redoing plumbing myself (Home Depot, heat, drain, sink)

[willc86]

Hey guys, I am going to be working on the plumbing by myself, and yes, this is my first time. So, I am researching way ahead of time (that is also why I am posting in the forums) and was hoping to get some advice from you guys who done small plumbing jobs

I am planning to add on a floating bathroom sink, which, might need to reroute the plumbing a little with copper pipes. Now, obviously I know I have to shut off the water valve and cut the dry wall to add an extra wood to the beams

now, when it comes to rerouting the copper pipes, any tips before I start cutting away? If I were to have a leak, obviously the source would be the connections and tightings. So, are all plumbing copper pipes about the same size? any tips ahead of time would be great appreciated!

Also, was thinking of adding tiles on the wall. So, should I add tiles before or after the sink is up? I figured adding the tiles after the sink might be a bit easier than to cut through tiles, unless im wrong


and no I am not hiring anyone to do this - im not asking your opinions about that.

[K'ledgeBldr]

Can you sweat pipe?

[willc86]

Originally Posted by K'ledgeBldr

Can you sweat pipe?

yes I can. I solder them together. not that hard. anything else I should be weary of?

[thecoalman]

Originally Posted by willc86

So, are all plumbing copper pipes about the same size?

Usually 3/4 or 1/2. For a sink usually 1/2.

any tips ahead of time would be great appreciated!

• After you turn the water off, drain it. You do not want any water in the pipe for quite a distance. A)The steam can cause a faulty solder joint especially if it's the last conncetion and )B it sucks up the heat.
• Thoroughly clean the copper with sandpaper, wire brush or steel wool. They make wire brushes specifically for the inside of the fittings. I usually keep an old one around that is wore out for the inside of the pipe itself. It's not necessary on new pipe but with old pipe you are going to have some corrosion inside, it's one less thing to contaminate your solder joint.
• If you are soldering pipe that has already been soldered heat the solder up and wipe it off with a heavy towel, then clean it. This removes the bulk of the solder so the fitting goes on easily.
• Dry fit before soldering, larger sections can be soldered together on a bench etc.

[willc86]

Originally Posted by thecoalman

Usually 3/4 or 1/2. For a sink usually 1/2.

• After you turn the water off, drain it. You do not want any water in the pipe for quite a distance. A)The steam can cause a faulty solder joint especially if it's the last conncetion and )B it sucks up the heat.
• Thoroughly clean the copper with sandpaper, wire brush or steel wool. They make wire brushes specifically for the inside of the fittings. I usually keep an old one around that is wore out for the inside of the pipe itself. It's not necessary on new pipe but with old pipe you are going to have some corrosion inside, it's one less thing to contaminate your solder joint.
• If you are soldering pipe that has already been soldered heat the solder up and wipe it off with a heavy towel, then clean it. This removes the bulk of the solder so the fitting goes on easily.
• Dry fit before soldering, larger sections can be soldered together on a bench etc.

great! these are actually some tips that will come in handy! I am looking at more videos and you know just trying to figure stuff on my own.

So when looking for connectors to re-path the copper piping, chances are, I will need 1/2 inch pipes that will follow up to the sink? and joint that I add on, or connection piece, I will have to sauder correct? when it comes time to buy the pipes, ill will take measurements anyways and show the people in home depot. Hopefully they have knowledge about the subject

any other advice dos and donts would great be appreciated.

my plans are (will be about 4 - 5 months before I have enough knowledge and research

- remove old vanity
- find correct floating sink that fits along with wood if needed to add inside the dry wall
- cut up the dry wall and make sure there is no outlets near by
- inside the dry wall mark the wood, add wood if mounds to add up
- repath the copper pipes to make it fit the wall mounted sink.
-patch up dry wall screw in sink
- finish the path for pipes and instructions for sink
- connect the feed lines
- test water? haha


then tile it up!

[PDD]

Originally Posted by willc86

Hey guys, I am going to be working on the plumbing by myself, and yes, this is my first time. So, I am researching way ahead of time (that is also why I am posting in the forums) and was hoping to get some advice from you guys who done small plumbing jobs

I am planning to add on a floating bathroom sink, which, might need to reroute the plumbing a little with copper pipes. Now, obviously I know I have to shut off the water valve and cut the dry wall to add an extra wood to the beams

now, when it comes to rerouting the copper pipes, any tips before I start cutting away? If I were to have a leak, obviously the source would be the connections and tightings. So, are all plumbing copper pipes about the same size? any tips ahead of time would be great appreciated!

Also, was thinking of adding tiles on the wall. So, should I add tiles before or after the sink is up? I figured adding the tiles after the sink might be a bit easier than to cut through tiles, unless im wrong


and no I am not hiring anyone to do this - im not asking your opinions about that.

Based on your questions you don't know enough about plumbing to do it yourself.


Yes I know you have seen somebody else do it and it looks real easy so why should you pay somebody?


BTW many plumbers make good money fixing other people's DIY jobs.

Go ahead DIY, looking forward for you asking for the name of a good plumber.

[willc86]

Originally Posted by PDD

Based on your questions you don't know enough about plumbing to do it yourself.


Yes I know you have seen somebody else do it and it looks real easy so why should you pay somebody?


BTW many plumbers make good money fixing other people's DIY jobs.

Go ahead DIY, looking forward for you asking for the name of a good plumber.

1. Umm, if I knew about plumbing, I would not be asking in the forums? (Do not seem that intelligent?)
2. I posted this thread for advice, not your says.
3. I make plenty to pay a plumber; however, I want to aquire this skill on my own since I get bored around the house.
4. my father was a DIY man and learned plumbing on his own and did fine, why cant I?
5. I never said it looked easy; being an Systems Engineer, I enjoy complex tasks. It is one of the reason I like learning things on my own and constantly learning new skills? Hence, that is why I am learning 3 - 5 months in advance.
6. My father was also an engineer and remodeled homes on the side as DIY man; so what is your say in this?
7. I am not doing this to save cost, I am doing this for self pride and to keep myself busy...and I believe its "Man like" to learn these for my pretty hot wife

[NickofDiamonds]

Plumbing for dummies ? There's got to be a book out there by that name !

As a General Contractor, I wish I had a dollar for every time I heard someone say, "How hard can it be ?"
Well, the answer is ," It's as hard as you want it to be."

The school of hard knocks is one that has no mercy and will leave you at the end of the day beaten down with the realization that you couldn't have forseen the trials and tribulations that the day has presented to you. Even the most experienced person will be surprised by "blind gotchas" that no amount of experience could have seen coming down the road.
In the end, having enough capital will allow you to forbear and move on and hopefully, your project won't become a money pit.

We've all been there, done that, and the next time you do it, take solace that it will be easier.
Hopefully, you can find someone who will be willing to hold your hand and act as a consultant as your earn your stripes.

Personally, I've learned that you can't give advise on a problem that is hundreds of miles away without getting into a complex relationship of e-mails and pictures. It will become a time sponge that will end up sucking up all your spare time and personal life to the point that you realize that you are just working for nothing.
Maybe for a close relative, but for a stranger who I don't even know for a project that I have no vested interest in ? My heart isn't that big.

Maybe your Father, who you say has all these skills, can help ? He may think that this is a great bonding experience.

And don't expect any help from your pretty hot wife.
Gotta love them, but my experience has been that she will think that she's just there as a cheerleader while your job is to act "man like"

[AksarbeN]

Do the plumbing work you are comfortable with and find easy to tackle, things that might be more challenging and above your level of ability contract out to someone who knows how to do. There are little tricks to the every trade that most people don’t know – but can learn without any trouble. I’ve had a plumber come to fix a couple of things that I thought would be more tricky and difficult for me to do myself. It saved me time and trouble by getting him out here. I did a lot of the other work that I could deal with and managed to save money and learned from the experience, it develops self-pride in seeing the job when completed. There are lots of DIY books and videos on YouTube so take advantage of them before starting and check on then when needed throughout the project. A wise man doesn’t know everything but knows where to find the answer whether in the book, Youtube, or asking someone who knows.

[harry chickpea]

Is it going to drain out on the floor?

Most people can figure out supply lines, but most plumbing complaints are because of waste lines. S doesn't always flow downhill if you haven't plumbed your waste lines properly.