How Much Does It Cost To Install A Bathroom Sink Drain
Many homeowners are hesitant to tackle small plumbing projects like installing a new sink faucet or drain, but the truth is, with the right kit and instructions, there’s nothing to fear. You will save significant money by installing a new sink drain yourself without hiring a plumber.
For most of the components, you will need to install a new bathroom sink drain, youre looking at an estimated cost of around $50-$65. A professional plumber typically charges between $100-150 for a drain replacement.
But that cost doesn’t include any minimum visit and labor charges that are included in calling a plumber. Most plumbers charge approximately $45 to $150 per hour for labor. Some plumbers also charge a minimum call fee, meaning a minor repair like a sink drain could still cost around $350.
If you’re willing to tacking installing a bathroom sink drain yourself, it can be a great way to learn something new and save money on a small home repair.
What Are The Types Connection For Pipes
Pipes are used to convey water, oil, gas, or other fluid substances. They can be made of a variety of materials including metal, plastic, and ceramic. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Some pipes are designed for specific purposes such as water conduits or pipeline systems. Other pipes are designed for use in general purpose areas such as street cleaning or wastewater treatment.
Clean Up The Drain And Sink
Once you’ve removed the drain components, you should be able to lift the drain from the sink. You may notice residue around the drain, including plumber’s putty. Now that you’ve removed all the old hardware, clean up the drain, sink, and faucet. Be sure to remove any dirt, grime, or old sealant left behindthis will ensure that your new sink drain looks great and that you get a tight seal to prevent leaks.
Recommended Reading: Home Depot 4 Inch Pvc Drain Pipe
Remove The Old Sink Drain
The next step is to remove the old drain. To do this, you will need to use a wrench to loosen the locknut that connects the drainpipe to the P-trap. Once the nut is loose, you can remove the drainpipe and P-trap from the sink.
Pro Tip: Have a rag handy to clean up any water that may have leaked out.
Remove The Old Drain From Under The Sink
After turning off the water supply, put on some gloves and safety goggles, and set up a small pan to catch any loose plumbing pipes or parts that may come loose during the process of removing your old drain. Then unscrew all of your plumbing lines from your old drain until they are all disconnected. This should include a hot water line if you have one. You can use a wrench or simply twist them off by hand.
After all of the plumbing lines are removed, take a flat head screwdriver and pry your old drain assembly out from under the sink. If it’s being particularly stubborn, you can carefully hit it with a hammer to loosen it before trying again with the screwdriver. If there is any sealant that seems as though it may be causing an issue when removing your old drain, scraping it away will allow for much easier removal.
Don’t Miss: Why Is My Phones Battery Draining So Fast
Run The Pipe Through The Drain
Once you have the proper line, you have to slip it through the drain and connect it to the fitting on the sinks top. Afterward, you will be able to join the pumps bottom to the pipe that connects to the drain. Galvanized steel is the material most frequently used for the fittings, even if many are made of PVC. Should you go with fittings made of plastic or other materials, you need to be 100% sure that the fitting is made for the material otherwise, it will cause damage. PVC is often used for valves as its reliable.
How Your Different Bathroom Sink Drain Parts Work
Many different parts make up a sink drain and they all must work together for the sink to properly function. Knowing how each part works and interacts with one another will allow you to troubleshoot problems with your drain more efficiently.
A standard bathroom sink has two drains one for water from the faucet, and one for draining water after washing hands or doing other tasks where water doesn’t remain in the basin. This second drain is called an overflow pipe because it allows excess water to leave the basin through this opening when too much enters. The stopper is lifted by pushing down on it with your hand however, this causes a chain reaction of events that lead to the plunger moving up and down over the drain opening.
Understanding how the differentbathroom sink drain parts work is the first step in determining the problem and knowing how to fix it.
You May Like: Washer Won’t Spin Or Drain
Lower The Drain Outlet If Necessary
If you find that the existing drain outlet is not low enough to accommodate the depth of the new sink, you will need to open the wall and lower the position of the sanitary tee connecting to the drain pipe in the wall. This can be a somewhat complicated job that requires cutting away the back of the cabinet and the wall surface.
Our example is a case in pointthe new sink left insufficient room for connecting a standard drain assembly to the drain outlet in the wall . So, the sanitary tee fitting serving as the drain outlet has been lowered . Keep in mind that the drain height must leave enough room for removing the trap and cleaning it out.
If you need to lower the sanitary tee in the branch drain, it is a good idea to wait until the other parts of the drain are test-fitted before gluing and securing the fittings permanently. Leaving the fittings loose will allow you some room for adjustment.
Before continuing to the next steps, remove the old sink and install the new sink in the countertop. Our installation will include a double-basin sink with a garbage disposal fitted to the right basin.
The Spruce / Kevin Norris
Not Using Enough Plumbers Putty Or Sealant When Putting In Your Drain
Not using enough plumbers putty or sealant is very easy to do, but it can lead to some big problems down the road if you don’t use enough of either on your new hardware. To combat this issue, make sure you go back over all of the delicate areas after finishing with everything else below the sink and add more sealant. Doing so will prevent leaks from ever happening around any of your connection points between your plumbing lines and your new drain assembly.
Also Check: Replace Garbage Disposal With Regular Drain
Prepare The New Drain Assembly
This is the first step when it comes to installing the shiny and new sink drain. Start by disassembling the drain and removing the mounting nut, washer and gasket from the drain stem.
If your new drain assembly comes with a gasket for the topside of the drain that seals it to the sink, slip it up against the drain cup. If you dont have a gasket, apply a small bead of siliconecaulk or plumbers putty to this flange instead.
How To Connect A P
First, slide the p-traps short side into the tailpiece that drops down to the sink drain. Align to the opening on the wall the trap arm by moving it up or down.
If the trap arm is below the wall drain fitting, and you cannot move the p-trap higher up the tailpiece, use a hacksaw to cut the tailpiece. If when attached to the end of the tailpiece the p-trap lies above the wall drain, then purchase a longer tailpiece.
The trap should be installed directly under the drain so that one can verify whether or not it is holding water or has been damaged.
Water gravity that forces water out is also greater when the trap is directly under the drain.
The trap arm connecting the vent pipe horizontally from the p-trap must have ¼ inch per foot slope sloping up towards the drain.
Take apart the lower part of the p-trap and then insert the trap arm into the wall drain fitting as far as it will go.
Start pulling out the trap arm from the wall fitting to the point where it will exactly fit with the top U-shaped portion of the trap.
You will need to purchase another p-trap if the trap arm comes out completely from the wall before getting attached to the trap.
You will need to cut the trap arm if it is in the wall fitting and still extends past the u-shaped part of the trap. Use a hacksaw to cut it to the appropriate length.
Insert back the trap arm into the wall drain. Align the trap arm back to the trap and thread on the slip nut without tightening it.
You May Like: Rust Around Bathroom Sink Drain
Connecting The Drain And Vent Pipes
Measure And Mark The Kitchen Sinks Layout
If sink has a template, align it with the mark on the counter. Place its back edge 1½ inches from and parallel to the counter.
Trace around it proceed to the next step. If there’s no template, use 2-inch tape to outline the sink location.
Lay the sink upside down on the counter. Align the mark on the sink with the one on the counter.
Adjust the sink to leave 1½ inches between its back edge and the backsplash. Be sure sink is parallel with the counter’s edge.
Trace around the sink, then remove it.
Measure the width of the sink lip, subtract 1/8 inch, and mark inside the sink outline by that much.
To make the cut-out lines, connect all the marks with a straightedge.
Step 2
Recommended Reading: How Do Flat Roofs Drain
Apply Plumbing Putty Around The Drain
Next, it’s time to insert the new drain into the sink’s hole. You’ll want to put the drain piece into the hole, making sure that the flange is securely placed into the plumber’s putty. If you are using a kit assembly, follow all instructions to ensure you get a good fit with a nice, secure seal around the drain. This will ensure that you don’t run into future leaks.
How To Connect Sink Drain To Wall Pipe
To connect your sink drain to the wall pipe, the following process has to be completed:
Connect the tailpiece to your kitchen sink strainer. Align its threads to the threads of the kitchen sink strainer and tighten it up through clockwise motion.
Fix the tailpiece with a drainpipe. A rubber gasket should be inserted into the drainpipe to ensure a watertight seal after the drainpipe and tailpiece are connected.
Install the p-trap to connect the drain pipe from the sink drain to the wall pipe. Slide the short side of the p-trap onto the tailpiece rotate the p-trap to make sure that you align the trap arm with the wall drain fitting.
You can cat the p-trap using a hacksaw to adjust it if the arm is below the wall fitting and you cant move it higher the drainage pipe. If the trap aligns properly insert it into the wall drain and line it up with the u-shaped portion of the trap.
Tighten the slip nuts on the wall drain if everything aligns perfectly to complete the process. If the wall drain is too far away from the sink, then you may need an extra pipe to connect your p-tap to the wall drain.
Alternatively, you can install drain pipes from the sink to the wall outlet. It is not a hard process and it can be done individually through the following process:
You May Like: How To Drain Lymph Nodes In Neck
Figure Out The Height Of Your Drain Outlet
To start, you should check the drain outlet height especially if you plan on replacing your sink with one that has a different height. You should measure the distance between the trap arm to the bottom of your cabinet.
If the measurement indicates that the height is greater than 16-inches, youll have to make some adjustments as the new sink cant accommodate the downward slope thats needed for the trap arm. While you can cut the wall open on your own, it is a reasonably complicated job, so its best to seek the help of a professional. If youre doing it on your own, you should leave sufficient space to allow for removing and cleaning the trap.
How To Replace A Bathroom Faucet With Your New Sink Drain
Many people install a new sink drain while replacing the faucet. This is a great idea, especially if your new faucet is a different color or type of metal than the drain in your sink. Ensuring a matching faucet and drain will keep the bathroom fixtures consistent and cohesive.
Whether you’re fixing a drain or installing a new drain in a sink, the fixtures should match. It gives the sink a clean look and allows you to check for any water damage in the cabinets and detect other problems you may need to address with your bathroom update.
Most sink faucet installation kits are simple to follow with easy, clear instructions. If youre wondering how to get started, check out the DIY faucet replacement video below.
If youre looking for a beautiful faucet to match your new bathroom sink drain, dont miss our wide range of bathroom faucets and fixtures. At Do It Best, we have everything you need to create a beautiful bathroom update that youll feel proud of.
While do-it-yourself projects can be fun and fulfilling, there is always a potential for personal injury or property damage. We strongly suggest that any project beyond your abilities be left to licensed professionals such as electricians, plumbers, and carpenters. Any action you take upon the information on this website is strictly at your own risk, and we assume no responsibility or liability for the contents of this article.
In This Article
Also Check: Connecting Sink Drain To Wall Pipe
Inserting The Basket Strainer
Install The Garbage Disposal And Strainer
First, install the garbage disposal onto the desired side of the sink, since this takes up the most space.
Next, install a basket strainer onto the remaining sink basin. This is also a good time to install any other under-sink components, such as a water filter or a hot water dispenser. You will need to work around these fittings as you connect the drain pipes.
The Spruce / Kevin Norris
You May Like: Best Kitchen Sink Drain Assembly