Our Perspective on Choosing Quality Fixtures
After decades of repairing and installing plumbing fixtures, I've developed some strong opinions about what works, what lasts, and—most importantly—what ultimately provides the best value for our customers.
We've all heard the phrase, “They just don't make things like they used to.” When it comes to plumbing fixtures—especially mechanical parts such as faucets, toilets, and water heaters—there's a lot of truth to that statement.
Years ago, we routinely repaired and rebuilt things. Designs were relatively simple and standardized, replacement parts were readily available, and I could carry almost everything needed to repair the majority of fixtures we encountered in a couple of five-gallon buckets. Those days are largely gone.
Today, there are seemingly endless manufacturers, models, cartridges, electronic components, proprietary parts, mounting systems, and unique designs. Many modern plumbing fixtures simply aren't designed with long-term serviceability in mind. When something fails, locating the correct replacement part can be difficult, expensive, or sometimes impossible. In many cases, replacing the entire fixture becomes more practical and economical than attempting to repair it.
Looks Aren't Everything
Understandably, most homeowners initially choose a plumbing fixture based on appearance. You see something you like, the price seems reasonable, and you bring it home. There's absolutely nothing wrong with wanting a faucet that looks great in your kitchen or bathroom.
The problem is that two fixtures that look very similar on the outside can be dramatically different on the inside. Construction quality, internal components, valves and cartridges, mounting hardware, supply connections, availability of replacement parts, manufacturer support, and long-term serviceability can vary tremendously.
There can also be meaningful differences between products manufactured and distributed primarily through professional plumbing supply houses and products manufactured and marketed primarily toward the retail and DIY market through big-box stores, warehouse retailers, and online marketplaces.
Professional plumbers commonly refer to these differences as professional-grade versus retail-grade fixtures.
Unfortunately, those differences aren't always obvious when you're standing in a store—or scrolling online—looking at two beautiful faucets that appear to accomplish exactly the same thing.
A Pattern I've Seen Repeated for Decades
Over the years, I've watched the same scenario play out countless times:
A homeowner purchases a faucet retail. They hire us to install it. It looks great and works perfectly. Then, sometimes a few years, months, or even days later, something fails.
Now we're standing in the same kitchen or bathroom trying to identify and locate a proprietary cartridge, hose, sensor, electronic component, or other replacement part—or determining that repairing the fixture simply doesn't make financial sense.
At that point, we're often replacing the faucet and starting the entire process over again.
After seeing this happen repeatedly for decades, it's difficult for me not to share what experience has taught me.
Buy Your Last Faucet First
My recommendation is simple: If you want to buy your last faucet first, let your plumber help you select it.
We can recommend fixtures based not only on appearance, but also on construction quality, reliability, serviceability, manufacturer support, replacement-parts availability, and—perhaps most importantly—what we've actually seen perform well in our customers' homes over many years.
When we recommend a faucet, procure it through our professional plumbing suppliers, and install it ourselves, we're able to provide something considerably more valuable than simply installing something out of a box.
We're putting our professional experience behind the entire installation, from product selection to finished installation and future serviceability.
That option will generally cost more upfront than purchasing a faucet yourself from a retailer. The additional cost isn't going to make sense for everyone, and that's perfectly reasonable.
If You Prefer to Supply Your Own Faucet
We're also happy to install many customer-supplied faucets, provided the fixture is appropriate for the application and our terms and disclaimers are understood and accepted.
Over the years, I've learned that if a customer finds a faucet they love and wants it installed, there will always be a plumber willing to install it. There's little benefit in refusing the work simply because it isn't the fixture I personally would have recommended. I would rather give you the benefit of my experience, explain the differences, and allow you to make an informed decision.
If your priority is appearance or keeping the initial investment down, a retail fixture may be perfectly acceptable for you.
If your priority is quality, reliability, repairability, serviceability, and long-term value, I strongly recommend allowing us to procure and install a professional-grade fixture that we've selected based on decades of real-world plumbing experience.
Either way, the decision is yours. My responsibility as your plumber is simply to make sure you have the information and benefit of our experience necessary to make that decision with your eyes open.
However we can help, give us a call at 503-719-4015, contact us online, or text us at 971-247-1561.