Sometimes I’ll use flexible supply lines and offset traps to cheat things a bit before breaking out the saw.
Yeah, flexible lines can save your bacon, but I’ve seen folks push those too far and end up with leaks down the road. Offset traps are handy, just gotta watch your slopes so you don’t get slow drains. Notching’s always my “if I have to” move—last time I did it, I wrapped the cut edges with some edge guard so nobody sliced a hand rooting around under there. Old houses sure like to keep us on our toes...
Had a job last winter where the vanity was off by almost two inches from the rough-in. Tried flex lines first, but the angle was just too weird—ended up with a slow drip after a week. Offset trap worked, but I had to shim the cabinet to get the slope right. Notching’s always my last resort too, especially in those old houses where you never know what’s hiding behind the wood. Sometimes feels like you’re just patching together whatever works until the next surprise...
Offset traps have saved my bacon more times than I care to admit, but man, shimming a cabinet just to get the right slope always feels like you’re tempting fate. I’ve had a few jobs where the old floor was so out of whack, I ended up chasing leaks for days. Ever dealt with a situation where the wall itself was bowed and threw everything off even more? Sometimes I wonder if these old houses are just testing our patience on purpose...
Ever dealt with a situation where the wall itself was bowed and threw everything off even more?
- Ran into this exact problem last month. Wall was so out of plumb, the vanity wouldn’t sit flush no matter what I tried.
- Ended up stacking shims behind the cabinet, but then the trap arm was at a weird angle. Had to use two offset traps just to get close.
- Honestly, chasing leaks after that felt inevitable. Sometimes I think old houses just want to see how creative you can get before you lose your mind.
- Not sure if there’s ever a perfect fix—sometimes it’s just about making it work and hoping for the best.
Man, I hear you on the leaks. I tried to “shim and pray” once and ended up with a slow drip that drove me nuts for weeks. Sometimes I wonder if it’s worth pulling the wall apart, but then my wallet says nope. Old houses really do keep you humble...