Who to Hire to Install a New Bathroom Vanity and Sink

Installing a new bathroom vanity is a great way to give your bathroom a fresh look. These new features can add personality, style, and warmth to the room and even increase your home’s value. Luckily, you can choose from a few pros who install bathroom vanities and sinks. Here are the contractors with the skills and tools to tackle this project for you.

Benefits of Hiring a Handyperson to Install Your Vanity and Sink

Given the size of the job, hiring a handyperson to install a new vanity and sink would be an excellent choice. These professionals are versatile and often have experience in a wide range of trades—carpentry, plumbing, electricity, and masonry—and are ideal for this kind of work. The average handyperson's hourly rate is $100 per hour, but it can range between $50 and $150.

As an added bonus, if any issues arise during the process, they’re a jack of all trades for many home repairs, from fixing bathroom floor tiles to patching damaged walls.

Can I DIY a Bathroom Vanity Installation?

If you prefer the DIY route for your home improvement projects, there’s good news. Installing a bathroom vanity yourself is doable if you have the time and the proper tools.

As with any DIY task, it’s vital to plan out your steps ahead of time. Every vanity is different, so no two jobs will be the same. In some cases, the sink and vanity may be attached, so you’ll have to install both.

The advantages of taking on this project yourself include knowing the particulars of the installation, a significant reduction in the bathroom vanity installation cost, and the joy of working with your hands. You can also take the opportunity to do some extra work, like painting your walls.

A General Contractor May Also Take on Bathroom Installation Projects

As the name suggests, general contractors are generalists. They can perform a variety of work, from big renovations to small ones, including removing and installing a new bathroom vanity and sink. They’re also a great fit for top-to-bottom renovations and bringing your dream bathroom vision to life.

However, remember that, given this project's size, you may not be at the top of their priority list. If your budget allows, you can add a couple more projects—like painting the interior of your bathroom and updating the existing entrance door—to make it more appealing to a general contractor to take the job.

You can also hire a local bathroom vanity installer to get your bathroom vanity and sink up and running. These contractors specialize in these installations and can suggest the best materials and type of vanity for your space. 

You Can Consider Hiring a Carpenter to Install a Bathroom Vanity

A carpenter is well qualified to install a bathroom vanity since they have the skills and tools to install cabinets. However, not all of them can install a new sink. This part of the project requires some plumbing skills to connect the water and drain lines and work with plumbing fixtures, like bathroom faucets and water shut-off valves. Keep in mind that you may also need to hire a plumber.

A Plumber Can Install a New Bathroom Sink

It's common knowledge that plumbers can install sinks, but you may wonder if plumbers install bathroom vanities. Many times, the answer is yes. However, they will often only do it if the vanity installation is straightforward and does not require much carpentry work.

Plumbers are experts in pipes, water supplies, bathroom fixture installations, and more. Hiring a plumber is a great option when running new water lines and installing faucets and sinks. Plus, they can repair any plumbing issues, such as water pressure problems, if they come up.

If you hire a plumber for both tasks, make sure they’re truly comfortable and have the skills to do this work. Otherwise, you will need to hire a carpenter as well.

What Skills Are Needed to Install a Bathroom Vanity and Sink?

Let’s break this down into the two items you will need to remove and install: 

• A bathroom vanity is a cabinet that attaches to a wall and requires someone with carpentry skills to install it.

• The bathroom sink, on the other hand, is a plumbing fixture that is attached or assembled in or on top of the vanity. The pro you hire will need some plumbing skills to install the sink. More advanced plumbing skills will be required if you need to install new pipes.

If you’re removing the bathroom vanity and sink first, this is simply a matter of having the proper tools and skills to uninstall them safely.

Tips for Hiring the Best Handyperson to Replace a Bathroom Vanity and Sink

As discussed earlier, hiring a handyperson is ideal when you need to install a new vanity and sink, given their carpentry and plumbing skills. Here are a few things to take into consideration when looking for a handyperson or another pro to hire:

• Make sure the handyperson you hire has the experience to complete all the tasks needed to install the new vanity and sink successfully. Ask them about similar projects they’ve completed in the past. 

• Once you decide to move forward with your bathroom project, ensure your handyperson has the proper licensing to perform the work. This is vital when it comes to plumbing, so you will be covered if any issues arise, such as flooding-related damages.

• Check their online reviews to get a sense of their work and ask for references.

• Find out if the pro charges a project rate or by the hour.

• Get a written estimate from three pros so you know the total cost of your project in advance.

How Do Pros Install or Replace a Bathroom Vanity? 

You can learn how to install a bathroom vanity yourself, but if you don’t have the time to devote to the project, a pro can get it done for you. Depending on where you buy the vanity, you can get help with everything from choosing the right unit for your space to getting it professionally installed. Here are nine steps a pro will take to install your new vanity:

1. Turn off the water valves and disconnect the water supply lines.

2. Remove the old vanity by undoing screws, bolts, and using a pry bar.

3. Repair any damaged flooring or walls.

4. Position the new vanity in place using a level.

5. Mark and drill holes for the drain and water supply lines.

6. Attach the vanity to the wall by drilling drywall screws into wall studs with wall anchors.

7. Install the faucet.

8. Install the vanity countertop.

9. Connect the plumbing, including the pipes and water supply lines.

Nick Crawford and José R. Mendoza contributed to this piece.