Remodeling your bathroom may seem like an easy DIY project, but there are some mistakes that are often made by homeowners who don't have experience with plumbing. To get your bathroom looking great and operating properly, you'll want to make sure you choose the right items for your remodel and make sure they are properly installed. Here are a few mistakes to avoid when remodeling your bathroom.

Buying Without Measuring

Standard toilets seem like they should be standard across all homes, but the truth is that some homes are designed to accommodate different toilets than others. If you go to a plumbing supply or home remodeling store and purchase a toilet because you love the way it looks, you might be in for a surprise when you go to install it. You should always measure the "rough-in" before you buy. This refers to the distance between the pipe outlet for your toilet and the wall. Choosing the wrong size means that your toilet will tilt or that it simply won't fit in the space you have available for it.

Installing Flooring Around Your Vanity

If adding new flooring is part of your bathroom remodel project, make sure that you are installing the flooring underneath your bath vanity. While you may be able to cut corners and costs by simply tiling around the vanity, this will lead to several problems in the long run, including:

• A gap between the vanity and floor where dirt can get trapped
• The flooring will need to be pulled up to switch out the vanity at a later date
• An unfinished look for your bathroom floor

Remove the vanity before you install any new flooring in your bathroom. You can reinstall your old vanity or add a new one once your bathroom floor is completed to add a stylish, finished look to the room.

Adding A Shower Without Properly Grading The Floor

Building a stand-up shower in a bathroom helps to create a luxury suite feeling, particularly if you will have a separate shower and tub when your remodel is complete. It seems easy enough to add a pan liner to the defined space and tile the walls to create your shower, but you'll need to build a proper foundation for the shower first. Before you install the shower pan liner, you'll need to grade the area where the shower is to be installed. A slight angle is required to drain water from your shower properly. Once the grading is completed, you can begin to add your concrete foundation, subflooring, moisture barrier and the pan liner. If the floor is not graded to provide a proper slope, you'll be left with a pool of standing water at the bottom of your shower.

Talk to a plumber like Stephens Plumbing And Heating Inc before you start your next bathroom remodel project. You can get some great tips for mistakes to avoid, and your plumber may even be able to help with the remodeling project.

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