New bathroom install

by Stacy Genovese

A couple of days ago I finally picked out a vanity for my second bathroom. You would think this would be an easy task but it's not. First, it's a small bathroom so I wanted something a little unusual with some character. Well everything that's a little unusual with any character costs a ton. So my husband and I find a floor model and talk the salesperson into selling it to us; 40% off since we're buying the floor model. Then we find some scratches on it and talk her into another 10% off. I call up my father and have him come with his van to pick us and the vanity up and take us home.

We get home and are very happy in our newly purchased, newly discounted piece of furniture and doesn't fit through the door! Normally bathroom doors are 24" wide but not this one. This one had some problems and my Dad (who is also our contractor) needed to add some 1"x6"s to make it square so our door opening is about 23" wide. Standard bathroom vanities are between 21" deep to 24" deep so we still shouldn't have a problem...and we wouldn't have if I didn't buy a vanity that was a little unusual with some character! The vanity I chose has a curved front so it won't fit in sideways either. So the molding and 1"x6"s need to come off so the vanity can fit in.

Now you have to understand, 5 years ago my husband and I bought this 1948 house which hadn't been worked on since 1948. We have gutted it down to the studs and have re-done every surface. So it might not seem like a big deal to take down some molding, get the vanity it, and then put the molding back up again...but for us to go backwards in the work is just a little defeating.

So some advice from GHRI - measure before you buy anything!!!!!