Do I need a plumber to replace a kitchen faucet?

No. Replacing a faucet on an existing sink is one of the most beginner-friendly plumbing jobs there is, because you are only working with the two flexible supply lines and the mounting hardware — never the pipes inside the wall. The one genuine obstacle is access: the connections sit in the dark at the back of the cabinet, and a basin wrench or a battery headlamp turns an awkward hour into a manageable one. Call a plumber only if a shutoff valve is seized or the old faucet is corroded solid to the sink.

What tools do I need to change a kitchen faucet?

A basin wrench is the one tool that matters — its swiveling jaw reaches the mounting nuts you cannot get a normal wrench onto. Beyond that: an adjustable wrench for the supply lines, channel-lock pliers, a bucket and towel, a flashlight or headlamp, PTFE (plumber's) tape, and a putty knife or silicone if your new faucet needs a fresh seal. Most new faucets include the mounting hardware and a deck gasket, so you rarely need plumber's putty anymore.

How long does it take to replace a kitchen faucet?

Budget 60 to 90 minutes for a first attempt, and about 30 for someone who has done it before. The removal of the old faucet usually takes longer than the install, because old mounting nuts corrode and the supply-line connections can be crusted with mineral scale. If you are also replacing the shutoff valves or the supply lines while you are down there — which is a smart move if they are more than ten years old — add another 30 minutes.

Should I replace the supply lines when I change a faucet?

Yes, almost always. New braided stainless-steel supply lines cost a few dollars each, the faucet is already disconnected, and a burst supply line is one of the most common causes of catastrophic kitchen water damage. Old rubber or plastic lines harden and crack with age. While you are there, if the shutoff valves are old multi-turn gate valves that weep or stick, swapping them for quarter-turn ball valves is the natural companion upgrade.

Why is my new faucet leaking underneath the sink?

Nine times out of ten it is an over- or under-tightened supply-line connection, or a missing rubber washer. Hand-tighten the coupling nut, then give it only a quarter to half turn more with a wrench — braided lines seal on a rubber gasket, and cranking them harder deforms the gasket and makes the leak worse, not better. If the leak is at the faucet base rather than the connections, the deck gasket is pinched or the mounting nuts are uneven; re-seat the faucet and tighten the nuts alternately.

How to Replace a Kitchen Faucet: A 90-Minute DIY Guide

Written & researched by Priya Anand DIY & Tools Editor

Updated August 2026

Golden-hour view of a person's hands tightening a fitting under a kitchen sink with a wrench

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Replacing a kitchen faucet is a genuine DIY job for almost anyone — plan on 60 to 90 minutes, about $80 to $300 for the faucet itself, and no permit. You never touch the pipes in the wall; you only disconnect two flexible supply lines and the mounting nuts under the sink. The single tool that makes it possible is a basin wrench, whose swiveling head reaches the nuts a normal wrench cannot. The job only crosses into plumber territory if a shutoff valve is seized or corroded solid — otherwise, this is a Saturday-morning task.

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How to Install a New Kitchen Faucet — Ask This Old House

Tools and materials

Most of what you need is in a basic homeowner kit. The one purchase worth making is a basin wrench.

Basin wrench — non-negotiable for reaching the mounting nuts at the back of the sink.
Adjustable wrench and channel-lock pliers — for supply-line and mounting nuts. See our best plumbing tools picks for the eight that cover almost every household repair.
New braided stainless-steel supply lines — replace the old ones while you are in there.
PTFE thread tape, a bucket, towels, a headlamp, and a putty knife.
The faucet itself. If you are shopping, our best kitchen faucet guide ranks pull-down models by owner-reported valve quality and finish durability.

Wide view of a person's hands tightening a fitting under a kitchen sink with a wrench, in warm evening lamplight

Step 1: Shut off the water and clear the cabinet

Reach under the sink and close both shutoff valves — turn clockwise until they stop. Open the faucet to release pressure and confirm the water is truly off; a trickle means a valve is not fully seating, in which case shut the main. Clear everything out of the cabinet so you can lie on your back with a light. Put a towel and a shallow bucket under the connections to catch the cupful of water still in the lines.

Step 2: Disconnect the supply lines and sprayer

With the adjustable wrench, loosen the coupling nuts where the supply lines meet the shutoff valves. Hold the valve body steady with a second wrench so you do not twist it and crack the seal at the wall. If your faucet has a pull-down sprayer, disconnect the quick-connect hose from the supply line inside the cabinet. Note which line is hot (left) and which is cold (right).

Close-up detail of the material being worked in a diy plumbing project, in warm evening lamplight

Step 3: Remove the old faucet

Slide the basin wrench up to the mounting nuts that clamp the faucet to the sink deck — usually one per tailpiece. Turn counterclockwise. Decades-old nuts may be corroded; a squirt of penetrating oil and ten minutes of patience beats forcing them. Once the nuts are off, lift the faucet out from the top and scrape the old gasket, putty or silicone off the sink deck with a putty knife until it is clean and dry.

Step 4: Set and secure the new faucet

Feed the new faucet's supply lines and any sprayer hose down through the mounting hole, seat its base gasket, and hold it square to the sink edge. Underneath, thread on the mounting hardware and snug it by hand, then tighten with the basin wrench — firm, not gorilla-tight. Overtightening a plastic mounting nut cracks it; you want the faucet to not rotate, and no more. Check from above that the faucet is centered and straight before final tightening.

Wide view of a person's hands tightening a fitting under a kitchen sink with a wrench, in soft overcast light

Step 5: Connect supply lines and test

Wrap the male threads on the shutoff valves with three to four turns of PTFE tape in the direction the nut threads on. Connect the new braided supply lines — hot to hot, cold to cold — hand-tight, then a quarter to half turn with the wrench. That is all a rubber-gasketed braided line needs; more crushes the gasket. Reconnect the sprayer hose weight if there is one. Open the shutoff valves slowly, then run the faucet for a full minute while you feel every connection with a dry finger and watch for weeping. Check again after the first day of use.

Common mistakes that cause leaks

Overtightening supply connections. The number-one call-back. Braided lines seal on rubber; crank them and you deform the gasket. Quarter turn past hand-tight.
Reusing old, brittle supply lines. False economy — replace them.
Skipping the deck gasket or misusing putty. Water pooling around the base seeps into the cabinet. Use the gasket the faucet supplies; only use plumber's putty if the instructions call for it.
Not verifying the water is fully off, then getting a faceful when the line comes loose.

When to call a plumber

Most of this is DIY, but stop and call a pro if a shutoff valve is frozen solid or weeping and will not close, if the copper supply stub at the wall is corroded and you would need to solder or add a valve, or if the old faucet is seized to the sink by rust to the point of risking a cracked sink. Replacing a shutoff valve on a live line is a step up — our guide to replacing a shut-off valve covers it, but if the pipe is old galvanized steel, that is a plumber's job. Faucet swaps need no permit anywhere in the US; anything that alters the supply piping in the wall may.

Related reading: how to replace a bathroom faucet, how to replace a sink sprayer hose, and how to fix a leaky faucet if a swap is not yet necessary.

How to Replace a Kitchen Faucet