What is the biggest factor in a DIY project being a success?
Planning, without a doubt this is where most projects start to fall apart. Spending time before you even start, thinking about what needs to be done and looking for things that are potentially going to cause you problems before hand will save you a lot of headaches and time in the future.
When installing a shower enclosure some but not all of the things to look for are:
Are the walls in good enough condition to fasten the enclosure too?
Are there any electrical systems in the immediate area that could cause you problems?
Does the waste water pipe have enough fall on it to allow the water to run away quick enough?
Is the water supply in place ready for the shower to be attached?
Is the floor strong enough in the area to hold the weight that it is going to be required to hold?
If any of the above are not right then you need to sort those out first. Getting the foundations, right is of major importance.
Once you are confident that you have sorted out all the above and are ready to start to install your shower enclosure. Check that all the items that are supposed to be supplied have been supplied and ensure the new enclosure is not damaged. Read and understand the instructions included with it before doing anything else. This will help to clear things up in your head of what is expected and needed to complete the task.
Make up a checklist if you like of all the things you are likely to need and make sure that they are near to the area where you are working. Some things that you may need are.
Suitable fixings screws, wall plugs, nails, bondings. Remember this is for a wet area so should be galvanised etc...
A selection of screwdrivers.
Pliers.
Water pump pliers.
Hammer drill.
Drill bits suitable for the surface to be drilled.
Spirit level.
Stanley knife or similar.
Tape measure and/or rule.
Hole saw or jig saw.
Safety glasses
Set square
Silicone sealant or similar.
Spare pair of hands.
Step ladders.
This is not a full list but just to spark some ideas. Make up your own list and get them together ready.
While working through the project take your time to get things right. Ensure everything is level and square. Most of all remember that running water is one of the most destructive forces in nature. This is not any different in the house. If there is even a small hole water will get through and over time it can and will make it bigger. The effects of water on unsealed surfaces are well known so I won't go over them here. However, rest assured that it can potentially be very expensive and time consuming to put the damage right again.
As they always say, prevention is far better than cure.
