On Thu, 01 Jan 2015 18:44:01 +0000, Mike M.
wrote:


I am a custom home builder and have seen every kind of plumbing fixture
you can imagine. Expensive does NOT equate to high-quality. More than a
few absurdly wealthy clients want very specific brands/models because
they've seen them in a design center or had them recommended by
someone...and money is no object. While some of these high-end products
are just fine, more than a few present challenges from assembly and
installation to availability of parts. And some tend to like to change
models often. That would be okay except in cases where the "guts" of the
fixture change as well. Try finding a replacement part for a fixture that
was only manufactured for 2 years.

Here is your safe bet ... regardless of the Home Depot "expert's" opinion.
Delta, Moen and Kohler are tried and true. And they typically rank price
wise in that same order, i.e., Delta/Moen/Kohler. But here's the twist.
They are not all "created equal." Some (not all) of the models carried in
the DIY stores can be lower-end. They look similar to another Moen
faucets (for example), but they're built to the specs to meet cost demands
of the DIY big boxes. To avoid this, find a reputable fixture supplier
.. someone like Ferguson's Supply ... in your area. Take a picture
and/or model number of a faucet you've found at Home Depot/Lowes, etc.,
and have them compare it to what they supply. Chances are it may be a
little more expensive, but you'll be getting the quality you expect. Btw,
those supply places will also have ridiculously expensive fixtures as
well. Don't be intimidated or upsold. Stick to the "real" Delta, Moen,
Kohler brands and you likely won't be disappointed.

--


I'd avoid Moen. They make quality faucets, but they're out to steal
your wallet when the day comes to repair a drip. Their replacement
cartridges cost almost as much as the initial cost of the faucet.

ALl faucets will eventually need repair. Some sooner than you'd
imagine, if your water is high in minerals or contains a little "grit",
which can originate from a well, or calcium deposits that break loose
from the pipes and get into the faucet, which damages O-rings, plastic
parts, end even metal parts.

I remember the days when any faucet could be repaired by buying two
10cent washers, and after 20 or 30 years you may need to buy two new
seats at $1 each. Those days are gone. Now you buy a whole cartridge,
which some are difficult to remove and assemble. Not only does it take
much more time to repair, but they cost damn near as much as a new
faucet. These companies know how to steal your money, and Moen seems to
be one of the worst.

Not too long ago, I had to replace a single handle bathtub unit (Moen).
Taking it apart was a nightmare, then they wanted almost as much as a
new faucet to buy their cartridge kit. (about $50). I removed it, and
tossed it in the metal recycling bin. Then I went shopping for a new
faucet. I found out no one even makes plain washer type faucets
anymore. Since I dont use the shower, I just bought two spigots
intended to be used outdoors for a garden hose, and installed them above
my tub. They work fine, and cost me around $5 each. If they start to
drip, I'll just need a pair of washers.

There is no reason that many of these new faucets need to be built so
complicated and costly. All a faucet does is turn water on or off. A
plain old washer has worked for centuries. All these new faucets are is
a glorified means to turn water on and off, with a fancy look to them.
For me, looks are not important, and I actually like the look of my
brass spigots, which I spray painted the red handle blue for the cold
water, since I could not find one with a blue handle in the store.