Totally get where you're coming from—plumbing projects always seem to have a sneaky way of turning into mini-disasters. When I swapped out my bathroom faucet last year, I thought it'd be a quick afternoon job. Nope... ended up discovering some sketchy old fittings that were basically ticking time bombs. It was frustrating at first, but looking back, I'm glad I caught it early.
And yeah, budgeting a little extra for surprises is solid advice. I've started doing that too, especially since I'm trying to make my place more eco-friendly. Sometimes sustainable upgrades cost a bit more upfront, but they usually save headaches (and money) down the road. Hang in there—once it's all done and working smoothly, you'll feel pretty proud of yourself for tackling it!
Totally relate to the hidden surprises—seems like every time I start a project, there's something lurking behind the walls or under the sink. When we upgraded our kitchen last year, we went with a deep farmhouse sink, and it turned out the cabinet underneath needed reinforcing to handle the extra weight. Not exactly what we planned for, but glad we caught it before installation day.
Speaking of eco-friendly upgrades, has anyone here tried those touchless faucets? I've been eyeing them for convenience and water-saving potential, but I'm curious if they're reliable long-term or just another fancy feature that ends up causing headaches down the line. Would love to hear if they're actually worth the investment or if sticking with a traditional fixture is still the safer bet.
I've installed a few touchless faucets in recent builds, and here's my take:
- Convenience-wise, they're pretty great—especially when your hands are messy from cooking or gardening. Definitely cuts down on water waste since it shuts off automatically.
- Reliability can vary quite a bit depending on brand and model. I've seen some cheaper ones start acting glitchy after a year or two (randomly turning on/off or sensor issues). But higher-end brands seem to hold up better long-term.
- One client had theirs for about four years now without any major hiccups, just occasional battery replacements. Another had sensor issues within the first year and ended up swapping back to traditional.
- Installation is straightforward, but repairs can be trickier if something goes wrong. Parts aren't always as readily available as standard fixtures.
If you're leaning toward touchless, I'd suggest investing in a reputable brand with solid reviews and warranty coverage. Otherwise, traditional faucets are still reliable workhorses—less fancy tech means fewer surprises down the road.
