When you take a look around your house with a fresh eye, what screams “old and outdated?” For me it’s light fixtures, light switches, dated paint, golden oak and old faucets! On face value, none of this stuff is overly expensive, the real money comes in when you start calling electricians and plumbers…so the more you can do yourself, the less it costs to update your home! Simple replacements and upgrades are straightforward. When you have water running down your wall, you call the plumber!

So, like many things, if you’ve never done it like me, replacing a vanity faucet sounded scary. Like, what if the water isn’t really off and I floor my first floor? Am I right? Yes, these are risks, but with a few simple steps, they are calculated risks and trust me, you can handle this!

Investment

Money | $50-$250 depending on choice of faucet

Time | 30-45 minutes

Supplies*

• Faucet of choice. Amazon, Wayfair, Overstock and Rush Market are all great places to find steals. Make sure to match your existing counter top holes and if more than a single hole, note the “spread” between the handles. Mine is from Wayfair.

• Not all faucets come with a new drain, so pay attention. Plus, you can do a nice pop up drain as opposed to a “pull the thing on the back” style if you’re switching things out. I think they have a cleaner look and are in fact, easier to keep clean.

• New PVC pipe supplies. This is optional, but recommended. Easiest way to get what you need is after you have disconnected the old stuff, take it to the hardware store and get the exact same. This is not hard, but there are a million different connectors and sizes, so just pay really close attention. that you are getting exactly what you have. Always take pictures BEFORE you start dissembling so you can put it together again! :)

• Wrench, pipe wrench preferably. Old rags.

Steps

1. Turn off the water under the sink. You can hear it go off, but to be safe, try to turn the faucet on. If you’re still getting water, it’s not off. Sometimes the water shutoffs can be stuck; try to firmly turn it off again, but don’t break it. If it won’t turn off, it is already broke and you need to call the plumber, sorry. It happens with old houses!

2. Take a picture of what’s below the sink. This is super important. Note which side is hot and cold by marking the hot with a piece of tape.

3. Read the instructions of how to put in your new faucet. This may sound odd because you’re ready yet, but if you understand how to put the new one in, you’ll figure out how to get the old one out!

4. Once out, clean off old silicone or caulking to start with a fresh surface.

5. Follow instructions for installation. See video for more information.

6. You do not (nor do I recommend) caulking or putting silicone around the new faucet. If you did it right, it shouldn’t be leaking and all that does is make a mess and harder to clean.

7. Great job, you’re done!

Enjoy the Project

Playlist | Taylor Swift Invented Fall

Wine | Kendall Jackson Chardonnay

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