What to Know Before Shopping for New Build or Renovation

Whether you are renovating a room or starting a new build, deciding which products to choose can be a time consuming process. At PlumbingOnline, we make it easy for you.

We have extensive knowledge and can help you find the shower of your dreams or the kitchen faucet you never knew you wanted.

Even if you are just beginning your research and looking for inspiration our customer experts are happy to help.

In order to better help you, there are minimal details we need in order to provide the right products. Depending on what you are looking for, here is the information we would love for you to give us. If you call or email us with the information, we can assist you in purchasing the perfect products for your space.

Shopping for a Kitchen Sink

If you are replacing your current kitchen sink we will need to know your cabinet size.

In order to measure open your cupboard and take the measurement from the inside right to left.

It can also be useful to measure your current sink.

If you are completely renovating your kitchen then the countertop will be cut for the new sink you choose. Therefore, size does not matter but the countertop material is important.

For example, are you choosing stone? Laminate? Just let us know!

Have you looked into Blanco’s Silgranit Sink? The science behind Silgranit starts with quality ingredients that are blended together with precise timing in exact measures. These sinks are scratch, stain and heat-resistant – and even made in Canada.

Or maybe, Franke’s Fireclay Sink is more your style. Fireclay sets new standards, not only for the wonderful way it looks, but also for hygiene and simplicity of care. The special finish ensures that there’s no need to scrub.

Shopping for a Faucet

Finding a new faucet requires almost no additional information. We just need to know how many holes you have for it. You could have single hole, three hole, and the sizes vary – 4″ centre or 8″ centre.

You can choose from hundreds of designs in various finishes – single handle, two handle, vessel or even wall mount options.

The technologies and finishes available today are amazing and are changing all the time. Right now, one of the biggest trends is black or gold faucets.

Have you considered straying away from Chrome?

The design, technology and style of today’s faucets have significantly changed over the last decade. Faucets even have motion sensors or touch sensitivity. Take this STo MotionSense Pulldown faucet from Moen. This hands-free faucet allows one simple hand movement to trigger the flow of water.

Shopping for a Tub Shower Trim

This is your controller in the shower. This shower trim can control temperature (most common), water volume, or both! If you are retrofitting an existing system, one thing you must know is the brand you currently have. That brand is the same brand you should be buying again.

Your controller can also direct water to different places: the tub spout, the main shower head, and a handheld shower head. Because of the various options, it is important to figure out which type of diverter you have. It may only send water to 2 locations or it might send water to 3.

If you need help figuring this out, give our customer support a call in order to speak to our technical experts!

If you are doing a new build you have some unique options for your shower. Whether it’s a head only or head + hand shower option. We could also discuss body sprays and rainheads being ceiling mounted or coming out on a wall mounted shower arm.

Rainheads give you a more drenching experience. Whereas a smaller showerhead would be more intense.

How about something more high-tech? 

Grohe’s SmartControl gives you total control at your fingertips. You can choose your preferred spray pattern by pushing a button, then turn the dial to adjust the water volume – from Eco mode to Full Flow. Once you push the button to stop the flow, your volume setting will remain the same for next time.

Shopping for a Shower

If you are ripping out a tub or shower to make space for a new shower, there are a few pieces of information we need. 

First, please measure the length and width of the space for the new shower.

If you are putting in a shower we need to know where the drain is located. Usually it will be on the right side or left side, but sometimes it is built in the middle.

If you are looking to turn your existing tub into a shower, Kalia’s Flip Pivoting Tub Shield is the perfect item. This 90° double pivot door allows full access to the tub.

Shopping for a Toilet

When searching for a new toilet, you need to know what the ‘rough-in’ is. This is where the drain is on the floor. Please measure the rough-in from the finished wall to the middle of the bolt area. The typical rough-in is 12″, but can also be 10″ or 14″. Once you know this, you can email or call  our technical experts and we can help you choose the right toilet.

Toilets can be 1 or 2 pieces, have a skirted base, have various bowl heights, bidet options, slow close lids, and much more. We are happy to walk you through the different options!

You can’t go wrong with American Standard’s Studio Toilet. The price is competitive and the value is exceptional.

If you are completing a new build, then we highly recommend thinking about a wall mounted toilet. They make the space feel much bigger; you can adjust the exact height of them; and they’re easier to clean.

How about looking at Toto’s Aquia Wall Hung Toilet. 

Finally, have you considered a bidet toilet in your home? Once you try it you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it.

This is Toto’s Neorest Bidet Toilet. It combines ecology and luxury, including a tornado flushing system, eWater+ technology, remote control display, spray modes, automatic flushing, warm dryer and more. 

Reach Out for Design or Technical Support

If you are looking for assistance, please email our technical experts at customersupport@plumbingonline.ca or call 1-778-677-3509.

We are happy to walk you through the whole process, to help you project shopping be as stress-free as possible.

When in doubt, take lots of photos!

Try to find the brand or the make of the product.

We can use all this information to help direct you with both design and technical advice.

If you are looking for more inspiration, whether you’re looking for modern, transitional, or traditional design, we have ideas on our Instagram page. Look through a wide array of products and begin planning the project of your dreams.