As you can probably imagine, faucets are the perfect example of something that plumbers work with on a daily basis. After all, it’s no surprise that faucets are important in both residential and commercial settings, as they’ll be used just about every day! Having said that, it should also come as no surprise when I say that all plumbing professionals should be adept at taking care of a wide variety of faucet-related projects. Installing new faucets, repairing existing ones, providing advice on recommended maintenance practices, pointing customers in the right direction of reliable faucet brands, the list goes on! With that in mind, in this week’s blog post, we’re going to be reviewing a few things worth keeping in mind when it comes time to purchase new bathroom faucets, both on the residential and commercial side of things!
Before we get into all of that bathroom faucet talk though, we would first like to say hello to anyone that may be stopping by our plumbing blog for the first time. Welcome to Stine-Nichols Plumbing! We are a plumbing business based out of North Kansas City, MO that offers residential, commercial and new construction plumbing services throughout the KC area. Unsurprisingly, included in these services is anything tied to faucets. In any case, if you live in or near the Kansas City area and need help with an upcoming plumbing project, don’t hesitate to give our team a call at (816) 348-3481 and we would be more than happy to help however possible! Now…it’s time to talk about the steps you should take in approaching a bathroom faucet replacement.
Step 1: Will you be making any other changes?
The first thing that you’ll want to ask yourself is whether or not you’ll be making any other changes to the space, with this question being primarily focused on the sinks/vanity. While some settings may simply prioritize functionality (such as if you’re just wanting a reliable faucet for a secondary bathroom), it’s safe to say appearance plays a role in plenty of faucet purchasing decisions. With this being the case, it’s worth considering the possibility of making other changes to your bathroom. While this could entail a complete remodel, for the sake of this blog post, we’ll discuss the vanity specifically. Is your existing vanity a little dated or starting to experience issues? If so, this could be an ideal time to replace it altogether. Regardless, the reason why we’ve opened this blog post with this point is because the vanity you select will ultimately impact which faucet you pick. Not only from an aesthetic standpoint, but also in terms of the type of faucets that will work (3 hole countertop, 1 hole countertop, etc).
Step 2: Find a brand, style and type that you like.
We’ve said this several times before on past blog posts, but aesthetics and physical appearance aren’t typically attributes that you would associate with plumbing. However, there are instances where they come into play and faucets are a prime example of one! Once you’ve decided on the exact scope of the project (whether that be solely replacing the faucet or additional work as well), it will be time to go faucet shopping and with this, you’ll want to narrow down your search. After all, without some sort of filters in-place, you’ll possibly feel a little overwhelmed by the sheer number of options out there!
Brand – We always encourage customers to try and purchase bathroom faucets made by established brands for a few different reasons. First off, by choosing a faucet from an established brand, there is less of a concern in terms of durability and reliability. No, this won’t guarantee the faucet will last forever, but it will definitely improve its ability to withstand the daily wear and tear faucets experience. This is particularly important for commercial bathroom faucets, which may receive even more usage! Another reason in favor of purchasing a bathroom faucet made by an established brand is the easier access to repair parts in the event that they’re needed later on down the road. Not to mention, these established brands are also consistently looking for ways to bring new products to the market, so we’re sure you can find one that you love!
Style – You typically see style play a larger role in the kitchen faucet world, but that doesn’t mean you have to go with something super-plain for the bathroom, especially if you’re looking for a faucet with more pizzazz for the master bathroom. Nonetheless, a major reason why we chose to include this section here is due to the different finishes available. These will be instrumental in creating a cohesive unit and ensuring everything meshes together.
Type – A third characteristic that we wanted to mention is the type of faucet. This is the one that will be largely dependent on the countertops (unless you want to add more work in the form of drilling additional holes). Nonetheless, when you start browsing through potential options, you’ll notice they’re categorized by the number of countertop holes (1, 2 or 3). 4-hole faucets are primarily found in the kitchen settings. This will help in determining which faucet types will work with your existing set-up. On the topic of bathroom faucet types, it’s also worth noting there are options like 2-handle, 1-handle, centerset and so on to take into consideration too!
Step 3: Find a reliable plumber.
While some homeowners may choose to turn a faucet install into a DIY job, we understand why it would also be a smart move to hire a local plumber to complete the installation. Not to mention, if you have any other plumbing projects around the house (or commercial facility), this could be the perfect time to get multiple to-do’s knocked out in one trip! So…once you have an idea in mind of which type, brand or style of bathroom faucet you want installed, it will be time to hire a plumber to complete the install. If you don’t already have a go-to local plumbing company that you’ve used on past projects, make sure to keep things like this in mind:
Check out their reviews online and their social media pages to get an idea of the quality of their work. Ask if the install will be a quoted price or if it will be completed on a time and material basis. If you’re unsure of which bathroom faucet brands to consider, check if they have any recommendations or preferences. If you have other projects around the house or commercial facility, ask if they’ll be able to take care of this too on one service call. Ask how long they’ve been in business and the years of experience of their technician who will be completing the job.
In the end, while a faucet installation should be a rather straightforward project, the last thing you want is for a simple install to turn into future headaches!
Call the Faucet Pros at Stine-Nichols Plumbing!
Here at Stine-Nichols Plumbing, we can confidently say that each of our plumbing professionals have plenty of experience with tackling a wide range of faucet-related projects. Installs, repairs, maintenance, you name it! Furthermore, with these years of experience, we’re also confident in our ability to provide reliable recommendations as to which brands, styles and so on will provide you with a strong return on your investment! In any case, if you’re considering updating your bathroom faucet(s), we would be delighted to help out. To learn more and request a free estimate, feel free to fill out the form HERE or give us a call at (816) 348-3481. We look forward to hearing from you!