I'm in the process of rebuilding my house and I've got the framing and insulation done. All my electrical and plumbing rough-ins have passed inspection, so I'm at a point where I'm ready to close everything up with drywall. I've heard that it's important to secure a tub to the studs in the bathroom before drywall, but I'm looking for any other suggestions or things I might be overlooking. What else should I do before sealing everything up?
9 Answers
Consider installing Cat 7 cable now to future-proof your home; it’s a low-cost upgrade for better internet access later on. Trust me, you'll thank yourself in a few years!
Finally, consider using soundproofing insulation in interior bedroom and bathroom walls; it’s a game changer for peace and quiet!
Be sure to add support framing for grab bars in the bathroom—they're super useful! It's easy to do it now but a real hassle later if you need them and haven’t prepared for it.
Totally agree with this! It’s something you won’t regret as you age.
Make sure to take photos of the inside of your walls; it’ll be super helpful down the line if you need to know where everything is. I’d also suggest doing a walkthrough video, as it’s hard to capture everything in pictures alone. Don't forget to add blocking for fixtures like shower doors and towel bars, plus a conduit for running wires in the future—it'll save you a ton of hassle later on!
And don't forget about those 240volt plugs in the garage; you never know when they'll come in handy!
Yeah, a video is a great idea! It makes it easier to find everything later. Consider putting some extra framing where door knobs hit the drywall too.
And one last tip—make sure you use nail plates on your studs to protect any wiring and plumbing that runs through them, if you haven't done that already.
Also, don’t forget about blocking for things like toilet paper holders and towel racks—anything that you’ll mount to the wall. You might even want to consider covering your bathroom in plywood for the sturdiness!
If your house has multiple levels, you should run two PVC stacks from the basement up to the attic. One can be for a future radon system, and the other for potential wiring on the upper floors. It's much simpler to fish wires down from the top than to pull them up from the basement later!
Really? I thought the radon issue was no longer a big deal...
If you’re creating built-in bookshelves, don’t forget to add extra horizontal blocking to support them properly!
Think about where your TV will go. If you're planning to wall mount it, install an in-wall cable concealer and run extra HDMI cables just in case! It’ll make life easier down the road when you want to rearrange things or upgrade your TV.
Absolutely! It's a small investment now for a major upgrade later.