Trying to fix my own sink cost me a whole weekend and a plumber anyway

I thought I could handle a leaky faucet in my kitchen, so I bought a $25 repair kit and watched a few videos. It took me two full days of messing with the old cartridge and dealing with stripped bolts before I gave up and called a pro. He fixed it in under an hour, but the whole thing cost me $200 total. Has anyone else tried a DIY fix that just blew up in their face and cost more money?

3 comments

3 Comments

baker.mary2mo agoOG Member

Honestly that $200 total is still a win. My last plumber call was just the service fee.

the_sarah2mo ago

Used to get so mad at a bill just for showing up. Then my water heater went. Guy came out, told me it was shot, and the service call was the only charge. Didn't try to upsell a thing. Now I see that fee as paying for their time and knowledge, even if the fix is simple. It changed how I view any tradesperson coming to my house.

riley_coleman1mo ago

Oh man, that "stripped bolts" part is the worst! I learned the hard way to always have a can of penetrating oil like WD-40 on hand before I even touch an old fixture. Letting it soak for a good 20 minutes can save you hours of fighting. And like baker.mary said, that $200 total really isn't bad at all once you factor in the weekend you got back. My rule now is if a quick YouTube search shows more than three special tools I don't own, I just call someone.