In Pittsburgh Sink and Faucet Installation is Easier than Ever
FAQs on Sink and Faucet Installation
Just ask any realtor today, and they will tell you that the best place to invest your money into a home for maximum equity return is the kitchen. Then ask any general contractor what is the fastest and most affordable area of the kitchen to do an upgrade, and they will tell you that it’s the sink and faucet.
Of course, there are always cabinets and flooring, but those take a whole lot more time and money to facilitate change. So in recent years, manufacturers have been stepping up to the plate by designing and marketing sinks and faucets that are easier to install than in the past.
This means that in Pittsburgh sink and faucet installation is doable if you’re willing to roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty. Even so, there is a small handful of things you should know to ensure that all goes well with your project.
Is it Easy to Install a Sink and Faucet?
The answer to this question, is it easy to install a sink and faucet, really is a relative term. So the best answer that you could hope for is some good hot tips to help you avoid problems and step over pitfalls. What you need to keep in mind here is that in the end, it is your kitchen sink and faucet, so you don’t want it being taken out of commission for an extended length of time.
If all goes well, you should start in the morning and have it up and going sometime in the afternoon. The last thing you need is to discover the hard way just how vital your sink and faucet are for keeping your home running. So it’s critical that all goes well, and it will if you read this article to the bottom.
What is Needed to Install a Sink and Faucet?
The first and most important thing that’s needed to install a sink and faucet is the confidence that you can do the job on your own. Now you will need another set of hands occasionally as your project progresses to hold the faucet in place, for instance, while you tighten it from below.
But so much of the work is done while laying on your back with your arms and shoulders crammed into the lower kitchen cabinets underneath the sink.
There’s just no room for anybody else there. So one of the most important tools you will need is a nice firm pillow to cushion your back during the work to take the physical pain out of the job. Another helpful tool you need to pick up at the hardware store is a small plastic flashlight to stick in your mouth while your hands are busy in the dark area underneath the faucet.
How Long Does a Sink and Faucet Installation Usually Take?
The answer to this question is that under ideal circumstances, it should be done within one working day. So if you’ve done all your shopping the day before and start in the morning, it should be done by mid-afternoon.
What’s important to keep in mind here, though, is that this is under ideal circumstances.
There are plenty of areas where you still can create your own problems, and another thing you may not consider is whether there is water damage underneath the tiles where the sink meets the existing countertop.
Another area where problems can arise is the existing water supply faucets underneath the sink. Also, if you have been considering replacing your garbage disposal, now is the time to do it when you have everything else in that area taken apart.
What Makes Pittsburgh Sink and Faucet Installation Different?
There’s one thing in particular that makes Pittsburgh sink and faucet installation different than doing the same job in another area of the country. That one thing is the hard water Pittsburgh, and the surrounding area is known for.
Hard water is used to describe water that contains a high level of dissolved calcium, and it’s that dissolved calcium that is responsible for calcite buildups in faucets. Perhaps you may have already noticed a grinding or crunching sensation as you shut a water faucet off in or outside your home.
It’s coming from the calcite deposits being crunched up, and the problem that they present is that this build-up prevents a faucet from closing all the way, resulting in a steady drip, even though you’ve done your best to shut it off completely.
What Are Some Tips For Choosing Your Sink and Faucet?
The first tip never to purchase a sink or faucet that is in a box that has been opened and then taped shut because parts may be missing. Then tip number two is to remove your old sink and faucet and take it with you when you go to the appliance store to purchase a new one.
By doing this, you can make sure that the new one you bring home is an exact fit. Then tip number three is after you have selected your preferred faucet from those on display, summon a clerk to look them in the eye as you ask them if any previous buyers have returned that model with complaints about performance or ease of installation.
Then as it pertains to the faucet, make a point of picking up two new water lines to replace your existing lines because the rubber seals do degrade over time.
Can You Do Sink and Faucet Installation Yourself?
The answer to this question is, of course, you can. What’s important to keep in mind, though, is that if you expect professional results upon completion, then you may want to hire a professional.
Just like giving yourself a haircut. Your hairstylist might make it look easy, so then why did your finished results look like someone had gone over your hair with a lawnmower when you were done?
The reason is simple, and that is that your hairstylist is a professional, and professionals deliver professional results. So yes, you can do it yourself but do keep in mind that you don’t install sinks and faucets as a profession.
Also, don’t forget whatever you do, it has to be worth the savings incurred from not paying someone to do it. So if it takes you a week due to delays, then any savings that you may have expected may have flown out the door by way of a week’s worth of eating out.
How Much Does a Sink and Faucet Installation Cost in Pittsburgh?
The simple answer to this question is not very much, with all things considered. Watch a Pittsburgh plumber do the installation work, and you’ll be surprised by the speed and efficiency.
It’s something that they regularly do, so they glide right over problem areas and make it all look easy. Then another benefit of having a qualified Pittsburgh plumber do the work is that having a new garbage disposal installed along with the sink and faucet becomes a more reasonable option.
When you do the work yourself, the notion of replacing you’re aging garbage disposal can seem like an invitation to expand even more an already growing headache. In the end, though, as kitchen improvements go, sink and faucet installation in Pittsburgh is, for sure, easily one of the more affordable.