How to Install a Bathroom Vanity: Transform the Room for Under $500
Bathroom vanity replacement has one of the best effort-to-impact ratios in home improvement. An outdated vanity with a stained countertop makes an otherwise clean bathroom look tired. I replaced the original 1990s oak vanity in my master bathroom with a 48-inch floating vanity, and guests consistently mention it. Total cost including vanity, faucet, drain, and supply lines was $420. A plumber quoted me $180 just for the installation labor.
Disconnect the Plumbing
Turn off the water supply valves under the sink. Flush the faucet to release pressure. Place a bucket under the P-trap before loosening the slip nuts — water will flow out. Disconnect the supply lines from both the shutoff valves and the faucet body. Remove the P-trap completely.
Remove the Old Vanity
Break the caulk seal around the countertop with a utility knife and lift it off. Find screws securing the cabinet to wall studs — typically inside the cabinet, screwed through the mounting rail at the back. Remove these screws and lift the cabinet out. Take down the mirror or medicine cabinet above the vanity.
Install the New Vanity
Install the faucet and drain assembly on the new countertop before mounting the cabinet — it is much easier to work on these components when the vanity is on a workbench. Shim the new cabinet to level — almost no bathroom floor is perfectly level, and the vanity must be level for doors and drawers to work correctly. Screw through the mounting rail into the wall studs. Set the countertop. Connect the supply lines and P-trap. Turn on the water supply and check every connection for leaks.
