Showerthought: fixing a leaky faucet vs calling a plumber is a real time debate

I spent 4 hours under my kitchen sink in Austin last Saturday trying to replace a cartridge on my Delta faucet, only to realize I needed a $12 puller tool that Home Depot was already closed for. On the flip side, a plumber would have cost me $150 and been done in 30 minutes. Which way do you lean when a simple DIY turns into an all day project?

3 comments

3 Comments

sethhernandez23d ago

Learning that lesson the hard way is exactly why I lean toward calling a pro for stuff like faucets. Your 4 hours plus the extra trip for that puller tool is time and gas you don't get back. Sometimes paying $150 to have it done right the first go is the better deal when you count your own time.

the_mila2d ago

Yeah @alice89's toilet flapper story reminds me of something I read about how most DIY plumbing calls end up costing double in the end.

alice8923d ago

oh man, I feel this in my soul. I once tried to fix a toilet flapper and ended up with water spraying everywhere while my wife handed me towels and laughed. My greatest hits include a light fixture that flickered for three months after I "fixed" it and a garbage disposal that I reassembled with an extra screw left over. At this point I figure paying a pro saves me from having to explain to my neighbors why my lawn is flooded from a "quick" hose bib repair. Yeah I'll take the $150 and my dignity, thanks.