I Don't Plumb

[doitmyself]

Hi everyone. I have plumbed but I don't like it. Now I have to plumb again.
I recently purchased a renovated house which is nice but I'm finding some small things that need repaired and it's driving me crazy knowing I have to take care of these things. I can't find a handyman because everyone's busy so it means I have to tackle these issues myself.
When the seller renovated one of the bathrooms he did a very nice job except for two things. He installed all new tile in the shower which looks great but he cut the holes too big for the tub faucets. Actually just one. I can't put a flange on one and not the other but I might have to. The second thing he did wrong in this bathroom was install the cold water faucet upside down. I don't know how to correct it. I think both faucets are upside down.

I have been searching online for hours trying to find the correct size escutcheons to go between the faucets and the wall. It's confusing. The gaping hole behind the hot water faucet is about 2" but I think I need to get a little bit larger escutcheon just in case. It needs to be as thin as possible but I don't know how to 'read' the specifications of these things I'm looking at online. I went to a site called PlumbMaster and found exactly what I think I need but I would have to order 25 of these things and I certainly don't need that many.
I tried to Google the same size escutcheon but can't find it. sigh.
I really don't enjoy doing this. I can't use that shower until I cover the hole. Don't want water getting in behind the wall.
Can anybody put me in the right direction and help me find what I need? I have attached a photo of the 'holy' tile.

 

[Diehard]

Looks to me like the hole isn't too big but rather that it wasn't centered on the faucet handle.
I know, either way, you still have that unwanted gap.
At a minimum, I would caulk it so that I could use the shower.
By the time you find an escutcheon for it you may have gotten used to the little bit of caulking.
You may want to include large washers in your searches.

Can't you remove and replace those handles at different angles, to suit your preference? I can see from your picture that the screw that holds the handle on, is exposed. (Usually there's a small cap over those screws.) So you would simply remove that screw to remove the handle and look to see if you have any selections for rotating the handle differently. (I could say more about the subject of handle rotation but in an effort to keep it as simple as possible, we'll wait to see if you may put them on at a different angle.)

 

[frodo]

Specialty item
You are either going to have to make it yourself or outsource the work
You need to remove the handle, and measure the
the barrel of the faucet. { what ever is sticking through the wall]
typically, it requires a 1 1/4'' hole

go to a welding fab shop and tell the guy you need 2
round stainless steel. 18 gauge [0.48''] or 20 gauge thick circles
3'' diameter with a 1 1/4'' round hole in the center

remove handle, silicone the eschtion to the wall add a small strip of weather strip felt between the metal and the handle, behind the handle , replace the handles

The measurements I provided are quesstamations
you are required to take your own measurements,,,

 

[Diehard]

Also the [0.48"] was a typo. I believe 18 ga. would be 0.0478 inch. Just missed a zero.

EDIT: 0.48" is almost 1/2" while .048" is a little less than 1/16".

 

[doitmyself]

Looks to me like the hole isn't too big but rather that it wasn't centered on the faucet handle.
I know, either way, you still have that unwanted gap.
At a minimum, I would caulk it so that I could use the shower.
By the time you find an escutcheon for it you may have gotten used to the little bit of caulking.
You may want to include large washers in your searches.

Can't you remove and replace those handles at different angles, to suit your preference? I can see from your picture that the screw that holds the handle on, is exposed. (Usually there's a small cap over those screws.) So you would simply remove that screw to remove the handle and look to see if you have any selections for rotating the handle differently. (I could say more about the subject of handle rotation but in an effort to keep it as simple as possible, we'll wait to see if you may put them on at a different angle.)

Hi and thank you for your suggestions. I have a second bathroom with a walk-in shower so I don't need to use the bathtub.
I removed the handles and tried to adjust them. The piece behind the handles probably needs to be adjusted. They weren't put on properly obviously. I didn't consider using large washers but that's a good idea and I appreciate that! Don't know if the center hole will be large enough though. It's frustrating trying to fix someone else's mistakes. sigh.

 

[doitmyself]

Specialty item
You are either going to have to make it yourself or outsource the work
You need to remove the handle, and measure the
the barrel of the faucet. { what ever is sticking through the wall]
typically, it requires a 1 1/4'' hole

go to a welding fab shop and tell the guy you need 2
round stainless steel. 18 gauge [0.48''] or 20 gauge thick circles
3'' diameter with a 1 1/4'' round hole in the center

remove handle, silicone the eschtion to the wall add a small strip of weather strip felt between the metal and the handle, behind the handle , replace the handles

The measurements I provided are quesstamations
you are required to take your own measurements,,,

Hi and thank you for your suggestions. I live in a tiny country town and there isn't a welding shop anywhere around. I will do as you suggest though and measure the barrel. Maybe I can go online and find a washer that's thin enough with a center hole that's big enough. So frustrating.

 

[frodo]

If you have the tools you can do it yourself

buy 2 cheap walmart stainless steel mixing bowls

Using a 3'' hole saw bit, drill the flat bottom out of the bowl
then drill the center hole out of the round disc

if you have an electrician in your town, have him use his hole punch
instead of drilling. much easier

 

[Diehard]

Hi and thank you for your suggestions. I have a second bathroom with a walk-in shower so I don't need to use the bathtub.
I removed the handles and tried to adjust them. The piece behind the handles probably needs to be adjusted. They weren't put on properly obviously. I didn't consider using large washers but that's a good idea and I appreciate that! Don't know if the center hole will be large enough though. It's frustrating trying to fix someone else's mistakes. sigh.

As far as handle positions. There's a chance that the stem portion has 2 possible positions. Calling the manufacturer may be the quickest way of finding out.

Hopefully you'll find a solution to the escutcheon problem. Maybe mention it to the manufacturer in case they have any suggestions. Like maybe optional handles that cover a larger hole. ???

 

[doitmyself]

As far as handle positions. There's a chance that the stem portion has 2 possible positions. Calling the manufacturer may be the quickest way of finding out.

Hopefully you'll find a solution to the escutcheon problem. Maybe mention it to the manufacturer in case they have any suggestions. Like maybe optional handles that cover a larger hole. ???

Hi. I have no clue where these handles came from. They were here when I moved in. The tub handles match the sink handles. I have been thinking about buying new faucet handles just to attempt to hide the hole.

 

[frodo]

LOL
if you turn the handle to hide the hole
the hole will still be expose when you turn the handle
kinda reminds me of the circle game at the fair

you expressed concern about water leaking in the hole
''I really don't enjoy doing this. I can't use that shower until I cover the hole. Don't want water getting in behind the wall.''

in my opinion, turning the valve to a new position will solve the problem
you need a seal between the handle and the wall
this can only be achieved if the hole is completely covered and a felt gasket is sealing the
annular space between wall and handle

your choice is
1] remove the tile and correct the oppsy
2] install an escutcheon
3] buy new handles that span over the offending hole

I just noticed in your original post, You state you believe you have backwards faucets
elaborate on this, are you talking about the sink faucets?

do the handles turn towards the mirror or away from the mirror?

 

[doitmyself]

I've been searching online to find an escutcheon to fit between the faucet handle and wall but so far no luck. The flange has to be at least 2 1/2" in diameter on the outer measurement and center hole 1/4" . It would have to be very thin as well and this is why someone suggested buying a washer. I've looked for that as well.
I'm not going to remove the tile. That would be a disaster. I think the best way to deal with this issue is to buy new handles with a large enough base to cover the hole.
Probably the person who installed the tub faucet handles was trying to match the sink faucet handles which they did but of course the hot water faucet doesn't cover up the hole in the tile.

 

[frodo]

Do you have any skills at all with tools?
if you do, you can make the covers yourself. very easily

or go to your local muffler shop

 

[doitmyself]

I do have skills with tools and I have tools. Why am I going to the muffler shop?

 

[frodo]

they have stainless steel, and can make you a round blank
or
you can buy 2 , 5 dollar ss bowls at walmart
and use a 2 1/2'' hole saw to cut the flat bottom out of the bowl

 

[Diehard]

LOL
if you turn the handle to hide the hole
the hole will still be expose when you turn the handle
kinda reminds me of the circle game at the fair

Not sure where this came from.
OP had 2 concerns. One being the offset faucet handle and the other being the installation of the "cold water faucet handle upside down".
I believe the talk of turning the handle confused you. Either that or I was confused about what the problem was. Maybe having to turn it the opposite way.???

I do have skills with tools and I have tools. Why am I going to the muffler shop?

If you do decide to attempt cutting a stainless steel bowl, you must make sure the bowl has a perfectly flat bottom for the desired diameter. Also, that if you buy a hole saw to make sure it is the type that it is capable of cutting metal. Of course you will have to finish off the rough edge with something. Then the 1-1/4 hole in the center is another somewhat demanding chore if you don't have the appropriate drill and means to clamp the piece to prevent turning. Just a few heads up to consider.

BTW...I wasn't going to mention it but I did find a source for a stainless steel washer, in the size you need, but they want ed $90 for two. That's why I hadn't mention it.

 

[doitmyself]

Not sure where this came from.
OP had 2 concerns. One being the offset faucet handle and the other being the installation of the "cold water faucet handle upside down".
I believe the talk of turning the handle confused you. Either that or I was confused about what the problem was. Maybe having to turn it the opposite way.???

If you do decide to attempt cutting a stainless steel bowl, you must make sure the bowl has a perfectly flat bottom for the desired diameter. Also, that if you buy a hole saw to make sure it is the type that it is capable of cutting metal. Of course you will have to finish off the rough edge with something. Then the 1-1/4 hole in the center is another somewhat demanding chore if you don't have the appropriate drill and means to clamp the piece to prevent turning. Just a few heads up to consider.

BTW...I wasn't going to mention it but I did find a source for a stainless steel washer, in the size you need, but they want ed $90 for two. That's why I hadn't mention it.[/QUOTE

I was able to turn the handles in a position that I think they should be. I decided to stop trying to find a escutcheon to try and hide the hole behind the hot water faucet and am now trying to find new faucet handles with a base large enough to cover the hole. This has proven to be more of a challenge than I anticipated. Most faucet bases I've seen online are relatively small and not only that, faucet handles are not cheap. The existing handles look cheap and that's one reason why I don't like them.
In this day and age I would think it would be fairly simple to find decent looking faucet handles for a good price but I have been unable to so far. Now I have two people in my house installing stones on my fireplace to change the look of it and they are so slow it's maddening. They were here all day yesterday and didn't finish. They didn't bring all of their tools nor a lunch and I had to provide them with a meal. This is South Carolina and I just moved here from Florida. I'm not accustomed to people working so slowly.

 

[Diehard]

LOL
Hey...good luck.
All's well that ends well.
Look at all that experience you're getting.

 

[doitmyself]

LOL
Hey...good luck.
All's well that ends well.
Look at all that experience you're getting.

It hasn't ended yet. I'm still looking for faucet handles.

 

[Zanne]

How far apart are the handles & have you considered converting to a single lever version? It would be more work, but it might be better in the long run. You could get one of those renovation cover plates to span over where both handles were & then get something like a Delta Monitor single handle.

Do the handles you have just turn? I used to see tons of double/dual handles available but they are being phased out so I'm not finding much in a decent price range right now.