Check out this updated faucet in the half bathroom:
The old fixture wasn’t offensive, but it did leak. And with a single knob I worried that Clara might accidentally crank the hot water up when she washed her hands.
We visited our local Habitat ReStore hoping to score something inexpensive. Sherry nearly squealed with delight when she found a faucet for $12, but after digging through the pile we discovered it was missing one handle. Twenty minutes of searching turned up nothing, so that option was out.
We ended up buying a $34 faucet at Home Depot—the most affordable new option available. It wasn’t glamorous, but it promised no leaks and an easier-to-use two-handle setup for Clara.
What seemed like a quick swap—turn off the water, disconnect the hoses, remove the old faucet, install the new one—hit a snag right away. The hot water shutoff under the sink wouldn’t actually stop the flow; it turned but the water kept running as if the valve were spinning freely.
That turned a simple faucet replacement into a hot water shutoff valve replacement—something I hadn’t done before. Replacing it required shutting off the house water at the street, so we grabbed our water meter key to turn the stubborn curb stop (a handy tool that costs about $7 and gets used more than you might expect).
I don’t have photos of the next steps because most of the work had me half inside the vanity, wrestling valves and hoses, wrapping plumber’s tape, and tightening fittings. Between yelling at Sherry to have a plumber on call and quietly muttering to myself, I forgot to ask for the camera. For a clear, well-lit walkthrough, Home Depot’s installation video is a good visual reference.
Despite my worry that I’d somehow burst a pipe and trigger a cartoonish geyser, the valve replacement went smoothly and the new shutoff worked as intended.
With the new valve in place, I removed the old faucet, scraped away grime from the sink with a putty knife, connected the new supply hoses, and set the new fixture into position.
I expected at least one of the five fresh connections to leak, so I placed colored construction paper under the area to easily spot any drips. To my relief, nothing leaked. I stared at that sink for ten full minutes, half-expecting a delayed drip, before Sherry persuaded me to celebrate the win. The faucet and hot water valve were officially installed.
It’s not a dramatic design upgrade, but it solved the practical problems. We considered oil-rubbed bronze to better match the doorknob and light fixture, but those options started around $80 and felt too expensive for this phase. Brushed nickel was a much more affordable choice and works nicely—the mirror blends both tones and helps the finish feel intentional.
Our toughest critic, Clara, was quietly impressed. After her nap she paused in the doorway, studied the sink, and declared, “Wowww! It looks beautiful in here! Did we get a new washing thing?” It was the sweetest compliment and definitely worth the effort.
Here are the before-and-after photos you requested from our last bathroom post:
As for budget, we don’t have every receipt, but estimate we’ve spent about $110 on this room so far—covering the mirror, paint, light, vanity knobs, and the faucet. For rooms you use daily that are costly to fully renovate, modest interim upgrades can make a big difference while you save for a more extensive Phase Two.
On to the next room!