Vanity unit installation

A vanity unit with a basin is the most common thing fitted in a bathroom: in a new flat from the developer, after a renovation, or when the old cabinet has swollen from water. Fitting one looks simple, but whether anything leaks or sags a year later comes down to a few details: the height, the type of wall and how the trap lines up with the waste pipe.

What vanity unit installation includes

• assembling the cabinet if it arrived flat-packed, and setting the hinges and drawers;
• marking the height and level, drilling the wall and fixing it with plugs that suit the wall;
• seating the basin on the cabinet and sealing the joint with the wall using sanitary silicone;
• fitting the tap, trap and flexible hoses, connecting them to the isolation valves and the waste;
• a water test: filling the basin, draining it and checking that everything underneath stays dry.

How the job goes

The handyman starts with the wall. On concrete or brick a wall-hung vanity holds on ordinary expansion plugs, but a plasterboard wall needs a timber pattress behind it or special cavity fixings. If nobody planned for this, a cabinet carrying a full basin and toiletries starts to tilt within a few months.

Then the height. The top of the basin usually ends up 80–90 cm above the floor, but it is worth matching it to the people who use it and to the mirror going above. Only once the cabinet hangs level does the handyman connect the tap and the trap, and finally every joint is checked under pressure.

What to prepare before the visit

• the cabinet, basin, tap and trap on site, ideally still boxed and with the instructions;
• working isolation valves under the basin: if there are none, or one drips, mention it in the job;
• clear access to the wall and some floor space to assemble the cabinet;
• a photo of the wall and the water connections in the job description, so tradespeople can quote more accurately.

Common problems

The waste outlet in the wall is often too high or too low for the new cabinet. The trap then will not fit around the drawer, so either a cut-out goes into the back panel or a space-saving trap is used. Another classic: tap hoses that are too short, and old seized valves that start dripping the first time they are turned. It is better to find this out before fitting than halfway through.

If there is already an old basin on the wall and you want it replaced, have a look at our article on how a washbasin replacement works: taking the old one out often takes longer than fitting the new one.

What the price depends on

The range at the top of the page covers the fitting itself. The handyman gives the final figure in their offer, and it depends on the wall type, whether the cabinet needs assembling, its width, and whether valves need replacing or the waste needs reworking. Silicone and plugs usually come with the handyman, while new valves or longer hoses are charged as materials.

Common questions