How to replace a kitchen faucet in under 2 hours
The one plumbing job every homeowner should know. Saves $300 in labor and takes less time than waiting for a plumber to show up.
The whole job is unscrewing two supply lines, loosening two mounting nuts, and reversing the process with the new faucet. The difficulty isn't the plumbing — it's the ergonomics of working on your back under a sink. (If your current faucet is just dripping rather than ready for replacement, FixItReal's dripping-faucet diagnosis walks through the five-minute fix first — don't buy a new faucet for a worn cartridge.)
What you need to buy
- Replacement faucet — match the number of holes in your sink (most are 1-hole or 3-hole). If going from 3-hole to 1-hole, buy a faucet that includes a deck plate.
- New braided stainless supply lines (3/8" compression × 1/2" FIP, usually 20 inches). Don't reuse the old ones. $8/pair.
- Plumber's putty or silicone — check the faucet's instructions; most modern faucets include a rubber gasket and need neither.
What you need to have
- Basin wrench — the only specialty tool. $15. Lets you reach the mounting nuts behind the sink bowl. Without one, this job is nearly impossible.
- Adjustable wrench, flashlight, bucket, towel.
The steps
- Shut off the water at the angle stops under the sink. Turn clockwise all the way. Open the faucet to confirm flow stops and relieve pressure.
- Disconnect the supply lines at the angle stops. Use a bucket — there will be a cup of water in each line.
- Disconnect the sprayer and any side-spray hose from the old faucet. Note which side was hot, which was cold.
- Loosen the mounting nuts with the basin wrench (this is where 80% of your time goes if the faucet is old and corroded. Soak with penetrating oil 10 min if stuck).
- Lift the old faucet out. Clean the sink deck with a scrub pad.
- Set the new faucet per its instructions. Most modern faucets: feed the supply lines down through the hole, seat the faucet, hand-tighten the mounting nut from below, then wrench 1/4 turn.
- Connect new supply lines — hand tight plus 1/4 turn with a wrench. Over-tightening cracks the valve inside.
- Turn water on slowly. Check every connection for drips. Tighten if needed. Run hot and cold full blast for 30 seconds to clear debris from the aerator.
The two most common failure modes
- Supply line leaks at the angle stop: usually not tight enough, or the washer inside the braided line was pinched. Loosen, inspect, re-seat.
- Faucet wobbles after a week: mounting nut wasn't tight enough from below. Re-tighten with the basin wrench.
Buy vs. hire
A plumber charges $250–$600 for this. Your material cost is $80–$300 for the faucet plus $15 in parts. If your angle stops look old or won't fully close — stop. Replacing those is a different job and worth $150 of a plumber's time.
The basin wrench is the magic. Our tools page covers which cheap ones are fine and which to skip.