Because it looks something like a dresser combined with a kitchen counter, you may think of your Los Angeles home’s bathroom vanity as being a piece of furniture, and therefore that it is simple to replace. Well, there’s good news and bad news there.

The bad news is that because of the sinks and pipes involved, your vanity is part of your plumbing system, so it’s a little trickier than getting a new sofa.

The good news is that it is still something you can do on your own – or at least with a friend – in a few hours or so. After you have measured the space and purchased the new vanity, here is how you can go about replacing the old one:

Shut off the water supply. This is always the first step when undertaking any sort of plumbing work. Put a bucket beneath the sink to catch any water that drips from the supply lines after you disconnect them.
Using a putty or utility knife, loosen the caulk that is sealing the countertop. Gently remove the countertop.
Detach the vanity from the wall. Most vanity units are screwed in place to the wall, so just spot and remove all the screws.
Mark the studs in preparation for positioning the new vanity. Hint: the old one was already drilled into the studs, if it was done properly.
Put the new vanity in place, making sure it is flush to the wall.
Attach the new vanity to the wall, taking care to screw into the wall studs that you marked in step #4.
Put a bead of caulk along the top of the vanity base to hold the countertop in place. Carefully set in the new countertop.
Reconnect the plumbing that you disconnected as part of step #1.
Put down a thin bead of caulk along the edges of the countertop below the lip. Smooth the caulk in place with a damp rag.

Now your new vanity is all set. Allow the caulk to dry before getting moisture near it, and don’t forget to turn the water supply back on! And if you need any help, contact your Los Angeles plumber.