Bathroom Gutting Tips

Bathroom gutting tips are helpful to know if you've never done a home improvement remodeling project before. You might be a homeowner who is starting to update your house or the project is part of an investment property rental home cleanout rehab. Regardless of the reason, it's best to be in-the-know before you start ripping apart the fixtures. The good news about redoing a bathroom is you can usually reuse some of the fixtures. With a little imagination and some common tools, you can transform and old boring bath into a luxurious space.

Bathroom Gutting Tips

Before you begin the bathroom gut process, check your water heater. You should replace the heating elements and if the appliance is old enough, now is a good time to replace it. This way, you'll have a new bathroom and plenty of hot water to enjoy. Be careful to do the water heater removal right so you don't injure yourself with scalding water or get a serious electrical shock. If the water heater is 8 years old to 12 years old, it's already at the average lifetime limit.

"Gutting" a room is the process of tearing out all finished materials -- walls, flooring and ceiling -- with the intent of completely rebuilding the room. Gutting a bathroom requires some skill beyond demolishing the walls and floors. Electrical wiring and plumbing supply and drain vents lurk inside the bathroom walls, and large fixtures such as bathtubs, shower stalls and sink vanities must be removed with care. Some municipalities require homeowners to obtain a building permit before gutting the bathroom. Before you begin, contact your local building codes department to determine the current regulations for renovating your bathroom. --San Francisco Gate

Next, you should decide what you'll do with the existing fixtures. If the vanity, tub, and toilet are in decent condition, you can simply leave them in-place. However, if they are out-of-date or need repair, it's best to remove them from the space. Consider refreshing the vanity with a fresh coat of paint and some new hardware, replacing the hinges, pulls, and knobs. If the floor is in good shape, that too can be left in-place. Here are some more bathroom gutting tips to use:

• Turn off the water supply. Even if you're not removing the tub or shower, it's best to turn off the water supply because you'll inadvertently turn on a faucet to rinse or wash your hands and/or flush the toilet. Turn off the water to the room or to the house long enough to remove the vanity, toilet, and tub.
• Shut off the electricity. In addition to turning off the water, shut off the electricity to the space by shutting off the circuit breaker on the main electrical panel, if you're going to thoroughly gut the whole room, including tearing out the walls.
• Disassemble the toilet. With the water off, flush the toilet and then take it apart. If you are not going to remove the fixture, cover it with a drop cloth. If you need to temporarily move it out-of-the-way, don't disassemble it but unbolt it from the floor and carry it out whole.
• Cover the tub and/or floors. A true bathroom gutting includes tearing down the walls. Before you start swinging, cover the tub with a panel of plywood and put drop cloths over the floor.
• Remove the hanging decor. Take down the mirror(s), towel racks, and any other decor or fixtures from the walls. You might choose to reuse these or replace them.
• Take out the vanity. Pull the vanity apart, starting by disconnecting the water supply and drain lines. Then, pop the sink out and pull off the surface top. You can then disassemble the base or demolish it.

If you are unsure about your do-it-yourself skills, phone 800-433-1094 or visit Pro Junk Dispatch. Our crew will come out to your property to help with the bathroom gut and will haul junk away. We do a lot of construction and remodeling debris cleanup and can be a great help to get your project done.