hang in there! It gets easier from here. Lift the old faucet up, tubes and all, right out of the sink.

Now, examine the tubes carefully. If they are damaged in any way, take one with you to the store where you bought the wrench and buy two, new, gray plastic tubes the same length. They come with new nuts and end fittings.

Before installing your new faucet, give the sink a good cleaning where the old faucet was mounted. You may have to scrape and scour to remove hard water deposits, although depending on the new faucet, some of the area may be covered. Try vinegar or an acid cleaner to help dissolve hard water deposits.

Check your new faucet base and see if they include a soft plastic gasket. You need something like this to seal around the base to keep water from getting under it. If not, buy some plumbers’ putty. It’s gray in color and is something like chewing gum. Stick a bead of it around the base before you mount the new faucet. When you tighten down those two big nuts, it will squeeze a little of this putty out but it’s easy to clean up with rubbing alcohol.

Attach the new tubes to the new faucet before you install it in the sink. Assemble the new faucet. Sometimes there is a separate flange or plate that slips over the bottom. If you want this flange installed, or if there are any additional hoses to assemble, do so now. Slip the new faucet through the holes in the sink. Tighten the new nuts from below the sink, but stop when you get close.

Before you get those two big nuts tight, take a look at your new faucet, see if it is straight or angled one way or the other, then finish tightening up the nuts. Insert the tubes into the valves under the sink and tighten up the tube nuts. Turn on the water and check for any leak. Wait for ten minutes and check for leaks again. If everything seems fine, you’re done; if not, tighten the fittings a little more and check for leaks again.

How to Plan a Bathroom Renovation?

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You’ve decided to renovate your bathroom. The next step is to plan, plan, plan! The better your planning, the better your result. Don’t rush through this part of the process. You can’t plan for everything, but you can prepare in ways that’ll help you deal with whatever might come up. Determine your budget. What are you able or willing to spend on your renovation? Write it down and stick to it. There are so many options out there that it’s easy to get carried away once the project is in progress.

Get inspired. Start a board on Pinterest of all the bathroom designs and features that you like. Collect inspiration for your vanity, fixtures, flooring, lighting and colours. Once you have collected a number of images you’ll usually start to see a trend emerge. Weed out all the images that don’t fit with this trend, or your needs, and you’ll have a good starting point for the look and feel of your new bathroom.This step will also get you well acquainted with all of the amazing fixture options out there.

Measure. Plot out your space on graph paper and cut out a toilet, vanity, tub, etc. to move around till you have a layout you’re happy with. There are plenty of online resources for bathroom layouts. Here are some space requirements that you’ll want to keep in mind: leave 30″ of clear space in front of any fixture. 18” from center line of. Toilet to wall/other fixture. Recommended minimum of 36 x 36 interior for shower. A separate toilet compartment should be a minimum of 36 x 66 with a swing out or pocket door.

Start sourcing your fixtures. Now that you have a budget and floor plan to work within you should have a good idea of what you require. Make a list of all the items needed and start sourcing your fixtures based on your budget and style board on Pinterest. If you’re doing your research online make sure to pin any items you’re interested in to your Pinterest board. If you’re visiting a shower room or big box store take pictures and note the size and price for reference later on.Things you’ll need: toilet, vanity or pedestal, tub, tub/shower, shower base + glass, or shower unit, shower valve and trim, faucets, tiles, grout, mirror, lighting, bathroom accessories (toilet paper holder, towel ring or bars, robe hooks).

Start talking to contractors/plumbers if you aren’t going to DIY. You now have a pretty good idea of the scope of your project and this will make it easier for your contractor or plumber to price the job for you. Show them your plan and fixture ideas so that if there is anything problematic they can bring it to your attention now and you can address it before the renovation begins.

Once you’ve decided on your contractor/plumber and have a date set for the project to begin, start purchasing your fixtures and finishes. Most items, unless they are in stock, will take between 2 to 4 weeks to arrive. You don’t want anything to hold up your project once you begin and by having all the pieces readily available you will limit the amount of time your house is turned into a construction zone.

If this is your only bathroom in the house, try to have a plan in place for dealing with the inconveniences. Do you need to rent a port-a-potty for the backyard for a few days or can you use your neighbour’s or families facilities? Know that there are usually hidden problems that crop up when renovating and you could be without a bathroom for a few days longer then expected.