Install a new bathroom sink

If you're about to start renovating the bathroom, you might not be aware of how much of the work you can do yourself.

Instead of hiring a tradesperson to perform the tasks required, why not put your DIY hat on and get stuck in?

A good place to start is your bathroom sink. If you're replacing it, you'll need to first measure it and the surrounding space to ensure your new model is the perfect fit. Then remove the old sink after turning off the water supply. Loosen or break the clips beneath the sink, and cut the seal to help pry the unit off the wall.

Clean any grime off the surface and get ready to install the new sink and faucet. Centre the spout over the sink's middle hole, then slide the flat washer over the threads before screwing on the mounting nut.

Get a helper to hold the spout at the centre of the top of the sink, ensuring the drain stopper's lift rod hole faces the back. Then tighten the mounting nut with a wrench until the spout is secure.
Tighten the three-way spout tee, check the spout alignment then tighten the set screw to lock it into place.

You'll then need to slightly loosen the mounting nut and washer on a valve. Push this up through the sink hole then attach the baseplate (also known as an escutcheon) before re-tightening the mounting nut. Repeat this process for the other valve.

Next, screw the short braided lines to the hot and cold water valves and to the spout tee. Tighten the nuts, but take care not to screw them on too strongly. Set the sink handles on the valves, adjusted so they face to the sides when in the off position and forward when on.

To mark the rigid supply line, slide a nut from the compression fitting to the line and loosely screw it to the faucet valve. Mark this line next to the water shutoff valve, about half a centimetre below the valve's threaded shank edge. Disconnect the line and cut along this mark, then do the same on the other supply line.

It's now time to hook up the supply lines. You'll either have braided or rigid supply lines, each of which will require different instructions. Essentially, you need to get the compression fitting onto the faucet valve and then attach it to the water shutoff valve.

Install the drain collar by removing the trap, drain tailpiece and drain rim and threading a mounting nut, fibre and rubber washers onto the drain rum. Use silicone to attach the drain rim to the drain hole, along with screwing the drain colour tight.