Calling all cars: faucet replacement advice

[razorrookie]

So, I'm looking for some general information concerning faucets, not unlike what was discussed in this 2 year old post.

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=13237&referrerid=16281

I'm going to be replacing a kitchen faucet and possibly 2 bathroom faucets, depending on what the budget can handle right now and I would love any and all input concerning brands, models, deals (I'm a huge fan of a certain site that offers "slick deals" if you know what I mean), and installation tips.

My timeline is best described by the following statement: I don't mind waiting for a deal to pop up if there's a chance that one will, but I'm not seeing a huge showing of deals on my 'go to' websites from the premier brands.

Let me try to clarify things a bit further with the following criteria:

-- Quality and/or lifetime warranty is a must (this includes easily available user replaceable parts)
-- Water/Hot water saving features are a huge plus
-- Fit for the existing sink is probably a must, unless there are workarounds (please note)
-- Ease of install is also a plus, I'm as handy as the next guy but no Macgyver.
-- Price point is flexible as long as I'm getting the most bang for my buck. But I would REALLY have to like the item to spend ~$200 on it.

I guess that's it. Show me what ya got B&B!

D

EDIT: added a point.

 

[mmack66]

I have had good luck with Delta faucets. IME, the worst part of faucet replacement usually is getting the old one off. Be sure to turn the water off to the faucet.

 

[PottyDoctor]

Delta. After 25 years in the plumbing repair/service business Delta is still my preferred brand of faucet. They are engineered/designed with simplicity and it doesn't require a ton of parts to fix one. Repair parts are more widely available than any brand on the market and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to disassemble and reassemble most of them. Delta lasts as long as any other similarly priced faucet out there today before they have to be serviced. My favorite style of Delta kitchen faucet is the 174-WF; it's a single handle waterfall faucet with sprayer and soap dispenser available in chrome, stainless and white. It'll fit in any standard 4-hole kitchen sink. Really good looks and not overly expensive. This is what I have in my kitchen.

Moen. Moen would be my second choice. Like Delta they don't take a ton of repair parts to fix them and they last a long time as well. In my opinion their quality has gone down slightly over the past several years but they are by no means a bad faucet. Their design of the 'cartridge' operating system is great design and easy to fix.

Price Pfister. I avoid it like the plague! I refuse to buy one of their products and I most of the time refuse to install them if a homeowner buys one. Their quality is just that bad! And trying to find repair parts is like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Enough said about PP.

Grohe. Another great faucet line is Grohe, but it is in a price range about 2 to 4 times that of Delta and Moen. If you can find a good deal on one, then I recommend them. Parts are not easy to find locally but the fact is you hardly ever need parts for them.

Big-Box Stores. There is a difference between the same brands of faucets bought at Big Box Stores and professional plumbing suppliers. BB Stores often spec cheaper plastic parts to reach lower price points. For instance, one of my pet peeves is the plastic pop-up drain that comes with most lavatory faucets bought at BB Stores. They have a history of frequent leaks, so I won't install them. I insist on chrome plated brass pop-up drains.

Life-Time Warranty. When most folks see that faucets have a Life-Time Warranty they somehow associate that with 'never needing repair'. Fact is, all faucets will need repair at some point. They're a mechanical device and things wear out and go wrong. The good news is that most all major faucet manufacturers that specify a life-time warranty will give you the parts to fix your faucet. Catch is that you have to go on-line, identify the faucet if you don't have your model number, call their 800 number and tell them what's wrong with it and they'll send the original owner the parts to repair it at no charge. Most of the time without shipping charges. Now the plumber can't do that...only the original owner. So don't think you can run down to the store and they'll give you parts for your faucet because it's under warranty....it won't happen.

I sometimes find some good deals at plumbing supply houses on stuff they're closing out. Some of it is high quality stuff at great close-out prices. Check out your plumbing suppliers in your area.

Those are just my opinions. I don't work for any of the faucet manufacturers I mentioned above, nor do I get any kind of commission if I sell their products. I buy what I like, add a profit and sell it. Or I'll make a recommendation if a customer wants to buy their own.

 

[Austin]

Thanks Ron. That was informative.

 

[Argonaut]

Delta. After 25 years in the plumbing repair/service business Delta is still my preferred brand of faucet. They are engineered/designed with simplicity and it doesn't require a ton of parts to fix one. Repair parts are more widely available than any brand on the market and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to disassemble and reassemble most of them. Delta lasts as long as any other similarly priced faucet out there today before they have to be serviced. My favorite style of Delta kitchen faucet is the 174-WF; it's a single handle waterfall faucet with sprayer and soap dispenser available in chrome, stainless and white. It'll fit in any standard 4-hole kitchen sink. Really good looks and not overly expensive. This is what I have in my kitchen.

Moen. Moen would be my second choice. Like Delta they don't take a ton of repair parts to fix them and they last a long time as well. In my opinion their quality has gone down slightly over the past several years but they are by no means a bad faucet. Their design of the 'cartridge' operating system is great design and easy to fix.

Price Pfister. I avoid it like the plague! I refuse to buy one of their products and I most of the time refuse to install them if a homeowner buys one. Their quality is just that bad! And trying to find repair parts is like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Enough said about PP.

Grohe. Another great faucet line is Grohe, but it is in a price range about 2 to 4 times that of Delta and Moen. If you can find a good deal on one, then I recommend them. Parts are not easy to find locally but the fact is you hardly ever need parts for them.

Big-Box Stores. There is a difference between the same brands of faucets bought at Big Box Stores and professional plumbing suppliers. BB Stores often spec cheaper plastic parts to reach lower price points. For instance, one of my pet peeves is the plastic pop-up drain that comes with most lavatory faucets bought at BB Stores. They have a history of frequent leaks, so I won't install them. I insist on chrome plated brass pop-up drains.

Life-Time Warranty. When most folks see that faucets have a Life-Time Warranty they somehow associate that with 'never needing repair'. Fact is, all faucets will need repair at some point. They're a mechanical device and things wear out and go wrong. The good news is that most all major faucet manufacturers that specify a life-time warranty will give you the parts to fix your faucet. Catch is that you have to go on-line, identify the faucet if you don't have your model number, call their 800 number and tell them what's wrong with it and they'll send the original owner the parts to repair it at no charge. Most of the time without shipping charges. Now the plumber can't do that...only the original owner. So don't think you can run down to the store and they'll give you parts for your faucet because it's under warranty....it won't happen.

I sometimes find some good deals at plumbing supply houses on stuff they're closing out. Some of it is high quality stuff at great close-out prices. Check out your plumbing suppliers in your area.

Those are just my opinions. I don't work for any of the faucet manufacturers I mentioned above, nor do I get any kind of commission if I sell their products. I buy what I like, add a profit and sell it. Or I'll make a recommendation if a customer wants to buy their own.

As a fellow plumber with 15 years experience, I agree exactly with this information. Saved me alot of typing!

 

[razorrookie]

Any comments on the dual handle (one for hot, one for cold) vs. 'the other type' (orientation of one handle determines flow&temp)?

I ask because my SO has a tendency to be rough with hardware such as this, and even though I do most of the cooking/cleaning (don't even talk to me about the engineering job market here in town) I'd like to pick the sturdier of the two. And if that's not an issue, I tend to lean towards the dual handle design because I tend to be a bit anal about wasting hot water.

Plus, I'm thinking that with a faucet with that high an arch, I probably won't need the sprayer. Ditto for the soap dispenser. I'm just too simple of a person (and too monetarily strained) to go for that I suppose.

Great responses btw! Any thoughts on bathroom fittings?

 

[mmack66]

Any comments on the dual handle (one for hot, one for cold) vs. 'the other type' (orientation of one handle determines flow&temp)?

I ask because my SO has a tendency to be rough with hardware such as this, and even though I do most of the cooking/cleaning (don't even talk to me about the engineering job market here in town) I'd like to pick the sturdier of the two. And if that's not an issue, I tend to lean towards the dual handle design because I tend to be a bit anal about wasting hot water.

Plus, I'm thinking that with a faucet with that high an arch, I probably won't need the sprayer. Ditto for the soap dispenser. I'm just too simple of a person (and too monetarily strained) to go for that I suppose.

Great responses btw! Any thoughts on bathroom fittings?

Delta for the bathroom faucets as well. Single or double handle is just user preference, as hot water use shouldn't be different with either configuration. I agree that the soap dispenser can be left out, but I would definitely get a sprayer. Most faucets come with one anyway. I guess it depends on how many holes your sink has.

 

[PottyDoctor]

Almost all tub/shower faucets are now of the single handle variety due to them having to meet the 'Scald-Guard' requirements. The old two handle tub/shower faucets are not 'Scald-Guard'. There are some single handle tub/shower faucets with an additional ring or handle which is used to set temp and the main one sets the flow. This is a thermostatic valve whereas most are of the pressure balancing type. The thermostatic is somewhat more expensive.

 

[davecmu]

stuff about faucet type, etc...

Just came here to threadjack with a quick ROLL TIDE.

Carry on.