Last updated Reviewed by our licensed Chicago master plumber team
A dripping faucet is the most common plumbing complaint in Chicago — and the single easiest one to procrastinate on. But those drips add up: a faucet dripping once per second wastes about 3,000 gallons per year, and a slow trickle can waste 10,000 – 20,000 gallons annually (enough to increase your Chicago water bill by $50 – $200/year). Beyond the waste, persistent leaks stain sinks, corrode fittings, and occasionally cause hidden damage to cabinetry and subfloors. Plumbers 911 Chicago repairs and installs faucets across Chicago and 245 surrounding cities — typically completing same-day for common brands (Moen, Delta, Kohler, Grohe, Pfister, American Standard). Most repairs are cartridge swaps ($85 – $250 total) that take under an hour and restore the faucet to like-new operation for another 10+ years. When repair isn't the right answer (discontinued parts, multiple failures, dated style), we install a replacement — from basic builder-grade faucets at $50 up to high-end touchless kitchen faucets, widespread bathroom sets, pot fillers, and commercial-style faucets at $500 – $1,500+. Every installation includes braided stainless steel supply lines (vs. failure-prone rubber), new shut-off valves if existing are corroded or stuck, and a written warranty. Call 833-758-6911 for same-day service, or see related pages: sink installation and repair, kitchen remodeling, bathroom remodeling, and water pressure issues.
Common Faucet Problems and Fixes
Most faucet problems fall into a handful of common issues. Here's what's happening and what the fix looks like.
Dripping Faucet (#1 Most Common)
- Symptom: Water drips from the spout when handles are off
- Cause: Worn cartridge (single-handle faucets), worn washers/seats (older compression faucets), worn ceramic discs (modern disc faucets)
- Fix: Replace the specific worn component. For modern cartridge faucets (Moen, Delta, Kohler, Grohe), swap the cartridge.
- Cost: $85 – $250 total (parts + labor)
- Time: 30 – 60 minutes
Leaking at the Base
- Symptom: Water pools around the faucet base on the sink
- Cause: Worn O-rings around the spout, corroded mounting hardware, or a cracked faucet body
- Fix: Replace O-rings (most common, cheap) or the entire faucet if the body is cracked
- Cost: $95 – $250 for O-ring replacement; full replacement if cracked
- Time: 30 – 45 minutes for O-rings
Low Water Pressure
- Symptom: Weak flow from the spout compared to other fixtures
- Cause: Clogged aerator (most common), clogged cartridge, or partially closed shut-off valve
- Fix: Clean or replace aerator first (often DIY). If that doesn't fix it, replace cartridge. If still bad, investigate supply line.
- Cost: $0 – $50 aerator; $100 – $300 cartridge; higher for supply line issues
- Time: 5 – 30 minutes for aerator; 30 – 60 minutes for cartridge
Stiff, Loose, or Broken Handle
- Symptom: Handle hard to turn, wobbles, or has come off
- Cause: Worn cartridge, corroded handle screw, or broken handle hub
- Fix: Replace handle, cartridge, or trim kit
- Cost: $85 – $300
- Time: 20 – 60 minutes
Pull-Out or Pull-Down Sprayer Issues
- Symptom: Weak spray, won't retract, or leaks at the hose
- Cause: Failed hose, failed docking magnet (for magnetic docking), or failed diverter
- Fix: Replace hose and/or diverter
- Cost: $150 – $350
- Time: 30 – 60 minutes
Faucet Handle That Won't Shut Off
- Symptom: Handle turns but water keeps flowing or doesn't fully shut off
- Cause: Cartridge failure (usually at end-of-life)
- Fix: Replace cartridge
- Cost: $150 – $300
- Time: 30 – 60 minutes
Hot/Cold Reversed or Temperature Inconsistent
- Symptom: Hot and cold are swapped, or temperature doesn't match handle position
- Cause: Cartridge installed incorrectly (by prior plumber or DIY), or cartridge failed
- Fix: Correct orientation or replace cartridge
- Cost: $100 – $250
- Time: 30 – 45 minutes
Hard Water Spotting on Faucet
- Not a malfunction but a cosmetic issue from Chicago's 8 – 10 GPG hard water
- Fix: White vinegar soak (DIY) or CLR (commercial cleaner)
- A water softener prevents this long-term
Faucet Installation: What to Expect
A professional faucet installation is more than a swap — the details make the difference between a leak-free fixture for 15+ years and a call-back in 18 months.
What We Install
Kitchen Faucets
- Pull-down and pull-out spray
- Single-handle and two-handle
- Touchless (electronic sensor) and hands-free (foot pedal)
- Commercial-style with spring-loaded spray
- Pot fillers (wall-mounted above stove)
- Filtered water faucets (dedicated line for filtered water)
- Instant hot water dispensers (with undersink heating unit)
Bathroom Faucets
- Widespread (8" spread, three-piece) — traditional and luxury
- Centerset (4" spread, one-piece) — standard bathroom
- Single-hole — modern/minimalist
- Wall-mount — freestanding tub style
- Vessel sink faucets — tall for above-counter sinks
Utility & Outdoor Faucets
- Laundry utility sink faucets
- Frost-proof hose bibs (outdoor hose connections)
- Yard hydrants (freeze-proof long-stem)
- Service sink faucets
Commercial & Specialty
- ADA-compliant lever and motion-sensor
- Deck-mounted commercial restroom faucets
- High-end luxury faucets (Waterworks, Rohl, Hansgrohe Axor)
The Installation Process
- Shut off water at shut-off valves under sink (or whole house if no shut-offs)
- Disconnect supply lines from old faucet
- Remove old faucet — often the hardest part due to corroded nuts under sink
- Clean mounting surface on sink or countertop
- Check shut-off valves — replace if corroded or stuck (common in older Chicago homes)
- Install new faucet per manufacturer spec
- Install new braided stainless supply lines (we never reuse old rubber lines)
- Test — run hot and cold, check for leaks under sink
- Clean up — remove old faucet packaging, clean work area
Included in Labor Cost
- Faucet removal and disposal
- New braided stainless steel supply lines (hot and cold)
- Shut-off valve inspection (replacement if needed for additional cost)
- Leak testing
- Cleanup
- Written warranty
Typical Installation Time
- Simple bathroom faucet (centerset): 30 – 60 minutes
- Kitchen faucet (single-hole or three-hole): 45 – 90 minutes
- Widespread bathroom faucet: 60 – 90 minutes
- Pot filler: 2 – 4 hours (includes running supply line to stove wall)
- Touchless kitchen faucet with sensor: 60 – 90 minutes (plus battery or 120V hookup)
- Wall-mount or vessel faucet: 90 – 120 minutes
Brands We Service and Install
We carry parts for all major faucet brands for same-day repair, and we install any brand the homeowner purchases.
Mid-Range (Most Common)
- Moen — widest parts availability, lifetime warranty on many models, our most common repair brand. Models: Arbor, 7594, Sleek
- Delta — excellent parts availability, lifetime warranty, DIAMOND Seal technology. Models: 9178, Trinsic, Lahara
- Kohler — high build quality, good parts availability, often higher-end finishes. Models: Artifacts, Purist, Simplice
- Pfister (Price Pfister) — good value, solid warranty, improving quality. Models: Pfister Pasadena, Stellen
- American Standard — reliable mid-range, good for basic applications. Models: Colony Pro, Portsmouth
Premium
- Grohe — German engineering, SilkMove cartridges, premium pricing. Models: Essence, Ladylux, Minta
- Hansgrohe — parent company of Grohe, touches premium/luxury tier. Models: Focus, Talis, Metris
- Kohler Sensate — high-end touchless kitchen
- Brizo — Delta's premium sub-brand
- Toto — Japanese luxury, especially for bathroom
Luxury
- Waterworks — bespoke, $2,000+ per faucet
- Rohl — Italian and English design, high-end bathroom
- Newport Brass — American-made premium
- Hansgrohe Axor — designer collaborations (Starck, Citterio, Urquiola)
Commercial
- Chicago Faucets — commercial standard for schools and offices
- T&S Brass — commercial kitchen workhorse
- Zurn — commercial restrooms and ADA
What We Recommend
For most Chicago homes, we recommend Moen or Delta for best combination of quality, parts availability, and long-term reliability. Both have lifetime limited warranties and wide parts availability means future repairs are cheap and fast. For premium bathrooms and kitchens, Grohe or Hansgrohe. For budget-conscious projects, Pfister offers solid quality.
When to Repair vs. Replace
We help customers make the right decision between repair and replacement. Here's how we think about it.
Repair Makes Sense When
- Faucet is less than 15 years old
- Brand has readily available parts (Moen, Delta, Kohler, Grohe — parts available for 20+ year old models)
- Repair cost is under $250 and the faucet is otherwise in good shape
- You like the style and don't want to change
- Sink has non-standard hole configuration that would require replacement plumbing
Replacement Makes Sense When
- Faucet is over 15 – 20 years old and showing multiple issues
- Parts are discontinued (common with off-brand or very old faucets)
- Cumulative repair cost approaches new faucet cost
- Style is outdated and you're doing other fixture upgrades
- Finish is corroded beyond repair
- Faucet body is cracked (not just worn components)
- You want to upgrade features (touchless, pull-down, etc.)
The Math
- Cartridge repair: $150 average
- New mid-range faucet installed: $350 – $600 (faucet + installation)
- Expected life of repair: 5 – 10 years before another cartridge
- Expected life of new faucet: 15 – 20 years before meaningful wear
If your faucet is already 15 years old, putting $150 into a repair may buy only 2 – 5 more years. In that case, replacement is often the better long-term value.
Upgrade Opportunities During Repair/Replacement
- WaterSense-certified faucet — 1.5 GPM vs. 2.2 GPM standard, saves 30% on faucet water
- Touchless operation — hygiene and convenience
- Pull-down spray for kitchen
- Built-in filtration (dedicated filtered water line)
- Smart home integration (voice control, smart leak detection)
- Finish coordination — upgrade all bathroom faucets at once for design consistency
Frequently Asked Questions About Faucet Repair & Installation
How much does faucet repair cost in Chicago?
Most faucet repairs cost $85 – $250 total (parts + labor). Cartridge replacement is the single most common repair, typically $150 – $250 for Moen, Delta, Kohler, and Grohe brands. O-ring and seal replacements run $85 – $175. Aerator cleaning/replacement is $50 – $100. If the faucet is over 15 years old, requires frequent repairs, or has discontinued parts, we recommend replacement rather than ongoing repair.
How much does faucet installation cost?
Faucet installation labor in Chicago typically costs $150 – $450 depending on complexity. Simple bathroom centerset: $150 – $250. Kitchen single-hole or three-hole: $175 – $350. Widespread bathroom (three-piece): $250 – $400. Pot filler (includes new supply line to stove): $400 – $900. Touchless kitchen with electrical: $225 – $400. Wall-mount or vessel faucet: $300 – $500. Price includes new braided stainless steel supply lines. Faucet cost is separate ($50 – $1,500+ depending on brand and style).
Can you fix a faucet that drips?
Yes. A dripping faucet is the most common repair we do. For modern single-handle cartridge faucets (Moen, Delta, Kohler, Grohe), the fix is almost always a cartridge replacement — $150 – $250 and takes under an hour. For older two-handle compression faucets, the fix is typically washer and seat replacement. We stock parts for all major brands and complete most repairs same-day. A dripping faucet wastes 3,000 – 20,000+ gallons per year, so repair pays for itself in water savings within 1 – 3 years.
Should I repair or replace my faucet?
Repair is usually the right call when: the faucet is under 15 years old, parts are still available, the repair cost is under $250, and you like the style. Replacement is usually better when: faucet is 15+ years old with multiple issues, parts are discontinued, cumulative repair costs approach new faucet cost, style is dated, finish is corroded, or you want modern features (touchless, pull-down). We help you weigh the options and provide both repair and replacement estimates so you can decide.
What brand of faucet is most reliable?
For mid-range quality (most homes), we recommend Moen and Delta — both have lifetime limited warranties, wide parts availability (important for future repairs), and proven 20+ year track records. For premium bathrooms and kitchens, Grohe and Hansgrohe offer German-engineered quality with excellent cartridges. For budget-conscious projects, Pfister has significantly improved quality in recent years. We avoid off-brand and very cheap faucets because their cartridges typically fail within 2 – 5 years and replacement parts are hard to find.
Do you install pot fillers?
Yes. Pot fillers are wall-mounted faucets installed above the stove, typically with two joints for extended reach. Installation requires running a new cold water supply line to the wall behind the stove, installing shut-off valves, and mounting the faucet. Typical cost: $400 – $900 for labor (faucet cost $150 – $800 separate). Best installed during kitchen remodel or when the wall is open. See our kitchen remodeling page for more on kitchen plumbing.
Can you replace my outdoor hose bib before winter?
Yes — and we strongly recommend frost-proof hose bibs if yours isn't already. Standard hose bibs freeze and crack in Chicago winters (especially after a forgotten hose leaves them full of water during a freeze). Frost-proof hose bibs have the shutoff valve inside the warm interior of the house, so no water sits in the exterior pipe to freeze. Installation cost: $150 – $350 depending on access and whether drywall needs to be opened. This upgrade prevents $500 – $2,000 in freeze damage repairs.
Why does my faucet have low pressure when the rest of my house is fine?
Almost always a clogged aerator — the small mesh screen at the end of the spout catches mineral buildup from Chicago's hard water over time. Fix: unscrew the aerator, soak in white vinegar for 30 minutes, rinse, and reinstall. If that doesn't fix it, the cartridge may have internal mineral buildup — replacement typically solves the problem. If both the aerator and cartridge are clear, the supply line from the shut-off valve to the faucet may be restricted (unusual but possible with old galvanized). Most single-faucet low-pressure issues are solved in under 30 minutes. See our water pressure page for whole-home pressure problems.