What should you ask before buying a bathroom vanity: top, sink, faucet and more?
Vanities are sold different ways: some with a top and sink, some as a bare cabinet. Before you buy any vanity, ask whether the price covers the top, sink, backsplash, faucet and mirror, how the top is drilled for a faucet, and who assembles and installs it. Call HausRack at (708) 449-4055 to confirm exactly what comes with the vanity you pick.
The short answer
| Top and sink | ask whether the price covers them, and whether the sink is part of the top or a separate piece. |
|---|---|
| Backsplash | ask whether one is part of the price, and how tall it is. |
| Faucet | ask whether one is part of the price. Pick it after the vanity, because the holes in the top decide which faucets fit. |
| Mirror | ask whether one is part of the price, and what size. |
| Assembly and install | ask whether the vanity needs assembling, and who connects the plumbing. |
What should you ask about the cabinet and top?
Sellers describe vanities in different ways. One price can cover a cabinet, top and sink; another covers a bare cabinet and nothing else. Read the listing closely, then ask:
- The cabinet: drawers, doors or an open shelf, and whether it arrives assembled or in pieces.
- The top: whether one is part of the price, what material it is, and how thick it is. Marble, engineered stone, sintered stone, quartz and porcelain all behave differently, and our hard water and marble guide covers how.
- The backsplash: whether it is a separate piece and how tall it is.
- The sink: undermount, drop-in, vessel, apron-front or molded into the top, and whether the price covers it.
Sizes are nominal, and the real width runs a little either way. Go by the measured size on the model page when the space is tight. Our vanity sizing guide covers width, depth and the room you need around it.
What else might you buy separately?
- Faucet: ask whether one is part of the price. Pick it after you pick the vanity, because the holes in the top decide which faucets fit.
- Drain: many bathroom faucets come with a matching pop-up drain, so check the faucet’s box before buying one on its own.
- Mirror: ask whether one is part of the price, and what size. Check that it clears the lights and outlets on the wall.
- Hardware and supply lines: ask whether pulls, shutoff valves or supply lines are part of the price, or whether your old ones can be reused.
Even an assembled vanity still needs leveling, the faucet and the plumbing hookup. That’s the installation, covered below.
Which faucet fits your vanity top?
Look at the holes before you shop for a faucet. Tops are usually drilled one of two ways:
| 8‑inch widespread | three holes, with the two handles 8 inches apart, center to center. |
|---|---|
| Single-hole | one hole for a one-handle faucet. |
If a listing doesn’t say how the top is drilled, ask before you order a faucet. On a double vanity, each sink takes its own faucet.
Who installs it in La Grange Highlands?
HausRack arranges professional installation through trusted installers for the vanities it sells in La Grange Highlands, IL and surrounding areas. See how it works, from selection to install, on our installation page.
Ask Cook County before work starts. La Grange Highlands is unincorporated, so the county handles permits, and it says all work there other than ordinary repairs, as its building code defines them, requires a permit application. Our guide to permits for cabinets and vanities in La Grange Highlands walks through what the county’s page says.
Browse every model on our bathroom vanities page. If you’re weighing natural stone against quartz for the kitchen too, our countertops page covers the stone we fabricate.
