Planning a bathroom renovation in St. Thomas? The plumbing behind the walls matters as much as the tile on them. Triton Home Service handles bathroom renovation plumbing for St. Thomas homeowners, and older homes here often hide surprises that a simple fixture swap won’t cover.
Triton Services St. Thomas Just Like North London
Triton’s shop sits near Wharncliffe and Wonderland in London. From there, the drive to St. Thomas takes the same amount of time as the drive to North London. So when customers call and ask if Triton comes to St. Thomas, the answer is simple: yes.
Triton handles both service calls and full renovations in St. Thomas. Many St. Thomas neighbourhoods are older, similar to Old South in London. These homes often have galvanized water lines and cast iron plumbing, and Triton specializes in exactly this kind of work.
What Bathroom Renovation Plumbing Actually Involves
A typical bathroom renovation in an older St. Thomas home involves moving toilets, sinks, and vanities. Relocating a toilet means resetting the drain and flange in a new spot. Moving a sink or vanity means rerouting supply lines and drain pipes to match the new layout.
On paper, this sounds straightforward. In practice, the real work often starts once the floor or wall opens up.
“The surprises usually are age. A lot of times, the plumbing is very old, and the age of the plumbing fixtures requires transitioning from material that’s not normally used anymore these days.” — Aron Oretan, Triton Home Service
Triton Field Note: A quote for a straightforward vanity and toilet swap can grow once old materials are found behind the wall. This isn’t padding. It’s what a 60- or 80-year-old bathroom is usually hiding.
The Surprise Behind Many St. Thomas Bathroom Floors
Pull an old toilet off the floor in an older home, and Triton sometimes finds a lead bend. A lead bend is a toilet flange an old-school plumber hand-formed out of lead, rather than installing a manufactured fitting.
Aron has been plumbing for 26 to 27 years. In that time, he’s never made a lead bend himself, and he doesn’t work with lead at all today. When he sees lead in a plumbing system, he takes it out.
These lead bends have often been in service for 40 or 50 years. Many still work fine. Some develop small pinhole leaks over time, and once that happens, they’re a hard fix if you don’t know what you’re looking at.
Lead was a legal plumbing material in Canada until 1975, when the National Plumbing Code changed. That’s why lead components still turn up in older homes and neighbourhoods across the country, according to Health Canada. Health Canada also recommends steps to reduce lead exposure where it’s still present in a home’s plumbing system.
If a lead bend is sound and the floor around it has no integrity issues, Triton will reset the toilet on it as-is. Many homeowners choose to have it replaced anyway, as a precaution against future leaks and water damage.
What a Lead Bend Replacement Actually Takes
Replacing a lead bend isn’t always a big job. If the basement below is unfinished and the bend is exposed, Triton can often replace it the same day, with minimal disruption to the homeowner.
If the basement below is finished, the job gets bigger. Access has to be opened up before the bend can be reached and replaced. Aron doesn’t quote a cost range for this without seeing the job, since finished-basement access changes the scope every time.
Older homes are beautiful, and Aron lives in one himself. Issues like this are common in homes their age, not a sign that something was done wrong.
Renovating a Bathroom in an Older St. Thomas Home
If you’re planning a bathroom renovation in St. Thomas, budget for the fixtures you can see and stay flexible for what’s behind the wall. An older home’s plumbing has usually earned a few surprises after decades in service.
Triton offers full plumbing services for bathroom renovations across St. Thomas and London, including inspection of old flanges, drain lines, and supply piping before work begins. Book a bathroom renovation consultation online or call 226-270-5177 to talk through your project.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Triton Home Service work on bathroom renovations in St. Thomas, Ontario?
Yes. Triton’s shop is the same drive time from St. Thomas as it is from North London, and the team handles both service calls and full renovations there.
What plumbing work is involved in a typical bathroom renovation?
Most renovations involve moving toilets, sinks, and vanities, which means resetting drain lines, toilet flanges, and supply piping to match the new layout.
What is a lead bend, and why does it matter in an older bathroom?
A lead bend is a toilet flange hand-formed out of lead by an old-school plumber, often installed 40 to 50 years ago. Lead was a legal plumbing material in Canada until 1975, so older homes still have these fittings in place.
Do I have to replace a lead bend if my plumber finds one?
Not always. If the lead bend is sound and the surrounding floor has no integrity issues, Triton can reset the toilet on it. Many homeowners choose to replace it anyway as a precaution.
How much does it cost to replace a lead bend during a bathroom renovation?
It depends on access. If the basement below is unfinished, replacement is often a same-day job. If the basement is finished, opening up access adds to the scope and cost.
Why do older St. Thomas homes need a plumber who knows older materials?
Many St. Thomas neighbourhoods are similar in age to Old South in London, with galvanized water lines and cast iron plumbing. A plumber unfamiliar with these materials can miss issues a renovation would otherwise uncover safely.
About the Author
Aron Oretan is the owner of Triton Home Service, a Red Seal Plumber and Red Seal Steamfitter with over 26 years in the trade. He holds the RSE designation and has spent five years teaching at Fanshawe College. Triton serves London, St. Thomas, and the surrounding Southwestern Ontario region with residential service, renovations, and ICI new construction.