Q. Do you provide plumbing connections?
A. No, we only focus on countertops, and do not offer plumbing services.
Many of our customers have had great luck finding a local tile installer by way of referral from family, friends on Facebook and their neighbors on Nextdoor.
We recommend you schedule your plumbing reconnect the day after your countertops are installed. This will give any silicone or adhesives time to set fully. It is extremely tight work connecting plumbing under the sink and we like to give everything a day to fully cure so the plumber does not accidentally move something out of place.
*****IMPORTANT*****
We always recommend you check to ensure your shutoff valves work 2-3 days BEFORE your scheduled countertop installation. Most homes have multi-turn shut off valves and the crush washer goes bad over time.
If we get to your home and discover the valve is bad, we will not be able to shut the water off at the kitchen or vanity sink. Instead we will have to shut water off to the entire house at the meter. This means you will not have water until your plumber can come out and replace the valves.
We recommend you test the valves so you can find out if they are bad and have them replaced with 1/4 turn valves if needed so we do not have to shut off water to the house.
Regardless, even if your multi-turn valves are good, we recommend you have the plumber replace them with 1/4 turn valves when they are reconnecting your plumbing.
CLICK HERE to find 1/4 turn shutoffs at Home Depot. This may or may not be the part you need – they come in different styles – solder to copper, copper compression, pex, etc. Your plumber will know what you need.
Q. Where can I buy faucets?
A. You can buy faucets at any number of retailers including: Lowes, Home Depot, Amazon or your local plumbing supply company like Ferguson.
We recommend getting a reputable brand like Delta, Kohler, Grohe, Moen, Danze, Luxart or something similar.
We would avoid brands like Pfister, Peerless, and Glacier Bay. While these look appealing at first, the quality is not near that of one of the brands listed above.
Q. Can we reuse the garbage disposal?
A. You can. We recommend you get a new sink drain collar though to match your faucet. This is the perfect time to get a new disposal though if the one you have is aging or is an entry level disposal provided in a production builder home.
We highly recommend you considering a 3/4 HP InSinkerator Evolution. These run around $200 and are a great performing disposal.
CLICK HERE to find the Insinkerator Disposal at Home Depot.
Don’t forget you will need to buy a separate power cord for the new disposal. For some reason the power cord does not come in the box. Most plumber and electricians will be uncomfortable reusing the old cord and a new cord only runs around $15.00. It is a good investment to ensure everything continues to perform with no problems.
CLICK HERE to find the power cord at Home Depot.
If the switch for your garbage disposal is under the sink in your cabinet, (common on islands) you may want to consider getting an air switch to activate it. The countertop installer will core a hole next to your faucet. The air switch button will install in this hole and it will turn on an off your disposal. No need to open your cabinet door with wet hands.
Garbage Disposal air switches are a favorite add for our customers. They can be bought at Home Depot and cost around $100.00.
CLICK HERE to find an air switch at Home Depot.
Q. Can I get rid of that ugly silver cylinder (air gap) next to my faucet?
A. That ugly silver cylinder with the hole in it that gets nasty at the base is an air gap. Many cities required those to pass the plumbing final when your home was built. They prevent the dishwasher from sucking dirty sink water back into the dishwasher.
The good news is you can get rid of them. You just need to get an adapter for the dishwasher drain line to connect to the garbage disposal under your sink, or the “Y” on the neck of your drain line from the main sink if you do not have a disposal.
CLICK HERE to find this adapter at Home Depot’s. They cost roughly $12.00 and eliminate the air gap up by your faucet.
Q. What plumbing parts should I get and have ready for my plumber?
Disposal Mount
If your are going to reuse your existing disposal we recommend you get a new disposal mount. These get dirty and and corroded over time. There is nothing worse than having a brand new sink and then putting a corroded, dirty disposal strainer back into it.
These come in different finishes such as chrome, brushed, brass, black, etc. Depending on the finish you want, you may be able to get this part at a store like Home Depot or you may need to visit a specialty plumbing store.
CLICK HERE to find a disposal mount at Home Depot.
Disposal Gasket
The black rubber gasket you see that stops unwanted items from falling into the disposal gets flimsy and honestly absolutely disgusting over time. This is the perfect time to replace it.
CLICK HERE to find a gasket mount at Home Depot.