How Much Does It Cost to Fix a Leaky Faucet?

Average Costs to Repair a Dripping Faucet

Signs of a Leaking Faucet

A leaky faucet is a nuisance, wastes water, and can drive up your water bill significantly. If left unchecked, it can also cause damage to the floor, cabinets, and walls and create an environment for mold and mildew to grow. 

If you’re experiencing any of the signs below, it might be time to call a plumber near you to get your faucet watertight again.

• Dripping sound: If you hear water dripping from your faucet even when it’s turned off, chances are you have a leak.

• Irregular discharge: If water doesn't flow from the faucet in a straight line but at a crooked angle and with a loud sputtering sound, your faucet has a leak.

• Noisy handle: If there’s a squeaking or creaking noise when you turn your faucet on or off, there might be damage to your faucet interior that needs repair.

• Water pooling: A pool of water around the base of the faucet or in your sink can also indicate that your faucet is leaky.

• Water stains or mold: Water stains on walls, ceilings, or mold growing near your sink are another sign of a leaky faucet.

• Loose or wobbly faucet: If your faucet feels loose and jiggly, it’s possibly defective and needs repair.

• Higher water bills: If your water bills have unexplainably gone up, the culprit could be a leaky faucet.

Leaky Faucet Repair Cost Breakdown

Labor and parts are the two main cost components of a leaky faucet. Labor costs can vary from one plumber to the next, but in most cases, the maximum you’ll pay per hour is $200.

The cost of parts depends on the type of faucet and the severity of the problem. Expect to spend between $10 and $60 on average for parts. 

Replacement Faucet Parts

The good news is the parts you need to fix common faucet problems are usually inexpensive. Here are some of the main causes of dripping faucets and the cost to replace them. These replacement parts are available at most hardware and home improvement stores.

• Worn-out O-rings: $10–$15 per pack

• Worn-out or misplaced washers: $2–$4

• Faulty faucet cartridge: $30–$70

• Worn-out valve stems: $10–$30

• Corroded or worn-out valve seats: $2–$5

Most leaky faucet repairs require the same amount of labor and disassembly, so it's often more cost-effective to replace all the internal parts if you're replacing one. And it's usually less expensive to purchase a total repair kit than to purchase parts separately. Talk to a local plumbing repair professional if you don't know which part is causing the faucet to leak.

"I like to advise customers to look into common repair parts for their new faucets and invest in them for future use, as parts can become hard to source as manufacturers update cartridges and discontinue the old ones,” says Botelho. “If you purchase an expensive faucet (anywhere from $500 to $1,000) and can get a repair kit for less than $100, do it. It's a shame to replace an otherwise perfectly operable faucet because the manufacturer discontinues the parts to fix it."

Labor

The typical hourly rate of plumbers is about $45 to $200. A faucet repair is usually a quick job for a pro and shouldn’t take more than an hour. Most plumbers charge a minimum of a one-hour visit for labor.

Cost of Dripping Faucet Repair by Faucet Type

The cost of drippy faucet repair varies depending on the type of faucet you have and its location. Kitchen faucets, for example, might take longer to fix and cost more to repair than bathroom sink faucets because they have more moving parts that can wear out or break. On the other hand, the cost to repair a bathtub faucet that protrudes from the wall may be higher if you need to enter the wall first to access the pipes behind it.

Kitchen Faucet

You may pay about $250 for a professional's time and the parts to fix a basic kitchen faucet. Or expect to pay around $100 to $250 to have a new faucet professionally installed if the leak isn't fixable. New faucets start at around $50, but you could pay up to $400.

However, like with most faucet repairs, the cost of fixing a leaky kitchen faucet will depend on your model and the problem. There are four main types of faucets: ball, disc, cartridge, and compression.

Most kitchen faucets are ball faucets, which have more parts than other types of faucets. This means more potential areas or causes of damage. Because of this, it's sometimes easier to replace than to repair a kitchen faucet. The cost to install a new faucet in your kitchen ranges between $160 and $370. Consider replacing your kitchen faucet instead of repairing it if:

• It’s more than 10 years old.

• It leaks from both the handle and spout.

• It’s extremely corroded.

• The replacement parts are difficult to find.

Bathroom Sink Faucet

The average cost of leaky faucet repair on your bathroom sink faucet can range between $60 and $200 for parts and labor. The most common cause of bathroom faucet leaks is worn-out rubber parts you can purchase for around $10. 

If you can’t fix the issue, a new bathroom sink faucet starts at around $50 but can increase depending on the design and special features. For example, a touchless faucet costs around $300. 

Bathroom Shower or Tub Faucet

Fixing a bathroom shower or tub faucet can cost between $60 and $400 for parts and installation. The culprit for a damaged bathroom shower or tub faucet could be worn-out rubber parts (or valve seats in some cases), which you can get for around $10 or less at most hardware stores. 

Sometimes, the issue could be a worn cartridge, which you might need to replace at a cost of between $30 and $70. If the damage is beyond repair, the price of a new faucet ranges between $20 and $300, depending on the model.

Since shower and tub plumbing is in a wall instead of a cabinet, it can be more challenging to access than a sink faucet. A professional will probably take between two and three hours to repair a shower or tub faucet, thus the higher cost estimate for this category of leaky faucet repair.

Outdoor Faucet or Hose Bib

The cost to repair an outdoor faucet or horse bib runs between $100 and $300. This covers the cost of buying a new unit, which you’ll need to do in most cases, and hiring a plumber to do the job. In a few instances, you can fix leaks by replacing the washer under the handle. Washers cost less than $5.

DIY Faucet Repair vs. Hiring a Pro

For small repairs, such as damaged washers, you might spend as little as $5 or less for parts if you choose to do the repair yourself. Hiring a pro adds labor fees to the project since the average fee for a plumber costs about $45 to $200 per hour. However, it gives you peace of mind that the job will be done correctly plus a professional might notice other plumbing issues that can be costly to fix later. 

Calling a local handyperson is also an option for more minor repairs, but where modifications to your plumbing system are necessary—such as fixing a leaky bathtub or shower faucet that comes out of the wall—stick to licensed plumbing contractors.

Costs to Repair a Faucet Yourself

Replacing worn O-rings and washers to fix a leaky faucet is a relatively simple job that will cost $5 to $15 on average for new parts and about an hour of your time.

First, you'll need to identify your faucet, then call the manufacturer or go to a hardware store to get replacement parts. Instructions should be in the package. You might also need a screwdriver, wrench, a bucket to catch water, and a towel to clean up any mess.