Swapping a vanity is one of the few bathroom projects that delivers a dramatic visible change without touching the waterproofing, the tile or the layout. The plumbing connections stay where they are, the floor stays down, and a dated room can look current in under a week.
The decision that matters most is not the style, it is whether you go wall-hung or floor-standing, and whether the top is integrated or separate. Those two choices set the cost, the installation complexity and how large the room feels far more than the door profile does.
What moves the price
- Wall-hung versus floor-standing. Wall-hung looks lighter and makes the floor easier to clean, but needs solid blocking in the wall. If the wall has none, it has to be opened and patched, which turns a two-day job into a week.
- Top material. A cultured marble integrated top is the cheapest and simplest. Quartz costs more and lasts indefinitely. Natural stone costs most and needs sealing.
- Stock, semi-custom or built. A stock vanity fits a standard opening and arrives ready. A built-in made to the opening costs considerably more and is the only option in an awkward alcove.
- Plumbing position. A vanity with a full back panel and a drawer bank may collide with the existing drain position, requiring the drain to be moved or the drawers notched.
Your options
- Reface or repaint the existing vanity, $300 to $1,200. Viable if the carcass is solid. New doors, new hardware and a proper sprayed finish transform a sound cabinet.
- Replace with a stock vanity, $900 to $2,500 installed. Fastest route. Constrained to standard widths, so it works when the existing opening is a standard size.
- Semi-custom vanity, $2,500 to $5,000 installed. Chosen width, depth and configuration, better drawer hardware, and a top specified separately.
- Built-in cabinetry, $4,000 to $7,500+. Made to the room. The only real option for an alcove, a double vanity in an unusual width, or a floating unit with integrated lighting.
Mistakes we see most often
- Buying a vanity before measuring the drain and supply positions. A tall drawer bank frequently will not clear an existing P-trap.
- Choosing a depth that blocks the door or the toilet. Standard is 21 inches, but 18 inch deep units exist specifically for tight rooms and are often the better choice.
- Painting a vanity with wall paint. A bathroom cabinet needs a proper cabinet-grade finish or it will chip around the handles within a year.
- Ignoring the height. Standard vanity height has risen over the decades, and a 30 inch cabinet in an older house will feel low to most adults today.
What this means in the Capital Region
In older Capital Region homes, bathroom alcoves are rarely a standard width. Houses in Troy, Albany, Cohoes and the Schenectady Stockade were built long before stock cabinetry existed, so an off-the-shelf 36 inch vanity frequently leaves an awkward two or three inch gap at one side.
The usual answers are a built-in made to the opening, or a stock unit with a filler panel and a matching scribe. The first looks better and costs more, and in a room where the vanity is the focal point it is often worth it.
One practical note for houses with plaster walls: wall-hung vanities need blocking fixed to the studs, and plaster on lath gives no useful fixing on its own. That means opening the wall, adding blocking and patching, which we price in rather than discovering on the day.
Want this priced for your own home? Jeffrey Mason will walk the project and give you a free written estimate. No obligation, no sales rep. Call (518) 308-6427.
Frequently asked questions
Can I just replace the vanity without retiling?
Usually yes, provided the new vanity footprint covers at least as much floor as the old one. If the new unit is narrower or you switch to wall-hung, you will expose floor that was never tiled, which means either a tile patch or a new floor.
How long does a vanity replacement take?
Two days for a straightforward swap. A week if the wall needs opening for blocking, the drain needs moving, or a built-in is being fabricated and installed.
Is a double vanity worth it?
Only if the room is genuinely wide enough. Below about 60 inches, two small basins give you two cramped stations and no usable counter. A single basin with generous counter on both sides is more useful in most bathrooms than two crowded ones.
What is the most durable vanity top?
Quartz. It needs no sealing, resists staining, and tolerates the temperature and humidity swings of a bathroom indefinitely. Cultured marble is cheaper and perfectly serviceable. Natural marble is the most beautiful and the highest maintenance.
Can an old vanity be saved?
If the carcass is solid wood or quality plywood and it is not water damaged at the base, yes. New doors, new hardware, a sprayed finish and a new top can cost a third of a replacement and often look better than a stock unit.
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