For many families, the kitchen is the command center of the home. On top of being a place to cook, it may be the first place you walk into when you come home and the place you go to enjoy family dinners too.
If your kitchen isn’t making life as easy as you’d like it to, a renovation could be a much-needed change. However, it’s more complex than it looks on reality TV shows. It’s especially complicated if you’re moving around or adding appliances.
If your kitchen renovation will need some plumbing changes along the way, these tips can help everything run smoothly.
Don’t Try to DIY It
This is absolutely rule #1 and it’s one of the biggest mistakes homeowners make. They think it looks easy to reroute their plumbing. It’s just like building a tube maze for a hamster, right?
No, it isn’t. There’s a reason why plumbers need specialized training and expertise.
You may be trying to save money with DIY plumbing, but you’re taking a big risk. Making a mistake could cost you thousands more by leading to water damage, mould, and more.
Instead, come to terms with the fact that a professional plumber is your best bet. Do your research and find an experienced, licensed plumber in Scarborough that you trust.
Consult a Plumber in Your Design
You might have every intention of hiring a professional plumber, but it’s also a mistake to bring them in too late in the process.
Ask a plumber to weigh in on your layout and design plan for the renovation. Have them come out to your home to see where your appliances are now and where you’d like them to be.
This serves a few purposes. First, it allows the plumber to give you a cost estimate so you can budget accordingly. Second, it allows them to catch issues.
There may be something in your plans that is incompatible with your plumbing system. Or, it may be possible but prohibitively expensive. You don’t want to get your flooring and countertops ordered and then discover that you need to re-do the measurements because your layout won’t work.
Check Out Your Shutoff Valves
As you probably know, every home has a main shut-off valve to stop the full water supply. For a smoother kitchen renovation, though, you’ll want to have a shut-off valve for each appliance.
While your plumber is in your home to give an estimate and review your design, ask them to check your shut-off valves too. Make sure you have one for each appliance if possible and that the valves are in good working order.
If they aren’t, your plumber can build this into the renovation job.
Know How Old Your Pipes Are
They say that knowledge is power, and that holds true when it comes to your plumbing.
Before your plumber starts on your job, they’ll want to know what they’re dealing with. The more you know about your plumbing the better.
Take the time to dig up any old documentation you may need, like the date the plumbing was installed or replaced, any anomalies or recurring issues, inspection reports, and more.
Buy Your Own Supplies
With any repair contractor, including a plumber, you have the option of having them buy the materials and adding the cost into your bill, or buying the materials yourself for them to use. It’s always best to choose the latter.
Ask your plumber for a list of materials so you can get them from your local hardware store. Be prepared, because you may need to make another trip or two during the job if unexpected issues arise.
This ensures that you’re getting the best total price for your plumbing job. A word of caution, though: make sure you get all the details right. Small differences in size or shape of a plumbing part will make a difference.
Stick with Your Decisions
One of the most common mistakes homeowners make during any renovation is changing their minds too many times.
Once you’ve made a decision about your layout and other aspects of your plumbing job, stick with them. Seemingly small changes can make your job far more expensive and draw out the timeline more than you realize.
Kicking Your Kitchen Renovation into Gear
It may not be as fun as picking out countertops and paint colours, but your plumbing is an essential part of your kitchen renovation and how much you’ll enjoy the final result. The tips above can make sure the process is as smooth and efficient as possible.
0 comments:
Post a Comment