Planning a New Bathroom on a Tight Budget I have to fit a new bathroom as the old one is no longer serviceable for our growing family. The budget is a little tight, so I intend to do the remodel myself during the weekends and at the end I will take a week off to finish the tiling and do the finishing touches. I do not want it to go on forever and looking like it will never be finished, like so many other projects I have started in the past.
I need to sit down and write a list of our specific requirements as a family. Things as a separate WC, a shower and a bath and possibly two sinks should be thought of in advance. We are lucky as we have a larger than normal bathroom, so I am confident I can fit a studded wall in to accommodate the WC. It is murder in our house, when someone is in the shower as we have no other toilet and we have to wait!
The bathroom structure such as walls ceiling and the floor itself are in good general condition.However I will need to pull up the laminate and remove the old bathroom suite to ascertain the condition of the plumbing and wooden floor boards. Once I demolish the old bathroom I am on borrowed time. It will not take long before someone knocks on the door, with a WC related emergency.
The plan is for me to fit an isolating stopcock, which will enable me to turn off the bathroom water as and when I chose, without disrupting the rest of the household, I can then take my time changing one piece of the new bathroom suite at a time. I intend to change the old copper pipes with new push fit ten millimeter pipes and will make my job so much easier. The new bathroom is waiting in the neighbor’s garage and I have a week or so before they need the garage back.
Early on Saturday morning, I decided the time has come to fit the new stopcock as the kids will be in bed till at least noon. This gives me time in case I have to run to the DIY store, if I need anything else plumbing related. Once this was done in record time my confidence grew and I soon had the new sink and vanity unit fitted and working.
The new push fitting joints are so easy to use and the pipe work is cut to size in seconds. I was enjoying myself so much, I nearly lost track of I looked at my watch, it was soon time to receive a knock on the door for the first of many WC visits. I decided to cut myloses and quit while I am ahead. I will continue my new bathroom project early tomorrow, when I will remove the old toilet and replace it with the new one. It is a tricky one as I will be moving the plumbing and main drain under the floor boards, but I am sure I have everything I need to make it a success.