Doing a major bathroom remodel can be the perfect chance to improve its plumbing.
Bathroom plumbing modifications should be planned well so that it can go hand-in-hand with the design. You also need to have a consultation with a licensed plumber in order to work out what’s best.
Here are 5 bathroom remodel plumbing considerations to keep in mind.
Bathroom Remodel Plumbing
1. Figure out if you need to transfer the toilet or other plumbing fixtures
Relocating plumbing fixtures will add to the workaround time for the renovation. Not to mention the costs and the hassle it brings to your daily routine.
For example: transferring a toilet requires refitting the pipes. The plumber must also ensure the refitted pipes don’t mess with the floor’s foundation.
Apart from the pipes, the vents must also be moved or changed. The bathroom walls may need to be taken out for proper positioning of the vent.
As what you have read, moving plumbing fixtures requires a lot of time, effort, and money. You need to evaluate if it’s necessary to transfer the plumbing appliances.
It doesn’t hurt to have professional consultation from an experienced plumber before you start your bathroom remodel.
2. Enlarge the drain size if it’s necessary
Clogged drains are sometimes caused by having a small drainage size. Scum, hair, and other wastes can easily obstruct a tiny drain opening.
Increasing the drain size will certainly help in lowering the chances of clogs. However, that doesn’t mean you can just neglect its maintenance.
3. Decide if you want to hide plumbing lines or not
This is more of a design than a functional aspect of your bathroom. It’s up to your preference on which bathroom remodel plumbing layout you want.
Leaving plumbing lines (ex. pipes behind the sink and fixtures) exposed will give your bathroom space and an industrial theme. Concealing the pipes will make the bathroom look cleaner and more modern.
Hiding pipes isn’t a difficult job for a well-established design contractor. But do keep in mind that once the job is done; it will be difficult and costly to change it.
4. Important information you need to know if you want your shower to be curbless
Again, this is your own personal preference but you need to know the reality of setting up a curbless shower. It’s tough and requires expert hands to be installed properly.
The reason why it’s troublesome to set up is that it needs a sloped shower base. The shower base isn’t just placed directly onto a concrete floor.
You see, the floor must first be removed before placing the shower base in order to attach it. A poor installation of the shower base will result in water deposits all over your bathroom.
5. Consider upgrading your plumbing fixtures
For those of you who have dated faucets, showerheads, and toilets; you might want to consider getting updated fixtures. You can find a number of plumbing appliances that have water usage.
Eco-friendly fixtures can help cut down your water utility expenses in the long run. For example, dual-flush toilets promote efficient water usage.
It has two flushing options: the weaker flush is intended for draining liquid wastes while the stronger flush variant is for solid wastes.
Guest Blog post by Katie Jones, content creator and manager of Dr.Drip Pty Ltd. She is always updated with home improvement and plumbing tips and tricks — and willing to share them to anyone in a broad spectrum.
Thank you!! Exactly!!
That’s a good point that a larger drain would be harder to clog up. My current drain gets clogged pretty easily, so a bigger one would be nice. I would have no idea how to change that myself, so I might need to look for a plumber to help me out.