Check out this problematic faucet in our half bathroom:
It didn’t look offensive, but it leaked. With a single handle, I was also worried Clara might accidentally turn it to scalding hot while washing her hands.
We stopped by our local Habitat ReStore hoping for an affordable replacement. Sherry got excited when she found a $12 faucet in the pile, but it was missing a handle. We dug around for twenty minutes with no luck, so that one was out.
We ended up choosing a $34 model at Home Depot — the most affordable decent option they had. It felt worth the cost for peace of mind: no leak and an easier-to-use faucet for Clara.
Installation sounded straightforward. Turn off the water, disconnect the hoses, swap the faucet — quick and easy. But step one revealed a snag: the hot water shutoff valve under the sink wouldn’t actually stop the water. It rotated, but the water kept flowing as if the valve were just spinning in place.
That turned a simple faucet swap into a small plumbing project: replacing the hot water shutoff valve. I’d never done that before, so I had to shut off the main water at the street. We grabbed our water meter key and turned the street valve off — these keys are cheap and surprisingly handy to keep around.
I don’t have photos of the next steps because most of the time I was half inside the vanity, wrestling hoses and valves, wrapping plumber’s tape, and tightening fittings. Between telling Sherry to have a plumber on speed dial and quietly cursing, I forgot to ask for the camera. The good news: nothing burst, no cartoonish geysers launched the house into the sky, and I managed to install the new shutoff valve without incident.
Once the new valve was in place, I removed the old faucet, scraped off grime from the sink with a putty knife, connected the new supply hoses, and set the new fixture in position.
Before turning the water back on, I fully expected at least one of the new connections to leak. I put some colored construction paper under the cabinet so any drips would show up immediately. To my surprise, there were no leaks. I watched the connections for ten minutes, waiting for a slow drip that never came.
Sherry eventually dragged me away from my victory stare and encouraged me to accept the success. So the new faucet and the replaced hot water valve were officially installed.
This wasn’t a dramatic design overhaul, but it fixed real problems. We did consider oil-rubbed bronze to match the doorknob and light fixture, but those options were at least $80 each — too pricey for this phase of the renovation. Brushed nickel was much more affordable and looks fine. The mirror helps bridge the difference between finishes, since it reflects and mixes both metal tones.
Our toughest critic, Clara, loved it. She wandered in after her nap, paused, and then said, “Wow! It looks beautiful in here! Did we get a new washing thing?” She notices changes around the house often, but this was the first time she led with such a strong compliment. We’ll take it.
As for costs, we don’t have every receipt on hand, but our best estimate is about $110 spent on this room so far — including the mirror, paint, light fixture, vanity knobs, and faucet. For spaces that are expensive to renovate fully, like bathrooms and kitchens, small, practical upgrades can make a meaningful difference while you save for a larger Phase Two renovation.
On to the next room!