Water damage is sneaky... I always run the shower and check around the base for drips before calling any job finished.
That’s smart—wish I’d thought of that before my last reno. I tried to cut corners with cheaper fixtures and ended up replacing a leaky faucet within a year, so now I’m wondering if it’s actually cheaper to just spend a bit more upfront? Did you guys go with high-end stuff or more mid-range? Also, how did you decide where to splurge vs. save? I always get stuck on that.
I hear you—learned that lesson the hard way with a cheap toilet that started leaking after six months. In my last remodel, I went mid-range on most things but splurged on a good low-flow showerhead and dual-flush toilet. For me, anything that deals with water gets priority, since leaks can wreck everything... Curious if anyone’s found eco-friendly options that don’t break the bank?
Totally get where you’re coming from—cheap fixtures always come back to haunt you. I’ve had a “budget” faucet basically explode on me mid-flip. Not fun. I’m a big fan of the Niagara Stealth toilet—super water efficient and not crazy expensive, plus it hasn’t given me any grief yet. As for showerheads, I usually grab whatever WaterSense model’s on sale at the big box stores... half the time, they work just as well as the pricey ones. It’s wild how much a tiny leak can mess up an entire reno, though.
I hear you on the cheap fixtures—learned that lesson the hard way with a “discount” vanity that warped after a month. I’m with you on the Niagara Stealth, though. For showerheads, I’ve had better luck splurging just a bit... some of those bargain ones feel like getting misted by a sad plant. And yeah, one tiny leak can turn into a whole weekend lost under the sink.
some of those bargain ones feel like getting misted by a sad plant.
That line cracked me up—totally nailed it. Cheap showerheads are the worst, especially when you’re half-awake and just want a decent spray.
- I definitely hear you on the vanity, too. My first bathroom redo, I tried to save a few bucks on a “budget” cabinet. It looked fine for about three weeks... then started swelling up like it had caught a cold. Lesson learned: water + cheap MDF = regret.
- The Niagara Stealth’s been solid for me as well. No complaints there.
- You’re right about leaks—one little drip and suddenly I’m pulling out every cleaning product under the sink, muttering to myself.
Funny thing is, sometimes it feels like spending a little more up front saves both money and sanity in the long run. Still, I get tempted by deals. Hard to resist when you see something that looks nice but costs half as much... but yeah, it usually bites back.
Curious—did you end up replacing your vanity yet, or just live with the warping for a while?
