Last Updated on October 11, 2019 by admin

A new vanity is a great way to update the look of your bathroom. It can give your bath a new custom look while also adding functionality with better storage.

But what are some important things to look for when choosing a bath vanity for your existing bathroom? There are some things you can do to make the installation much easier so let’s take a look at some professional builder tips for choosing your new vanity.

Time to get a new vanity? (Photo credit: kpwerker)

Size

When looking at a replacement vanity, you will want to put some thought into the size. Your bathroom has a lot of items in place to fit your existing vanity.

Your lights are a great example of an item that was placed to fit your existing vanity. If you have lights on the ceiling or wall over your vanity, they probably have been installed to center over the existing cabinet. If you choose to go with a different sized vanity, you will want to center it on the existing lights.

Many bathrooms have a toilet next to the vanity. When choosing your new vanity, be sure to leave ample space for the toilet. Industry standard for space around the toilet is 36 inches. So, the toilet is typically centered in a 36 inch space to give plenty of room for use. Be sure to choose a vanity that won’t encroach into the toilet space.

You may also want to consider the height of your new vanity. Back in the old days of new home building, it was common practice to install shorter vanities. People are either getting taller or smarter as many of the new vanities are 34-36 inches tall. You will want to consider the items around your existing vanity to see how they will be affected by a change in height. If you have a mirror glued to the wall, this may need to be moved to install a taller vanity.

Drawer Style

A very popular vanity door and drawer style today is a full overlay setup. With a full overlay vanity, your doors and drawer fronts extend to the edge of the cabinet front. If your vanity is going to be installed in a corner next to a wall, it will require space at the side in order to clear the wall. Otherwise, your drawers will rub the wall when opened. Full overlay vanities make a nice statement so don’t rule them out…just plan for some extra space at the wall adjacent to them.

Down Under

Many of the new designer vanities make a dramatic statement by sitting up off the floor on legs. If your existing vanity is a standard cabinet that sits on the floor, you may not have flooring underneath it. Builders sometimes save money by installing vanities prior to flooring to cut back on the flooring costs. So, if you don’t intend to replace your floor along with your vanity, you may want to check to see if the floor is under the vanity space before choosing your new cabinet.

By putting a little extra thought into the purchase of your new vanity, you can create a high-end custom look without the hassles and extra costs.

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Michael Luckado co-founded ArmchairBuilder.com to help people save money on their building and remodeling projects. You can build your own home with a little free help from the pros.