Replace a faucet

Every line shows the quantity to buy and how StudSheet got it: the spacing, the waste and the package size, so you can check it before the supply house or the quote.

In Canada (Kitchen faucet)

Set to Canada, the Sheet works the job out again for Ontario: metric sizes, bag sizes, the frost depth and the code notes. It doesn't just convert feet to meters. The first lines:

• 1 faucet, Kitchen faucet, basic: A one-hole faucet; its own braided lines connect straight to ⅜ in compression stops.
• 1 tub, Plumber’s putty: Under the base or deck plate when the faucet has no gasket. Not on marble or granite: it can stain — use silicone there.

1. Clear the cabinet, put down towels, turn off the hot and cold stops, and open the faucet to drain it.
2. Disconnect the supply lines (and the sprayer hose), loosen the mounting nuts with the basin wrench, lift the old faucet out and clean the deck.
3. Set the faucet: its gasket (or putty, silicone on stone) under the base, the mounting hardware snug from below, the faucet square to the sink.
4. Connect the spray hose and clip the weight onto it where the instructions say.
5. Connect the faucet’s lines to the stops hand-tight + ¼ turn — no tape on compression threads.
6. Take off the aerator, turn the water on slowly and flush the lines for 30 seconds, then put the aerator back.
7. Check every joint with a dry paper towel; check again after an hour.

Must-have tools first, then the ones that help and the ones to rent for the day.

Mistakes that cost a callback or a second trip

• A faucet that doesn’t fit the holes: Count the holes (and the spread in a bathroom) before you buy.
• Tape on compression fittings: The ferrule seals, not the threads. Tape there can cause a leak.
• Cranking plastic nuts: Hand-tight + ¼ turn. Plastic cracks.
• Skipping the flush: Grit from the lines jams a new cartridge. Aerator off, run the water first.
• Putty on marble: Putty can stain stone. Silicone there.

What the calculator assumes

• Supply lines: built into a one-handle kitchen faucet.
• Stops: ⅜ in compression outlets, in working order.
• Paid work: many places license plumbers for fixture work too — check the rules where you work before you quote a swap.

The Sheet sets its code notes for the job's state or province. These are New Jersey's and Ontario's; the code reference has more. Always confirm with your building department.

• Permits: a job like this usually needs none, but towns set their own rules. Ask your building department if you're not sure.

What materials do I need to replace a faucet?

For the worked example, a kitchen faucet, the Sheet counts 2 lines with waste included, starting with kitchen faucet, basic (1 faucet), plumber’s putty (1 tub). Each line's math is in the table above. Put in your own sizes in the faucet calculator and every line is counted again.

How long does it take to replace a faucet, and can I do it myself?

About 1 to 2 hours for the worked example, in 7 steps. StudSheet stamps it DIY OK: you can do this.

What tools do I need to replace a faucet?

10 in all. The must-haves start with basin wrench, tongue-and-groove pliers, screwdriver set, work light, 5-gal buckets (2), safety glasses. On the Sheet you mark each one as owned, to buy or to rent.

Stuck while you replace a faucet? Ask in the Sinks and faucets group of the StudSheet community with this Sheet attached. Homeowners who've done it and verified pros answer, and anyone can read it.

• Handyman for contractors: run this takeoff at your own prices, send the estimate, and get it signed and the deposit paid.
• Plumbing rough-in (3 fixtures): For plumbers: supply and drain pipe by size, fittings, valves and vents for the fixtures you are adding.
• Water heater replacement (Gas water heater, 4 people): For plumbers: tank or tankless, venting, expansion tank, relief line, connections and the permit.
• Replace a toilet (Toilet, 12″ rough-in): Measure the rough-in, pick a toilet that fits, and swap it with a new seal, bolts and supply line — plus what to do about a broken flange.
• Replace a bathroom vanity (30″ vanity): A vanity that fits the space and the pipes, its top and faucet, new supply lines, trap, shims and sealant — swapped in an afternoon.
• All 45 Sheets, across 16 trades.
• Code reference: frost depths, guard heights, stairs, retaining walls.