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#41
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Kitchen Faucet
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. |
#42
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Kitchen Faucet
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#44
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Kitchen Faucet
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.
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#45
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Kitchen Faucet
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. |
#46
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Kitchen Faucet
"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! |
#47
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Kitchen Faucet
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. |
#48
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Kitchen Faucet
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. |
#49
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Kitchen Faucet
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 |
#50
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Kitchen Faucet
"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. |
#51
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Kitchen Faucet
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.
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#52
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Kitchen Faucet
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. |
#53
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Kitchen Faucet
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! |
#54
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Kitchen Faucet
"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. |
#55
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Kitchen Faucet
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! |
#56
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Kitchen Faucet
"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. |
#57
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Kitchen Faucet
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. |
#58
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Kitchen Faucet
"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. |
#59
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Kitchen Faucet
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 |
#60
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Kitchen Faucet
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. |
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