Your kitchen is one of the most essential rooms in your home. It’s one of the first things people see when they enter your home, and it’s one of the most-used rooms in the house. You must have a kitchen that’s both functional and aesthetically pleasing.
While your kitchen has many vital components, your faucet is possibly at the top of the list.
Replacing a kitchen faucet can cost $160 to $360. If you do the job yourself, you only need to worry about the faucet and replacement parts cost. However, kitchen faucet installation by a plumber runs about $90 to $135 an hour.
Kitchen faucet installation by a licensed plumber takes about 2 hours. According to Fixr.com, the average cost, including kitchen faucet and labor, is $400 to $900.
This article will look at everything involved with the cost to replace a kitchen faucet. From material costs to labor costs and all the different faucet options you have, we’ll leave no stone unturned.
What is the Average Cost to Replace Your Kitchen Faucet?
On average, replacing and installing a new kitchen faucet is anywhere from $160 to $360. Some more expensive kitchen faucets can cost $500 to $1000 or more, plus labor for kitchen faucet installation costs.
Many factors impact the total price, including the type of faucet you choose and whether or not you do the work yourself. Having bonus features or a unique faucet material will also elevate the price.
Lucky for you, we’re going to break it all down so that you have a solid idea of how much it will cost to replace your kitchen faucet.
DIY Cost
If you have adequate plumbing experience, replacing your current faucet is a great way to save money. The average DIY cost of an essential kitchen faucet replacement is between $100 and $200, but that price can quickly skyrocket if you’re not careful.
The great thing about DIY work is that you can control the project’s cost. Once you select your new kitchen faucet and purchase any necessary replacement parts, that’s all. Your labor is free, as are any unexpected problems that arise, causing the job to take longer than expected.
You might have to run to the store and purchase an extra part, but those costs are often minimal. You’ll need a few tools, like a basin wrench and an adjustable wrench.
You should consider that some Moen kitchen faucets (for example) require a special tool to install the faucet correctly, which can increase the DIY cost.
Cost of Hiring a Pro
While hiring a professional plumber to handle your current faucet replacement costs more than DIY, it might be necessary. Hiring a plumber to install a kitchen faucet costs $180 to $270, depending on how long the job takes and what type of faucet you choose.
As with DIYing, the faucet installation cost can quickly skyrocket depending on the style and type of faucet you choose for your replacement.
The main thing that will cause a jump in price between hiring a pro or doing it yourself is the labor cost. Plumbers charge between $90 and $135 hourly, depending on where you live and who you hire.
Replacing a current faucet shouldn’t take a plumber more than an hour or two, but that adds up to an average of $180. This number will increase if unexpected problems arise and lengthen the replacement time.
Depending on where you live, you might not have a choice about hiring a plumber. Some areas have HOA and home inspection rules stipulating that a licensed plumber must perform any plumbing work in your home due to permit and inspection requirements.
Knowing your neighborhood’s rules about permits and inspections would be good before deciding to replace your kitchen faucet.
Kitchen Faucet Replacement Buying Guide
When it’s time to replace your kitchen faucet, you may not know where to start. There are so many options on the market, and figuring out what’s best for your needs can be overwhelming. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the basics of kitchen faucet replacement so you can decide when it’s time to buy.
Different Types of Faucets to Choose From
There are many different kitchen faucets, each with another price point.
Pull-Out Faucet
Pull-out faucets are quickly becoming the norm when it comes to kitchen faucets. It is also called pull-down kitchen faucets, which cost between $100 and $175 on average and feature a pull-out faucet connected to a sprayer hose so that you can use it as a faucet head as a spray option.
A pull-out faucet is great for working kitchens where the sink gets messy during meal prep and cleanup. While pull-out faucets are convenient, the bonus feature nearly doubles the price of what the faucet would typically cost.
Pot Filler Faucet
Pot filler faucets are one of the more unique faucets on the market. A wall-mounted faucet in your range allows pots to fill with water easily. The average cost is between $200 and $500, depending on the material and style.
Pot filler wall-mounted faucets feature a swiveling handle that hinges and turns uniquely, making it ideal for filling large pots and pans.
However, the handy features of pot filler faucets make them one of the more expensive options.
Bar Faucet
Bar faucets are straightforward and usually fairly simple in their design and purpose. They often feature a basic gooseneck design and form an upside-down U.
Bar faucets differ slightly from others because they usually don’t fit a typical kitchen faucet hole.
You may have to purchase a custom bar faucet to install one in your kitchen sink.
Touchless Faucet
If you want to replace your old faucet with a new one with modern amenities, you should look into touchless faucets. As the name indicates, you can turn on touchless faucets without touching or moving a handle, costing between $100 and $500.
You’ve most likely encountered a touchless faucet in public bathrooms where you waved your hand beneath a sensor under the faucet to turn the water on.
While most touchless kitchen faucets have sensors that turn the water on, there are also toe-activated options. These faucets also have sensors activating water flow, but you use your foot instead of your hand to turn them on.
Please note, however, that toe-activated faucets cost more to install than standard touchless faucets.
Gantry Faucet
While you may never have heard of a gantry faucet, you’ve likely seen someone using one in a restaurant. Gantry faucets are one of the costliest to install, costing an average of $400 to several thousand dollars.
These faucets are used in restaurants and working kitchens to wash dishes and make cleaning up easier.
They feature a standard faucet, but gantry faucets have a hose sprayer attachment rather than a faucet neck. These sprayers are typically more powerful and much larger than standard sprayers.
While gantry faucets might seem a good idea, they’re impractical for everyday use unless you work out of your kitchen.
Gooseneck Faucet
While gooseneck faucets are among the oldest types of faucet necks, they’re also costly. Goosenecks have elegant yet purposeful designs for filling large pots and pans when you don’t want to splurge on a pot filler.
Gooseneck faucets cost as little as $50 or up to several thousand dollars. It all depends on the design of your gooseneck faucet, bonus features, and what the faucet material is.
Gooseneck faucets are similar to bar faucets but larger and designed for kitchen sinks, whereas bar faucets are not.
Victorian Faucet
Victorian kitchen faucets cost between an average of $125 and $1,000. Victorian faucets do not generally have traditional pull-out or pull-down sprayers. Instead, they often utilize a gantry or side sprayer.
The Victorian faucet spout is usually on bridge faucets, widespread faucets, and monobloc. In the case of monoblocs, the handle usually gets mounted on the top as a lever.
The bridge and widespread faucets typically have a cross or lever handle mounted on each side.
Standard Faucet
Finally, there’s the good old standard faucet. If you’re not looking for bells or whistles but need a kitchen faucet with running water, you can save big bucks by choosing a standard faucet.
You can always add some of the extra features we’ll discuss in the next section, but they’re optional.
Standard kitchen faucets extend out of the sink at a 45-degree angle, and most modern ones have a sprayer attached to the end.
While standard kitchen faucets are the most common and usually the cheapest, you can spend anywhere from $35 to $500.
Factors That Impact Kitchen Faucet Replacement Cost
When it’s time to replace a kitchen faucet, one of the decisions you’ll face is what factors will impact the cost. There are several things to consider, from the style and finish of the faucet to which type of connector it uses.
Flow Rate
Something people often don’t think about with their kitchen faucet replacement is the flow rate of the new faucet. Flow rate refers to how fast or slow the water flows and whether or not you can easily control the rate.
If you’re frequently running your water and filling pots and pans or washing dishes, having a faucet with a fast flow rate is important. However, this added feature will also bump up the cost of your kitchen faucet.
Lighting Features
As with touchless faucets, faucets with lighting features are another top modern amenity. Lighting features, while being aesthetically pleasing, are also convenient.
Most light-up faucets change the watercolor from clear to blue to red to green, depending on the water temperature. Blue water means the water is cold, red water is hot, and green water is lukewarm.
Water that lights up is a great way to keep from accidentally burning your hand when you mistake hot water for cold. While it certainly isn’t necessary, it’s a nice bonus feature that will bump the price by an extra $100 to $1,000.
Built-in Filtration
You might not have soft or hard water, depending on where you live and the water source. Rather than buying a Brita water filter or installing a costly filtration system, you can opt for a faucet with a built-in filter.
Faucets with built-in filters are convenient and don’t cost an outrageous amount like other faucet features. Expect to pay between $40 and $140 for a built-in faucet filter.
Integrated or Separate Sprayer
Most modern kitchen faucets come with the sprayer included in the faucet head. However, replacing an older faucet and wanting to keep the sprayer portion separate from the head might cost you more.
Because of the extra materials and features, faucets with separate sprayers cost more than those with integrated ones.
Damages and Installation Costs
As with all construction projects, don’t be surprised if you encounter unexpected problems while replacing your kitchen faucet. You may find that you need to replace the entire sink or that one of your valves or water lines is leaking.
Unexpected damages and installation costs are killers of any project. Professional plumbers tend to be upcharged for change orders and unforeseen problems.
Material of the Faucet
The material of your faucet is another important factor that affects pricing. Faucets made of copper, brass, or nickel are more expensive than faucets made of plastic or chrome. Oil-rubbed bronze has a black finish.
Here’s a table showing how faucet material affects the overall price.
| Faucet Material | Cost |
|---|---|
| Chrome | $40 – $1,500 |
| Bronze | $65 – $800 |
| Plastic | $80 – $500 |
| Nickel | $90 – $1,600 |
| Stainless Steel | $100 – $1,000 |
| Brass | $100 – $2,000 |
| Zinc | $150 – $800 |
| Copper | $175 – $1,000 |
As you can see, there’s a large disparity in kitchen faucet prices. While the margin pricing is high for each material, the minimum and maximum you might pay are good indicators of the quality you’ll get from each material.
Kitchen Faucet Brands and Price
Branding is everything, as with all things with a price tag attached to them. A pair of Nike or Addidas shoes costs much more than a generic pair of the same quality, and kitchen faucets are no different. Here are some top kitchen faucet brands and what you can expect to pay for them.
| Faucet Brand | Average Cost |
|---|---|
| Delta | $50 – $400 |
| Moen | $65 – $600 |
| Kohler | $150 – $800 |
| Grohe | $250 – $1000 |
| Watermark | $500 – $4000 |
| KWC | $600 – $2000 |
These brands will occasionally have cheaper or more expensive products than the above price range. Many other brands on the market are more affordable than these. Kraus, Pfister, American Standard, and many other companies have kitchen faucets at a more affordable price than the above companies.
Other Factors to Consider
Kitchen faucet replacement can be a costly DIY project. As you’ve seen, many factors go into the cost of replacing your kitchen faucet, from the brand and model of the faucet to the complexity of the installation.
Permit and Inspection Costs
If you need a permit and inspection for your kitchen faucet, your cost will increase substantially. Don’t be surprised if you spend $200 to $500 more than expected for the permit and inspection fees.
Extra Material Costs
As previously mentioned, you might discover during your work that you have a plumbing issue to resolve when changing plumbing fixtures. New plumbing lines, couplings, valves, plumbers putty, Teflon tape, and plumbers caulk are all things the typical homeowner doesn’t plan on using when they start their faucet replacement. However, these necessities can cost an extra $10 to $100 depending on how many things you need.
Finish Style
Along with brand and faucet material, the finished style also significantly influences its price. Polished, satin/brushed, and antiquated are the most common finishing styles on upscale kitchen faucets. Each of these finishes can cost an extra $50 to several hundred or thousands. The finish often goes hand in hand with the material that you choose.
Cost to Install Kitchen Sink and Faucet
In extreme situations, when you remove your faucet only to discover that your sink is also damaged, you’ll need to replace the whole kit and caboodle.
If you have an older home and an old sink, planning for this problem is a good idea. Sinks have a limited lifespan and can only take so much wear and tear before you should replace them.
Unfortunately, replacing your kitchen sink in addition to the faucet will significantly increase the price. This is especially true if you hire a plumber to do the job. Kitchen sinks are priced similarly to kitchen faucets but take much longer to remove and install.
If you still plan to DIY the project, you can expect to pay between $200 and $400. However, if you hire a plumber, you can expect to pay between $500 and $1,000.
How to Select the Right Kitchen Faucet
Choosing the right faucet is tricky, especially now that you know all the options available. Should I add touchless or watercolor features? Which style is right for me? Does the brand of the faucet matter? This section will look at tips and tricks to help you choose the right faucet.
Looks are Important, but Not Everything
Yes, it’s important that you love how your kitchen faucet looks after it gets installed. You want to choose a style, material, and finish that jumps out and makes your kitchen sparkle. However, looks aren’t everything when it comes to kitchen faucets. It’s equally, if not more important, to choose a faucet that meets your needs and desires.
Don’t Forget Your Budget
You don’t want to underspend on a kitchen faucet and choose one with poor quality. However, there’s a good chance you will want to do other upgrades and projects in the future. Don’t get so caught up in choosing the perfect faucet that you overspend and limit yourself in the future.
Choose the Right Finish
You want to choose a color and finish that matches your sink, cabinets, and kitchen. However, you also want a finish that will hold well over time.
Chrome is the most durable finish available, but it’s not necessarily the fanciest or flashiest. When choosing the finish for your faucet, deciding if looks or durability are more important to you is important.
Know Your Needs
Most importantly, know your specific needs when choosing your kitchen sink faucet. If you need a faucet with a pull-down sprayer, choose accordingly. If the design of your sink is for a separate sprayer or multiple handles, make sure you note that when making your selection.
You should also choose a faucet and spout to make your life easier during meal prep and cleanup. If you do a lot of cooking, you should opt for a pot filler or similar faucet that makes filling pots easier.
When choosing your faucet, there are many things to remember, but selecting one that will make your life easier is crucial.
How Long Does it Take to Install a Kitchen Faucet?
Several factors affect how long it will take to replace and install a kitchen faucet. Running into unexpected problems will take more time, as will replacing older kitchen sink faucets that have become stuck in place.
However, a skilled plumber can replace a kitchen faucet in 1 to 3 hours or less. According to Fixr, 2 hours is the norm. However, someone without plumbing experience should expect the project to take most of the day.
Do I Need a Licensed Plumber to Install My Kitchen Faucet?
Generally, you don’t need a licensed plumber to install a kitchen faucet. If you live in a city requiring it, you only need a licensed plumber to replace your kitchen faucet.
If there aren’t any code or permit requirements, you can do the job yourself or convince a family member or friend to do it.
Should the Kitchen Faucet Match the Sink?
There is no right or wrong answer here. It’s entirely up to you whether or not the faucet matches the sink. However, having your faucet and sink match for aesthetic and resale purposes is a good idea. Otherwise, it will stick out like a sore thumb.
How Long Should a Kitchen Faucet Last?
On average, a kitchen faucet should last between 5 and 10 years. However, if you care for your faucet and only use soft water, the lifespan can increase to 15 or even 20 years. Inevitably, however, faucets will start to leak and need to be replaced.
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