Faucet repair: a guide for pros

What customers ask, how to win the job, and what to put on your profile.

Offering faucet repair

Faucet repair is a parts-matching job, and many callbacks come from a part that did not match the faucet or a valve that was never checked. Identify the faucet before you order anything.

What customers ask

  • Can you fix this instead of replacing the faucet?
  • Why is it dripping when the handle is off?
  • Why is the water pressure low at only this faucet?
  • Will the new cartridge match my old faucet?
  • Why does the handle feel stiff after you fixed it?

How to win the job

  • On the first call, ask the brand, the age, the handle style and whether the drip is from the spout or the base. Those answers usually identify the faucet before you arrive.
  • Bring the common cartridges, seats, O-ring kits and aerators for the brands you see most, plus a universal cartridge set for unknown faucets.
  • Check the shutoff valves before you open the faucet, and say which valve you will close first.
  • Show the customer the worn part next to the new part, so the repair is visible and not just claimed.
  • Quote the repair with the part named, and list the valve repair as its own line if it is needed.
  • Test each side under pressure, check for drips at the spout and the base, and leave the aerator clean.

What to put on your profile

  • Photos of a worn cartridge next to the new part, with the faucet brand visible
  • List the faucet brands you repair, and note which ones you do not service
  • Note your repairs of shutoff valves and base seals
  • Show a before and after of a stiff handle that was freed and sealed

Follow-up that helps the customer

  • Offer to clean the aerators on the same visit, since they clog as the supply ages
  • Suggest a check of the shutoff valves when they are old or hard to close
  • Recommend a replacement plan for a faucet whose brand no longer makes the cartridge, with the choice in front of the customer

Licenses and permits

Faucet repair is commonly done by licensed plumbers, and some areas allow simple fixture repairs without a plumbing license. Confirm the rules with your state or local licensing agency before you take the work.

Questions

What do I say when the customer wants a new faucet and the old one can be repaired?

Show the worn part and what the repair restores. If the faucet is worth repairing, say so. If the body or parts are gone, show that and offer the replacement.

How do I handle a cartridge that is seized in the body?

Stop before forcing it. Use the correct puller or cut the mineral build-up free. If the body cracks, the faucet is replaced, and the customer should hear that from you first.

Should I check the supply lines during a faucet repair?

Yes, if they are old, stiff, or corroded. Show the condition and quote the replacement as its own line.

About this guide

This national guide is written and checked by infinibell. Rules and conditions differ by place, so local pros are credited on guides for the cities they serve, not on national ones.

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