Yeah, plumbing's sneaky charm is spot-on. I've been doing this for years, and trust me, your notes aren't overkill at all. I've seen seasoned pros miss valves tucked behind drywall or hidden in weird crawl spaces. Videos are great, but quick scribbles about odd angles or tricky fittings have saved me more times than I can count. Keep doing what you're doing—better a bit extra prep than a flooded basement...again.
"quick scribbles about odd angles or tricky fittings have saved me more times than I can count."
Couldn't agree more with this. Ever had that moment where you're staring at your own notes thinking, "Did I really put a valve THERE?" I've been renting out properties for years, and honestly, plumbing surprises never stop coming. Do you find certain types of fittings or setups more annoying to document than others? For me, it's always those tight corners under sinks—never enough room to sketch properly...
Honestly, sketching plumbing connections feels like a waste of time to me. Every time I've tried, I end up with some cryptic doodle that makes zero sense later. Snapping a quick photo on my phone has been way more helpful—especially for those cramped under-sink spots you're talking about. Sure, scribbles might work for some folks, but photos save me from second-guessing myself every single time...
Totally get where you're coming from—those sketches can turn into hieroglyphics fast. A couple quick thoughts from experience:
- Photos are great, especially for tight spaces. Saved me countless headaches when I'm at the hardware store trying to match fittings.
- Still, a simple rough sketch paired with your photo can help clarify orientation or hidden connections later on.
- Doesn't need to be fancy or artistic—just arrows and labels can do wonders.
Either way, you're smart to document somehow...avoids that dreaded second trip.
Totally with you on pairing photos with sketches—saved me big time when I redid our bathroom sink. One thing I'd add: jotting down measurements right on the sketch helps tons...my memory's never as good as I think it'll be at the store.
