Replacing a Bathroom Vanity: Sizes, Plumbing and Cost

A new vanity is the fastest way to change a bathroom. Here is what to measure, what the plumbing involves and what it runs in Polk County.

If a bathroom looks dated, the vanity is usually the reason. It is the biggest piece of furniture in the room, it takes the most abuse from water and it is the first thing you see from the door. Swapping it is also one of the few bathroom jobs that changes the whole feel of the space without opening walls or moving drains. That is why we do so many of them across Lakeland and Polk County.

Measure before you shop

The number of vanities returned to the store because they do not fit is remarkable. Three measurements matter.

• Width. Measure wall to wall, or from the wall to the toilet tank, and leave a couple of inches so the drawers clear the door casing and the toilet lid. Standard widths are 24, 30, 36, 48 and 60 inches, and an odd-width alcove usually needs a filler strip or a custom top.
• Depth. Most vanities are 21 inches deep. A shallow 18-inch model can rescue a narrow hall bathroom, but the sink options shrink with it.
• Height. Older vanities are often 30 to 32 inches. Newer "comfort height" units are 34 to 36 inches, which most adults prefer. If you go taller, the mirror, the light fixture and sometimes the outlet all need to move up too.

Also check where the drain and supply lines come out of the wall. A vanity with a full-width drawer stack looks great in the showroom, but if the trap sits where the top drawer needs to slide, that drawer gets cut down or blocked off.

What the plumbing side involves

A vanity swap is not just carpentry. Once the old cabinet is out, we almost always find at least one of these:

• Shutoff valves that will not fully close, or that drip once they are turned. Central Florida's hard water crusts them up. We replace them while the wall is open rather than trusting a thirty-year-old valve.
• A drain stub-out that is too high or too low for the new sink. A tailpiece extension or a rework of the trap fixes it, but it has to be planned for.
• Rotted or swollen subfloor under the cabinet from years of slow leaks. Read our post on soft floors and subfloor rot for what that repair looks like.
• Flooring that stops at the old cabinet's footprint. If the new vanity is smaller, or open underneath, you will see bare slab or unfinished tile edges.

New supply lines, a new P-trap and a new faucet go in with every vanity we set. Reusing the old ones to save a few dollars is how you get a call-back a month later.

Tops, sinks and faucets

Most ready-made vanities come with a cultured marble or quartz top and an integrated sink, which is the simplest and most watertight option. A separate top lets you choose an undermount sink and a stone or quartz surface that matches the kitchen. Vessel sinks look striking but sit high, splash more and are harder to keep clean around the base. In a bathroom used daily, an undermount or integrated bowl wins.

For faucets, match the hole spacing on the top: single hole, 4-inch centerset or 8-inch widespread. A quality brass-bodied faucet with a ceramic cartridge holds up to our water far better than a bargain unit.

Freestanding or wall-mounted

Floating vanities are popular in remodels because they make a small bathroom feel larger and are easy to clean under. They do need solid blocking in the wall, and on the concrete block exterior walls common in Polk County homes that means anchoring properly into the block, not just the furring strips. It is a good job for a crew that does carpentry and trim work regularly.

What it costs in the Lakeland area

For a straightforward swap, a stock 30 to 48 inch vanity with top and faucet, installed with new valves, supply lines and trap, homeowners in Central Florida typically see a total in the range of a few hundred dollars for labor plus the cost of the unit, which runs from a few hundred to a couple thousand dollars depending on the size and finish. A double vanity, a custom top, tile or flooring repair, or moving the plumbing all add to it. We give an exact number after a free estimate, and we put every line on paper so there are no surprises.

When a vanity swap is the wrong job

If the tile is cracked, the tub surround is failing or the floor is soft, a new vanity in front of those problems is money spent in the wrong order. That is the point where a full bathroom remodel makes more sense. We will tell you either way. Inventive Home Improvement serves Lakeland, Winter Haven and all of Polk County. Call (863) 633-5499.

Frequently asked questions

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