I thought today would be the day I finish reading the Prescriptive Method for Structural Insulated Panels used in residential construction and some literature I downloaded from iLevel. Mom went to get her rear brakes replaced (drums and shoes), and I was going to do some lawn maintenance, and finish my drawings to present to building and safety. I tend to work best from 2 PM to 12 AM, so I finished with the electric lawn mower, electric edger, and electric blower early. At around 3 PM, from the kitchen, I hear, “The faucet sheered off.”
Thinking that the handle got loose, I took a look, and the plastic ceramic cartridge broke. The kitchen sink was already leaking from the spout, and the base was full of gook, but I disassembled the kitchen faucet and looked to the Price Pfister website for the correct parts. The parts would be more than a completely new faucet. Early this century, after looking at Delta, Grohe, Franke, Kohler, Hansgrohe,and Price Pfister faucets, and their ridiculous prices, I’ve ordered all my plumbing needs (faucet and sinks) at IKEA.
IKEA products are legendary, their design a superb European style, and their prices unbelievable. A faucet at Home Depot or Lowes that sells for $120 costs $20 at IKEA. I wanted to get a single control pot filler tall spout faucet, but the buyer wanted a traditional long spout, so the budget wend from $60 to $20 for a faucet. The replacement parts (shut-off valves, threaded connectors, supply lines) cost around $35, so almost double the price of the chrome plated brass faucet. I guess the price of copper is outrageous, as a 2 inch nipple now costs $3.00 and shut-off valves $7 each.
After an afternoon of removing the old faucet, and a an evening of installing the new faucet under cramped conditions, the faucet has flawless operation, and I hope lasts another 20 years, or when the sink gets replaced. Now I need more time to finish the foundation drawings.