Before you choose a faucet
Start by looking at how many openings the sink deck or countertop already has. A single-hole faucet can cover three holes with a deck plate, but a widespread faucet needs three holes at the right spacing. For kitchens, check that a pull-down spout clears the cabinet above and that the sprayer hose has room to travel without catching on a disposer or water filter.
- Number of holes and their spacing.
- Clearance to the window ledge or upper cabinet.
- Whether a soap dispenser or filter tap will share the deck.
- Supply connections: most new faucets come with integral lines that need 3/8-inch compression stops.
How we install it
- Close the stops; if they will not close or they weep, we replace them first.
- Disconnect the supply lines and remove the mounting nuts, often with a basin wrench in a tight space.
- Clean old putty and scale from the deck so the new base sits flat.
- Mount the new faucet with its gasket, centre it, and tighten from below.
- Connect supplies, remove the aerator and flush the lines to clear debris, then refit.
- Run hot and cold for several minutes and check every joint with a dry tissue.
Clues pointing to faucet installation
- A drip that keeps going after the handle is firm.
- Handle that is stiff or spins without stopping flow.
- Water marks on the cabinet floor under the sink.
- Shower that swings hot and cold mid-rinse.
Bathroom basins
Bathroom faucets usually come with their own pop-up drain. We fit it at the same time so finishes match and the stopper linkage works properly. If the old drain body is corroded into the basin, we cut it free carefully rather than forcing it and chipping the porcelain.
| Add-on | Worth doing when |
|---|---|
| Quarter-turn stops | Old stops are multi-turn or seized |
| New pop-up drain | Basin faucet is replaced |
| Dishwasher tee or adapter | Kitchen faucet shares the hot stop |
Related services
If the tap is sound and just drips, faucet repair is usually enough. Updating a whole kitchen? See kitchen plumbing.
Markham note: village-core houses tend to hide cast iron and galvanized behind plaster, while Cornell and Box Grove builds run PEX to a manifold. We ask the year your house was built so the right fittings ride along on the truck.
Straight from the phone log
Can I reuse my old supply lines?
We advise against it. New lines are inexpensive, and old ones often have worn ends that leak once disturbed.
Will a new faucet fit my old sink?
Usually, as long as the hole count and spacing match. Measure before buying, or call and describe the sink.
Ready to get it fixed?
One call, a clear explanation, and work finished tidily before we leave.