We cannot overstate the importance of a kitchen faucet. Whether you are cooking, using the spray head, cleaning, or preparing drinks for the family, having an unrestricted and uninterrupted source of readily available water is an essential part of the kitchen setup.
If you’re looking for a new kitchen faucet, there are some factors to consider other than just the cost to replace the kitchen faucet.
Since your new faucet will serve your kitchen needs for years to come, skimping on a new kitchen faucet can be a mistake.
Kitchen Faucet Installation Cost Factors
Installation Fee (Optional)
Shoddy handiwork can waste your hard-earned cash. If your plumbing skills are lacking, consider hiring a professional to install your new faucet.
Faucet installation fees vary but will probably fall somewhere in the $260 to $480 labor cost range. Added modifications to the sink will likely incur extra labor costs.
Faucet Prices
Faucet prices differ depending upon the brand. American Standard charges between about $60 and $540, while Moen faucets go for around $50 to $1000. Kohler so far has the most extensive range, starting from $30 and going all the way up to $2,400 per unit.
Touchless spray head faucets can usually run a bit more. Whereas a single handle model is most like cheaper. If you need a complicated filtration system, that will also increase the labor cost.
Tools and Materials
Answering the question of “How much does it cost to install a kitchen faucet?” may not be so simple as a price tag.
The prices of the necessary tools and materials vary depending on where you purchase them. Some places sell basin wrenches for about $6 but be sure to consider quality when you shop.
The necessary supplies include:
- Basin Wrench
- Crescent Wrench
- Tape Measure
- Channel Lock Pliers
- Plumbers Putty or Silicone Caulk
- Plumbers Tape
- Faucet
- Flashlight (Optional)
- Supply Lines
- Bucket
Also, consider the time you will need to gather these supplies, replace the existing faucet, and clean up the mess. It all adds up.
How To Save Money When Installing a Faucet
Developing a strategy for saving money on your faucet installation costs only makes sense. Ideally, you want to be able to spend just enough so you can stay within your budget but without compromising quality.
Low-Flow Faucets and Aerators
Some of these options necessitate spending a little more money during the installation process, which may sound like a contradiction. Your savings will come in the form of a long-term investment.
Aerator attachments are a great answer to leaky faucets that drip and waste copious amounts of water. They work by creating a smaller space for the water to pass through, mixing air and water in the flow, and decreasing the amount of water squeezing out.
There is generally no difference in water pressure, which can even increase due to the compaction of air. Aerators have an average cost anywhere from $5 to $20, which isn’t such a high cost when considering the potential savings.
Low-flow faucets can cost you upwards of around $10 but will already save you 30% to 50% of regular faucet use from the moment you first turn it on. Unlike aerators, you won’t be purchasing anything extra. Even better, you’ll end up saving around $90 or more a year.
Install the Faucet by Yourself
There’s never a bad time to go DIY on a home project if you are handy with tools and think the learning process will help you fix and maintain your home appliances.
To help you organize the job, let’s go over the step-by-step faucet installation process:
- Turn off the water valves to prevent the sink’s underside from flooding.
- Get at least one person to help you install the unit to the kitchen sink plumbing.
- Put the plastic gasket on top of the faucet holes and set the deck plate.
- Apply the silicone caulk or plumber’s putty.
- Insert the faucet into the chosen hole or holes.
- Screw the washers and nuts underneath the sink.
- Attach water supply lines. Apply the plumber’s tape.
- Carefully turn on the water and let the impurities fall out.
- Look for leaks. Tighten using the basin and crescent wrench where necessary.
How Long Does It Take To Replace a Faucet?
The average time it takes to replace a faucet will depend on several aspects. If you’re well-acquainted with the inner workings of what makes your faucet tick, you will have a definite leg up. If you are not familiar with its workings or have not examined it in quite a while, you may be in for a longer ride.
A job without modifications is what we would call a simple retrofit. This term means there are no kitchen sink plumbing issues. A simple retrofit means you will replace the faucet with a similar model the size of your cabinet cutout.
So, assuming you have no prior experience replacing a faucet, the average time it will take you without modifications is about two hours. This time frame comes with the understanding that the average DIY person usually makes at least one additional trip to the store for tools and materials.
If you happen to be a professional or hire a professional, your faucet replacement can be completed as fast as 30 minutes.
The cost to replace kitchen faucets can be as much of a drain on your time as it is on your money.
What Are the Problems That Can Further Complicate Faucet Replacement?
Replacing a faucet can sound like a walk in the park, especially when we have the internet and all sorts of guides to help.
Hidden factors can always lurk on the surface, though, making the job just a little harder than expected. If you’re not careful, these can pose problems in both the short and long run.
Consider these factors when it comes time to estimate the cost to replace your kitchen faucet.
Factors in Typical Faucet Replacement
Before we explore the hidden factors, here is a list of steps for a typical replacement:
- The space under your sink is often dark and will require you to have a strong source of light to carry out your kitchen faucet removal and replacement.
- Establish your limits for the process. One or two complications are to be expected, but when you find that you have to dismantle certain essential parts of the kitchen sink plumbing to carry out that replacement, it may be time for a second opinion.
- Shutting off the water valve before you start to tinker is essential. Forgetting this job can cause an impromptu flood in the lower cabinet that will delay and discourage your efforts considerably and can lead to damage that needs repair.
Hidden Factors
- Rust is a very real problem that can make dismantling or detaching the old faucet almost impossible for even the most experienced handyman. If you’re doing this yourself, you may have to delay removal until you can figure out a better option.
- Purchasing the wrong replacement faucet is a very real possibility. The only way to remedy this is by preparing measurements and reminders for yourself ahead of time. Removing the old faucet and bringing it to the hardware store is recommended to avoid buying the wrong size or type of faucet.
- Faulty equipment is another hidden problem that can arise. Chances are good the new faucet you buy will be in good condition. Sometimes, though, a shopper goes home with a defective unit. While some hardware stores might not be able to test your unit, it doesn’t hurt to ask.
Be sure to check out our other kitchen faucet guides, including our guide on installing a kitchen faucet without a basin wrench.