It’s like some unwritten law of renovation. Even with all the planning in the world, there’s always that one fitting or adapter you didn’t know existed until you needed it.
Ain’t that the truth. I swear, no matter how many times I measure and double-check, I still end up crawling under the sink cursing at some ancient shutoff valve or weird drain fitting. PEX is a lifesaver for tight spots, but I’ll admit those plastic fittings make me twitchy too. Honestly, anyone who says swapping a sink is “easy” either got lucky or forgot to mention their third trip to the store...
Honestly, anyone who says swapping a sink is “easy” either got lucky or forgot to mention their third trip to the store...
That’s exactly it. I mapped out every measurement, even brought fittings to the store, and still ended up missing a weird-sized tailpiece adapter. The “universal” kits never seem universal enough. PEX does make things more flexible, but I’m always double-checking those connections for leaks—just can’t shake the feeling they’re not as solid as copper. Maybe it’s just old habits, but I’d rather overthink than deal with a surprise drip at 2am.
Couldn’t agree more about the “universal” kits—they’re never quite right. I’ve started keeping a small bin of oddball adapters because of this exact thing. I still trust copper more than PEX for anything under pressure, but those push-to-connect fittings have saved me a few headaches. It’s always the last-minute parts run that gets you…
Title: Just put in a new kitchen sink and wondering if anyone else struggled this much
Totally relate to that last-minute scramble for parts. I’ve started making it a habit to lay out every single fitting and adapter I think I’ll need before I even touch a wrench, but somehow I’m *still* missing something halfway through. Universal kits never seem to fit quite right in my older house either—always a tiny difference in thread or length.
I’m curious, do you ever use those flexible braided supply lines? They’ve bailed me out a couple times when a rigid line just wouldn’t line up, but I sometimes wonder about the long-term reliability compared to copper. I still lean toward copper for the main runs, but the convenience of push-to-connect is hard to beat when you’re squeezed under the sink at 9pm.
Has anyone found a good way to keep track of all those random adapters and bits? My “bin” is starting to look like a junk drawer...
Flexible lines have saved me a ton of headaches, but I’ve seen a couple start leaking after a few years—guess it depends on the brand. Ever tried those compartment organizers for all the oddball fittings? Mine’s still a mess, but at least I can close the lid.
