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Triple master contractor Ed Del Grande
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By Ed Del Grande
Q: Hi, Ed. I learn a lot from your column, and I look forward to some information on this topic. I have a single-bowl vanity sink that I would like to convert into two side-by-side pedestal sinks. Since the water and drains are already there, I'm assuming that it won't be that big of a job. Am I being to optimistic? Harry (Alaska)
A: Hi, Harry. I love your positive attitude, but I don't think this job is going to be as easy as you may think. Installing a vanity sink is usually a pretty forgiving process. All you need to do is get the water and drain lines close to the area of the sink. Once the vanity box is in place it covers the rough water and drain lines. If the water lines are uneven or the drain is a little low, nobody would ever see the mistakes. Also, since the lines are covered by the cabinet, there is no need to dress the piping with chrome trim or finish water supplies. This is why a vanity sink is a popular choice; the installation costs are lower than exposed sinks, such as a wall-hung or a pedestal sink.
With a wall-hung or pedestal sink, the plumbing placement and finish materials are crucial for a professional look. Using what's called a "rough in" sheet that comes with exposed sinks, plumbers can place the water and drain lines inside the wall exactly where they need to stick out under the fixture. Plus, hanging sinks need extra wall support.
To answer your question while keeping all this information in mind, going from a pedestal sink to a vanity box sink is usually not a big deal. But going from a vanity box sink to a pedestal sink may require moving some pipes and dressing up the piping with chrome or brass trim for a good look. Sometimes you can get lucky and the switch from one vanity sink to one pedestal sink can go smoothly.
However, you are going from one vanity sink to two pedestal sinks! In my opinion, this can turn into a big project that may include opening up the walls and roughing in two separate sink stations. My advice is to convert your single vanity sink into double bowl vanity sinks for a lot less labor and materials.
Or if you really want pedestal sinks, have a licensed contractor price up the job first and then decide if it's worth all the extra work of opening up the walls, re-piping the plumbing, adding supports to hold up the sinks, then closing up the walls and installing the sinks. This is one job where boxing yourself into a corner with a vanity lav sink may be a better idea than exposing your plumbing for a pedestal sink!
Ed Del Grande was born and raised in a family-owned plumbing business. With more than 25 years of experience in every aspect of construction, he holds current Master licenses in pipefitting, fire protection and plumbing. If you have a question for Ed, send him an e-mail at eddelgrande@hgtvpro.com.
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