Five Essential Steps Before You Order Plumbing Fixtures
My team at Jennifer Gardner Design focuses primarily on home renovation—so it’s no surprise that we often find ourselves in the plumbing trim showroom! I get starry-eyed when I see a shiny new faucet or luxurious soaking tub. Plumbing fixtures are a wonderful way to add personality to your space!
Is it easy to make mistakes when choosing your trim? Yes! If you choose your fixtures without a solid plan in place, you can make mistakes that you might regret later. Is it just as easy to nail it if you choose your fixtures with careful planning? Absolutely!
In today's post, I am going to reveal the five essential steps to complete BEFORE you order your plumbing fixtures. If you have a renovation in your future, you are going to want to pin this post! Don’t forget to pass this along to your friends who have renovation plans in their future as well. I promise that they will thank you!
Photography by: Emily Keeney
Step One: Make a plan—then start window shopping!
The first step to planning for your plumbing fixtures is knowing what you need. In your renovation planning sequence of events, choosing your fixtures often comes after you have a floor plan established. This is important in terms of identifying not only what fixtures you are sourcing but also how many of each and what sizes will work best for your space.
If you don’t have an established floor plan yet and your renovation is looming in the near future, this is the time to get that plan ready before moving on to Step Two. I recommend using my Ultimate Home Renovation Checklist to build out your plan with ease!
Sometimes your floor plan isn’t quite ready—but the siren song of gorgeous fixtures calls! This is a great time to plan a pre-shop.
A plumbing showroom pre-shop early in your planning process could help you hone in on the style, color, and type of fixtures you would like to incorporate into your renovation project. This can be especially helpful if you want to get a sense of what is available before you commit to your forever fixtures. So, it’s not just window shopping—it’s research!
Step Two: Make a wishlist (and take measurements!)
Take a look at your floor plan and make a list of all the fixtures you need and want to include. Next, note the sizes. Size does matter in this case, and it is very important to make sure that the size of your favorite fixtures matches the plan for your renovation.
Pro Tip: If you are including a tub in your bathroom renovation, you will need to know what size, shape, and type will fit into your room. Another key size to note is your sink base cabinet width. You might fall in love with a 36-inch wide apron front sink for the kitchen, but come to find out later that you have a 30-inch sink base cabinet planned. Understanding your size constraints ahead of your shopping trip will save you from making costly mistakes later.
To help guide your shopping adventure, I have included a checklist below. Fill this in before you shop so that your in-store experience can be focused on choosing style, type, and color.
Step Three: Book an appointment at a fixture store
If the plumbing trim store of your choice offers appointments, make one! This will guarantee that you will have expert guidance while you shop. A pro’s perspective will help to make your experience efficient and less overwhelming.
If you have an opportunity to email the person who you will meet with in advance, send over your wishlist and some other key information, such as the style you prefer, so that they can prepare ahead of your visit.
These planning steps ahead of your visit to the showroom are a game-changer! A little extra planning can turn a potentially stressful showroom visit into a fun experience!
Step Four: Ready for the showroom? Show up prepared.
You can (and should) prepare for your plumbing fixture showroom visit. Three things we always have with us include:
The shopping list
Physical samples of the materials going into the space—tile, counter, paint color, etc.
A concept image or two of the overall design scheme
Plan to show these things to the plumbing showroom expert. The more information they have about your style and color preferences at the start of your visit, the more efficient and productive your visit will be!
These items will also come in handy when you are choosing your fixture metal finish. You might go into the showroom knowing you want a polished brass finish, but the expert might look at your finish materials and recommend another finish that will coordinate better.
Step Five: Plan your budget
It is helpful to have a budget in mind ahead of your shopping trip. Plumbing fixtures are available at a wide variety of price points. Are you shopping for low, mid, or high-priced fixtures?
Perhaps you have your eye on a high-priced bathroom faucet, but your total budget is in the medium range. If you work with the right plumbing fixture specialist, they can help put together a package that pairs your high-priced faucet with a low to mid-cost shower trim that coordinates beautifully and ultimately keeps you in your budget comfort zone.
Want to explore plumbing trim costs ahead of your visit? I recommend checking out build.com.
Once you know what’s coming down the pipeline…
You’re ready to move forward on your renovation journey! Follow these five essential steps before you order your plumbing fixtures to ensure that this part of the process is joyful and stress-free. There’s a whole world of stunning fixtures out there, and now you’ll be ready to navigate it.
