Looking to replace your bathtub faucet but unsure of how much you should be paying for? Today’s article should give you an idea of average faucet replacement costs.
National vs Local Averages
The national average for a faucet replacement is between $450-550 with a high ceiling of around $1,000-2,000. However, keep in mind that your local averages will vary. California, New York City, Massachusetts, Texas, and Illinois all have differing rates that depend largely on where the faucet is sourced, the type of faucet, and the cost of living in these areas. All these factors will influence the final price with an additional $200-300.
Cost for DIY
The cost for DIY is just the materials and the time invested. DIY is always seen as a better option for easy home repair jobs as they simply require time to complete, and in the case of bathtub faucets, the job is small enough that DIY is a suitable option.
Cost Factors
Many factors go into the cost of replacing a bathtub faucet.
Work Scope
This is highly variable and where the bulk of your price will be. Work scope is another word for “complex. ” The more complex and difficult a job is to complete, the more expensive it will be. A bathtub faucet doesn’t have an extensive work scope, so you shouldn’t be paying that much for a simple fix.
Plumber tax
Depending on your area, you may have a limited number of plumbers available to you. This means that you simply have to pay what they charge you which can be quite costly even for something small like a replacement faucet. For this reason, it is best to shop around and get multiple quotes, however, in most areas, your options will be highly limited.
Cost of living
Similar to the plumber tax is your area and cost of living. Different areas have different levels of water quality which can damage your faucet much quicker than areas with a lower concentration of minerals. Regardless, when a plumber fixes your issue, they must source their parts elsewhere, and they pass this cost onto their customers. So if you live in an area with a higher cost of living, be prepared to pay more for your repairs.
Brand Names
Brand names play a big part in how much you end up paying for your bathtub faucet. Brand names are designed to evoke a sense of quality, although in most cases, you are just paying a premium for a name. This is what you can expect to pay with these popular faucet brands:
- Badeloft – $210-270
- American Standard $160-1400
- Kohler $275-1700
- Kingston $325-1600
- Hansgrohe $450-1100
- Delta $225-1300
- Moen $100-1800
- Pfister $80-850
Pros and Cons – Professional vs DIY
Before you decide whether to hire a professional or do it yourself, here are some quick pros and cons of each:
Professional | DIY | |
---|---|---|
Pros | High standard for work Good for big or complex projects Will be completed in a set time table No physical stress to you Lower risk of damage to the house | Cheaper Scheduling is up to you Ideal for smaller projects |
Cons | Expensive Competency and work will vary from contractor to contractor Time table is up to the contractor Must accommodate contractor’s schedule | High risk of potential damage Cannot do electricity or permit related work High physical stress |
Professional
Getting your repair work done by a professional guarantees a minimum standard of work. Although this can vary from contractor to contractor, it is widely accepted that the job will be completed with a set window. However, this will also vary from contractor to contractor, so your contract needs to outline the full details of the job, including the time frame, costs, and the work required. For this reason, you should only hire a professional if the job is too difficult for you to manage, potentially dangerous or the scope is large.
Pros
- High Standard for work
- Good for big or complex projects
- Will be completed in a set time table
- No physical stress to you
- Lower risk of damage to the house
Con
- Expensive
- Competency and work will vary from contractor to contractor
- Time table is up to the contractor
- Must accommodate contractor’s schedule
DIY
On the other hand, you have DIY which gives you a great deal of work freedom as you can complete the job on your own whenever you want. However, if you are inexperienced, you risk potentially damaging elements that you are unfamiliar with. If you hired a professional and they damaged something, you can hold them liable, whereas for a DIY, you simply have to front the cost yourself.
Pros
- Cheaper
- Scheduling is up to you
- Ideal for smaller projects
Cons
- High risk of potential damage
- Cannot do electricity or permit related work
- High physical stress
Resources for comparing costs:
Here are some resources to help you track costs for your next home improvement project to better understand whether you want to hire a professional or DIY.
HomeAdvisor
Home advisor provides a large-scale overview of your local service professionals to get a quick or in-depth look at the going rates for all home repair projects in your local area. They cover material costs, labor costs and any external costs in your local area. This site is useful for getting broad information but also serves as a useful jumping-off point for locating professional contractors in your area.
HomeGuide
HomeGuide is a search engine that allows home owners to find service providers. They provide an extensive directory that rates local service providers and allows you to contact them for your next project.
Fixr
Fixr is another directory site that helps track cost aggregates to give you a rough idea of what a project will cost in your local area. They cover all home repair projects from kitchen, bathroom and roofing.
HomeWyse
HomeWyse is another directory site that allows you to track costs in your local area. It provides general estimates for the cost of materials and any repair work you need.
Here is everything you need to know about replacing your bathtub faucet. So do your research, compare the professionals in your local area and hopefully you won’t spend too much on this project.
Eric is the founder and president of Badeloft USA. He has been the president of Badeloft’s US division for over ten years and oversees all marketing and branding aspects of Badeloftusa.com.
His expertise lies in small business development, sales, and home and bathroom industry trends and information.
Contact us with any business related inquiries.