On Saturday, April 19, 2014 2:37:57 AM UTC-7, Julie Bove wrote:
"Ed Pawlowski" wrote

The plumber charged me $250 for the faucet plus installation.
I think he ripped me off. I think it is some low end piece
of crap.

Soft water so no sediment.

Stick with better brands like Delta, Moen, Kohler, and
avoid cheap store brands.

In looking at online reviews, Delta isn't good. I have
no clue what brand I can't see a brand on it anywhere.

There's a brand sold only by plumbers, and apparently the
parts are available only to plumbers, to make customers
dependent on plumbers. So always ask any contractor for
the brand and model of anything they'll install.

What Ed said about the brands. Also good are Price-Pfister
and American Standard, but Price-Pfister's warranty makes
you pay about $5-7 shipping for parts. Moen faucets
tighten up as they age, and after 5-10 years they may
become too tight for people with arthritis to operate them,
but replacing the cartridge fixes this. Companies that
offer lifetime warranties on their faucets tend to provide
very good customer service, an exception being Glacier Bay.
Avoid Glacier Bay. Also you may want to check the cost and
availability of accessories, like hoses and spray nozzles,
in case those are excluded from the lifetime warranty.

If you don't want corrosion, get a faucet made of stainless
steel, but faucets made of brass or base metal plated
with chrome or nickel are also good. Avoid plated plastic
because the chrome separates from the plastic, and then
the copper under the chrome corrodes. Still, even here
in Phoenix, where the water is rock hard (so hard I once
had to toss out an old stainless steel cooking pot because
a pinhole had formed from corrosion), the plating on
plastic faucets tends to hold up for at least 4-5 years.

Delta has basically 2 grades of faucets: cheaper ones
that use Delrin plastic cup seals, and more expensive
faucets with ceramic cartridge seals (actually ceramic
coated with semi-diamond). Some people don't like the
Delrin ones, but we've had few problems with them.
However use only genuine Delta/Peerless replacement
parts because a neighbor tried Walmart store brand
Delrin seals, and they kept leaking in 6 months.

What reviews said Delta was bad? Were they valid
reviews, where the author went into detail, or were
they just "it sucks"/"it rocks" reviews?

Lots of YouTube videos show how to fix or install
faucets, and some faucets are even designed to be
installed without any tools.

On 4/20/2014 6:55 PM, wrote:

Delta has basically 2 grades of faucets: cheaper ones
that use Delrin plastic cup seals, and more expensive
faucets with ceramic cartridge seals (actually ceramic
coated with semi-diamond). Some people don't like the
Delrin ones, but we've had few problems with them.
However use only genuine Delta/Peerless replacement
parts because a neighbor tried Walmart store brand
Delrin seals, and they kept leaking in 6 months.

What reviews said Delta was bad? Were they valid
reviews, where the author went into detail, or were
they just "it sucks"/"it rocks" reviews?

That comment surprised me as I've not seen any real problems with Delta.

I just completed a down to the walls re-do of one bathroom and now doing
the second one. We chose Kohler faucets and valve, diverters, but the
plumbing house recommended Delta for the hand held and rain can head.
We're very happy with the performance of it all.

On Sunday, April 20, 2014 8:03:23 PM UTC-4, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
On 4/20/2014 6:55 PM, wrote:



Delta has basically 2 grades of faucets: cheaper ones

that use Delrin plastic cup seals, and more expensive

faucets with ceramic cartridge seals (actually ceramic

coated with semi-diamond). Some people don't like the

Delrin ones, but we've had few problems with them.

However use only genuine Delta/Peerless replacement

parts because a neighbor tried Walmart store brand

Delrin seals, and they kept leaking in 6 months.



What reviews said Delta was bad? Were they valid

reviews, where the author went into detail, or were

they just "it sucks"/"it rocks" reviews?



That comment surprised me as I've not seen any real problems with Delta.



I just completed a down to the walls re-do of one bathroom and now doing

the second one. We chose Kohler faucets and valve, diverters, but the

plumbing house recommended Delta for the hand held and rain can head.

We're very happy with the performance of it all.

I have had very good luck with the delta cup type faucets, they last forever.

however the delta hand held shower heads were total trash.....

Has anyone looked/googled to see if there are any videos on the web showing kitchen faucet replacement? Seems to me Julie would be better off spending $25-$35 for a couple of tools and doing the job herself. She can gop to Lowes or HD or Menards and look at all the faucets and find one she likes. Then, if she decides not to try it herself, she calls the handyman and has him/her install the faucet she has purchased.

wrote in message
...
On Saturday, April 19, 2014 2:37:57 AM UTC-7, Julie Bove wrote:
"Ed Pawlowski" wrote

The plumber charged me $250 for the faucet plus installation.
I think he ripped me off. I think it is some low end piece
of crap.

Soft water so no sediment.

Stick with better brands like Delta, Moen, Kohler, and
avoid cheap store brands.

In looking at online reviews, Delta isn't good. I have
no clue what brand I can't see a brand on it anywhere.

There's a brand sold only by plumbers, and apparently the
parts are available only to plumbers, to make customers
dependent on plumbers. So always ask any contractor for
the brand and model of anything they'll install.

The contractor I hired for the toilets did tell me what he would install.
Although he works for cheap, he's not reliable. Says he will show up and
doesn't. Doesn't answer his phone.

What Ed said about the brands. Also good are Price-Pfister
and American Standard, but Price-Pfister's warranty makes
you pay about $5-7 shipping for parts. Moen faucets
tighten up as they age, and after 5-10 years they may
become too tight for people with arthritis to operate them,
but replacing the cartridge fixes this. Companies that
offer lifetime warranties on their faucets tend to provide
very good customer service, an exception being Glacier Bay.
Avoid Glacier Bay. Also you may want to check the cost and
availability of accessories, like hoses and spray nozzles,
in case those are excluded from the lifetime warranty.

Thanks!

If you don't want corrosion, get a faucet made of stainless
steel, but faucets made of brass or base metal plated
with chrome or nickel are also good. Avoid plated plastic
because the chrome separates from the plastic, and then
the copper under the chrome corrodes. Still, even here
in Phoenix, where the water is rock hard (so hard I once
had to toss out an old stainless steel cooking pot because
a pinhole had formed from corrosion), the plating on
plastic faucets tends to hold up for at least 4-5 years.

Plated plastic is what I have now which is why I don't think it should have
cost $250. Again, the $250 was only for the faucet and not the
installation.

Delta has basically 2 grades of faucets: cheaper ones
that use Delrin plastic cup seals, and more expensive
faucets with ceramic cartridge seals (actually ceramic
coated with semi-diamond). Some people don't like the
Delrin ones, but we've had few problems with them.
However use only genuine Delta/Peerless replacement
parts because a neighbor tried Walmart store brand
Delrin seals, and they kept leaking in 6 months.

What reviews said Delta was bad? Were they valid
reviews, where the author went into detail, or were
they just "it sucks"/"it rocks" reviews?

These were on Lowes and Home Depot websites. They explained in detail what
the problems they had with them were.

Lots of YouTube videos show how to fix or install
faucets, and some faucets are even designed to be
installed without any tools.

Yes, but I don't dare try. I am disabled and it's very difficult for me to
get in under the sink.

"bob haller" wrote in message
...
On Sunday, April 20, 2014 8:03:23 PM UTC-4, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
On 4/20/2014 6:55 PM, wrote:



Delta has basically 2 grades of faucets: cheaper ones

that use Delrin plastic cup seals, and more expensive

faucets with ceramic cartridge seals (actually ceramic

coated with semi-diamond). Some people don't like the

Delrin ones, but we've had few problems with them.

However use only genuine Delta/Peerless replacement

parts because a neighbor tried Walmart store brand

Delrin seals, and they kept leaking in 6 months.



What reviews said Delta was bad? Were they valid

reviews, where the author went into detail, or were

they just "it sucks"/"it rocks" reviews?



That comment surprised me as I've not seen any real problems with Delta.



I just completed a down to the walls re-do of one bathroom and now doing

the second one. We chose Kohler faucets and valve, diverters, but the

plumbing house recommended Delta for the hand held and rain can head.

We're very happy with the performance of it all.

I have had very good luck with the delta cup type faucets, they last
forever.

however the delta hand held shower heads were total trash.....

My hand held is the standard shower massage one. Can't remember the brand
now but it was one of the first ones. I did manage to install it myself.
Some guy told me to get the plastic one as it was easy to do. It was. I
was shocked!

wrote in message
...
Has anyone looked/googled to see if there are any videos on the web showing
kitchen faucet replacement? Seems to me Julie would be better off spending
$25-$35 for a couple of tools and doing the job herself. She can gop to
Lowes or HD or Menards and look at all the faucets and find one she likes.
Then, if she decides not to try it herself, she calls the handyman and has
him/her install the faucet she has purchased.
---

I don't do well with videos at all. I am not a visual person. I do better
with printed words but, I will not try to install this myself. Mr. Handyman
is a company (perhaps local). Although it costs $250 to get them through
the door, that includes a set amount of time for work. I think it is 2
hours. So... I will amass a list of little jobs to be done and have him do
them. I would like different lights in the garage if possible. If not, I
will need the bulbs replaced and also replaced in the laundry room. I could
probably do the laundry room ones myself but... I don't want to go buy the
bulbs. So I will just let him do all that.

On 4/20/2014 9:25 PM, bob haller wrote:


I have had very good luck with the delta cup type faucets, they last forever.

however the delta hand held shower heads were total trash.....


The one I bought from Lowes was crap, but the one from the plumbing
supply is much better quality. No comparison, but it was probably
double the price, but worth it.

On 4/18/2014 9:55 PM, Julie Bove wrote:
How long should one last? I'm not sure how old ours is. We bought this
house almost 10 years ago. I have replaced the faucet since, perhaps 8
years ago. Not really sure. Began having problems with the faucet
about 2 years after it was put in. The ring (appears decorative) around
the sprayer came totally loose. Then the sprayer began sticking in the
on position. Now it has gotten to the point of being severe. So much so
that I am afraid to use the sprayer.

The plumber charged me $250 for the faucet plus installation. I think
he ripped me off. I think it is some low end piece of crap. I will use
Mr. Handyman next time if I can wait that long. Won't call him until I
have a list of things to do because it does cost me $250 just to get him
in the door.

But... How long should a faucet normally last?


The faucet was nearly free. The $250 is the plumber's fee.

Buy the faucet yourself and have someone put it in. As far as brand,
Pfister ($100 & up for a decent set) has held up well here.

If you don't want the plumber's charge learn how to 'Do it yourself'.

John

"John" wrote in message
...
On 4/18/2014 9:55 PM, Julie Bove wrote:
How long should one last? I'm not sure how old ours is. We bought this
house almost 10 years ago. I have replaced the faucet since, perhaps 8
years ago. Not really sure. Began having problems with the faucet
about 2 years after it was put in. The ring (appears decorative) around
the sprayer came totally loose. Then the sprayer began sticking in the
on position. Now it has gotten to the point of being severe. So much so
that I am afraid to use the sprayer.

The plumber charged me $250 for the faucet plus installation. I think
he ripped me off. I think it is some low end piece of crap. I will use
Mr. Handyman next time if I can wait that long. Won't call him until I
have a list of things to do because it does cost me $250 just to get him
in the door.

But... How long should a faucet normally last?


The faucet was nearly free. The $250 is the plumber's fee.

How many times must I say it? The $250 was the price of the faucet. The
plumber's fee was around another $250.

Buy the faucet yourself and have someone put it in. As far as brand,
Pfister ($100 & up for a decent set) has held up well here.

If I knew someone to put it in, I would. I don't. Which is why I will have
Mr. Handyman do it and I'd just as soon that he buy it as well.

If you don't want the plumber's charge learn how to 'Do it yourself'.

I didn't say that I didn't want the plumber's charge but I have yet to find
a good plumber. I have hired three different companies and keep having the
same problems again and again.

Have you tried "Angie's List"? My wife paid for a year and used it to screen for a bunch or various things, for herself and a couple of friends.

On 4/24/2014 10:28 AM, wrote:
Have you tried "Angie's List"? My wife paid for a year and used it to screen for a bunch or various things, for herself and a couple of friends.



That may be the best bet. The bigger the Yellow Pages ad, the worse the
service. Best to find a small local guy, not a franchise and stick with
him.

Another way is to go to the local wholesale plumbing supply and ask for
a couple of names.

Lowes and Home Depot also offer installation services

Still another is to buy from www.faucetdirect.com and they have a
network of installers. I've bought from them but have never used their
installation services so I have no idea how well it works.

wrote in message
...
Have you tried "Angie's List"? My wife paid for a year and used it to
screen for a bunch or various things, for herself and a couple of friends.

Yikes! Never! You do know that those are mostly bogus entries. Right?
They pay people to write them then they take your money. I had someone
strong-arm me into trying to join Angie's list because she would get a
kickback. I refused to do so and she kept at me, week after week. I had a
bad feeling about them then but now I know the truth!

"Ed Pawlowski" wrote in message
...
On 4/24/2014 10:28 AM, wrote:
Have you tried "Angie's List"? My wife paid for a year and used it to
screen for a bunch or various things, for herself and a couple of
friends.



That may be the best bet. The bigger the Yellow Pages ad, the worse the
service. Best to find a small local guy, not a franchise and stick with
him.

Another way is to go to the local wholesale plumbing supply and ask for a
couple of names.

Lowes and Home Depot also offer installation services

Still another is to buy from www.faucetdirect.com and they have a network
of installers. I've bought from them but have never used their
installation services so I have no idea how well it works.

Very dissatisfied with Lowes installation. Will not use them again. So
far, Mr. Handyman has not done me wrong. It's just that they're not the
best to call for one little task. Better to have a list of several little
things.

Julie Bove wrote:

"Ed Pawlowski" wrote in message
...
On 4/24/2014 10:28 AM, wrote:
Have you tried "Angie's List"? My wife paid for a year and used it
to screen for a bunch or various things, for herself and a couple of
friends.



That may be the best bet. The bigger the Yellow Pages ad, the worse
the service. Best to find a small local guy, not a franchise and
stick with him.

Another way is to go to the local wholesale plumbing supply and ask
for a couple of names.

Lowes and Home Depot also offer installation services

Still another is to buy from www.faucetdirect.com and they have a
network of installers. I've bought from them but have never used
their installation services so I have no idea how well it works.

Very dissatisfied with Lowes installation. Will not use them again. So
far, Mr. Handyman has not done me wrong. It's just that they're not the
best to call for one little task. Better to have a list of several
little things.
Hmmm,
No friends, relatives or neighbors who can point right way?
I some times barter work my IT computer help, electrical work,
electronics repairs for carpentry most. I have two left hands when
cutting a board or hammering nails, LOL!

"Tony Hwang" wrote in message
...
Julie Bove wrote:

"Ed Pawlowski" wrote in message
...
On 4/24/2014 10:28 AM, wrote:
Have you tried "Angie's List"? My wife paid for a year and used it
to screen for a bunch or various things, for herself and a couple of
friends.



That may be the best bet. The bigger the Yellow Pages ad, the worse
the service. Best to find a small local guy, not a franchise and
stick with him.

Another way is to go to the local wholesale plumbing supply and ask
for a couple of names.

Lowes and Home Depot also offer installation services

Still another is to buy from www.faucetdirect.com and they have a
network of installers. I've bought from them but have never used
their installation services so I have no idea how well it works.

Very dissatisfied with Lowes installation. Will not use them again. So
far, Mr. Handyman has not done me wrong. It's just that they're not the
best to call for one little task. Better to have a list of several
little things.
Hmmm,
No friends, relatives or neighbors who can point right way?
I some times barter work my IT computer help, electrical work,
electronics repairs for carpentry most. I have two left hands when
cutting a board or hammering nails, LOL!

Nope. I don't know any one who is handy like that. My dad used to do his
own plumbing stuff but... Any time you used a faucet in his house, you'd
have to try to remember which way was hot and which was cold because he
often got the lines reversed.

On 4/24/2014 11:55 PM, Julie Bove wrote:




Lowes and Home Depot also offer installation services

Still another is to buy from www.faucetdirect.com and they have a
network of installers. I've bought from them but have never used
their installation services so I have no idea how well it works.

Very dissatisfied with Lowes installation. Will not use them again. So
far, Mr. Handyman has not done me wrong. It's just that they're not the
best to call for one little task. Better to have a list of several
little things.

Using any of the big stores is a bit of a crap shoot. They work with
various contractors for a fixed price on most things. You may get a
great job, you may get a dud.

I used Lowes once for a shower door install. It was a $1000 door and I
did not want to screw it up or transport it myself. They did an
excellent job. But that is just one instance in one store so others may
have different experiences.

"Ed Pawlowski" wrote in message
...
On 4/24/2014 11:55 PM, Julie Bove wrote:




Lowes and Home Depot also offer installation services

Still another is to buy from www.faucetdirect.com and they have a
network of installers. I've bought from them but have never used
their installation services so I have no idea how well it works.

Very dissatisfied with Lowes installation. Will not use them again. So
far, Mr. Handyman has not done me wrong. It's just that they're not the
best to call for one little task. Better to have a list of several
little things.

Using any of the big stores is a bit of a crap shoot. They work with
various contractors for a fixed price on most things. You may get a great
job, you may get a dud.

I used Lowes once for a shower door install. It was a $1000 door and I
did not want to screw it up or transport it myself. They did an excellent
job. But that is just one instance in one store so others may have
different experiences.

That's great! They failed to tighten a clamp on my dishwasher hose and my
kitchen was flooded. Then Sears did not put the clamp on my dryer vent
hose. The hose came off and my house was quickly like a sauna. I did 5
loads of laundry before I discovered the problem. The new washer and dryer
are larger than my old ones so they were pretty much wedged in there and
they are heavy. So it was really hard for me to move it out to see the hose
behind it.

On Thursday, April 24, 2014 8:53:56 PM UTC-7, Julie Bove wrote:
wrote in message

...

Have you tried "Angie's List"? My wife paid for a year and used it to

screen for a bunch or various things, for herself and a couple of friends.



Yikes! Never! You do know that those are mostly bogus entries. Right?

They pay people to write them then they take your money. I had someone

strong-arm me into trying to join Angie's list because she would get a

kickback. I refused to do so and she kept at me, week after week. I had a

bad feeling about them then but now I know the truth!

I hadn't been actually been following this thread, but happened to notice the above Angie's List. I'm glad Angie is making money, but not off me. Wouldn't go near it with a 10-foot pole. I ask around -- friends & neighbors for references.

HB

On Sat, 26 Apr 2014 13:12:11 -0700 (PDT), Higgs Boson
wrote:





I'm glad Angie is making money, but not off me. Wouldn't go near it with a 10-foot pole. I ask around -- friends & neighbors for references.

HB

That is how Angie's List is "supposed" to work. Sounds like it may
have been corrupted by $$$ though.