Cutting the Costs of a Plumbing Project

Whether you’re looking to make a quick fix, to provide some alterations to your bathroom, or even to plan a major renovation, you might be aware of how quickly costs can get out of hand when it involve you plumbing. Here, we’re going to look at some of the steps you can take to keep those costs under control, without diminishing the overall quality of the end product. Take a look at some of the best ways of cutting the costs of a plumbing project below.

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Know some plumbing DIY

A lot of people are a little hesitant when it comes to the notion of DIY plumbing, and that’s understandable. If something goes wrong, then you could end up making a project more expensive. However, if you’re already a trusted hand with DIY projects around the home, then there are some plumbing fixes that aren’t going to be that much more complicated that you shouldn’t feel too concerned about tackling. Take a look at some of the DIY plumbing tips from housebeautiful.com and consider whether any of them apply to your own project. You can take the time to learn more and become more confident in your DIY plumbing skills, too.

Keep an eye on your plumbing

The best way to cut costs on any plumbing projects, or at least on your plumbing repairs, is to keep a closer eye on your pipes and fixtures, to begin with. If you can avoid any plumbing maintenance or repairs, then that’s the best way to go about it. You should take the time to inspect your plumbing on a somewhat regular basis, once a season tends to be good. There are signs of wear and tear you can spot, as noted by familyhandyman.com, that you can act on quickly before they become a more major issues, whether you have to DIY it, or you might need to call in some help.

Work around your plumbing system, as is

The fewer changes you have to make to your plumbing system, the less that it’s all going to cost you. If you are, in any way, able to keep your existing pipes, then that is always going to be the much more cost-effective option. Moving pipes around is expensive by itself, but it also requires much more time, which drives up the costs even further. As such, you should get an idea of your plumbing specifics before you start planning a renovation, and think of ways that you might be able to make the changes that you want without having to move things around. It’s not always possible, but where it is, it’s always much, much more cost-effective.

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Source your own

Even for the jobs that require you to call professional help, that doesn’t mean that you should rely on them completely for every aspect of the job. For instance, if you’re looking to swap out appliances or fixtures, such as changing your faucets, then you might want to take the time to source them yourself. Of course, professional advice is always helpful, but you can find options that suit your needs as well as your budget through plumbing supply stores like plumbersstock.com, while still leaving it up to the pros to fix and fit them. You can avoid the markup that some plumbing companies will put on any fixtures that they source for you, which isn’t something all plumbers do, but is enough of a trend to take the steps to actively circumvent.

Consider choosing cost-saving fixtures

Aside from taking the time to choose your own fixtures instead of relying on a renovator or plumber to do it for you, you should also think about the type of fixtures that you’re going to choose as well. While opting for those that are designed to save money aren’t going to cut down the costs of the actual renovation costs, they are going to make your choice much more cost-effective by saving you money down the line. For instance, there are a host of eco-friendly and water-saving fixtures that can help you keep your water usage rates down, good for those who have water bills to worry about. For electronic installations, such as showers, you should be looking for power-saving options, as well.

Remodel only what is necessary

If you’re opting for a complete renovation of the bathroom, then your first instinct might be to throw everything out so you can start with a clean slate and create an entirely new bathroom. However, if it’s not going to throw you off too much, you might want to consider only replacing the fixtures that are damaged or are beginning to show signs of wear and tear. Keeping the rest of your fixtures are they are and only focusing on the major changes that you want can allow you to skip extra demolition or dismantling costs, reduce the cost of purchasing new fixtures, and there will be fewer installations to make, reducing the time that the project takes.

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Know when you need the pros

Sometimes, it’s going to cost you a lot more to attempt to make a fix or a change yourself. If it requires more than the skills that you’re able to readily provide, then you should leave it to the pros, instead. This includes any work that’s going to involve changing or adjusting the pipes in your home. If you try and make a DIY fix for anything that’s likely to cause a leak if it goes wrong, then you could end up causing untold levels of expense through things like water damage and mold remediation costs. Best not to chance it and to know when to involve the pros.

With the tips above, you should be able to manage a much greater degree of control over the costs of any plumbing project. However, you should always make sure that you’re not making any decisions that will jeopardize the quality, safety, or reliability of your home’s plumbing. Otherwise, you could end up paying a lot more.