When one thing breaks...

[MomToTwoBoys]

the rest needs to be fixed.

We've been having issues with the kitchen faucet. It turns out that we need a new one. Ok... so we decide to wait until we can get the countertop.

Well, as I was out doing dishes, the sprayer decided to start shooting water upwards and all over my kitchen counter. No! We even put tape around the whole sprayer to try to close off the problem, but the water's just getting out and going all over the place.

Now I get to tell DH that if he wants to do the faucet with the countertop, it'll have to be this weekend. There goes another $1k onto the CC for something we didn't plan on doing just yet. I guess the good thing is that it's almost time to do taxes, and we can use the money from the return to pay off the money we charge to the CC for the new countertop and faucet.

Our countertop is so outdated and in need of repair, or we'd just wait until July/August when we refinance the house too.

[Siebrie]

I'd say: try IKEA. they have good, not too expensive countertops. Our landlord installed a new IKEA kitchen a few months ago: countertop, 1.5 sink, tap, fridge cupboard, 4.5 upper cabinets, 4 lower cabinets. (check out their website; it's the Faktum/Härlig kitchen without the build-ins) Total costs: $585.

It's big enough for us (2 adults & toddler), and easy to clean. The landlord had hired someone to install, who thought he would be ready in an afternoon. He wasn't: it took 2 full days to install. But, if you want to save money, you can do it yourself.

In general, if you can hold a screwdriver and READ THE INSTRUCTIONS, you can assemble IKEA products. Don't try to miss steps or think 'I know where this goes', because then your cheap kitchen will become very expensive.....

[Rebookie]

This too shall pass!! Thankfully it wasn't a washer/dryer!!

[Russ]

You should start charging Murphy some rent.

Sorry this is hitting you so quickly.

[Libby]

MTTB - remember, a safe house is better then a pretty one

You will get through this - besides, home depot often puts 2nds or opened stock on a clearance table. Rona & Lowes do this as well and Cdn Tire is definitely having a clearance sale right now. Go hunting and find that bargain Moen faucet, its out there waiting for a good home at a discounted price

[jamie79]

You can measure your counters and Home Depot will cut new ones to your specs. They are not hard to put in unless you have a big kitchen

[MomToTwoBoys]

I'd say: try IKEA. they have good, not too expensive countertops. Our landlord installed a new IKEA kitchen a few months ago: countertop, 1.5 sink, tap, fridge cupboard, 4.5 upper cabinets, 4 lower cabinets. (check out their website; it's the Faktum/Härlig kitchen without the build-ins) Total costs: $585.

It's big enough for us (2 adults & toddler), and easy to clean. The landlord had hired someone to install, who thought he would be ready in an afternoon. He wasn't: it took 2 full days to install. But, if you want to save money, you can do it yourself.

In general, if you can hold a screwdriver and READ THE INSTRUCTIONS, you can assemble IKEA products. Don't try to miss steps or think 'I know where this goes', because then your cheap kitchen will become very expensive.....

We tried Ikea. Their counters aren't long enough for our kitchen. Our kitchen countertop is more long on one side and shorter on the other side. Their longest cut is about 96 inches; our longest countertop is at least more than a foot past that. I guess we could go with halving the long part and make the cuts at the right end, the middle and the left end (which would be the diagonal end that meets up with the shorter end), but I don't think I'd like the look of that. It also means we'd have to get new countertops if we chose a different type of sink.

MTTB - remember, a safe house is better then a pretty one

You will get through this - besides, home depot often puts 2nds or opened stock on a clearance table. Rona & Lowes do this as well and Cdn Tire is definitely having a clearance sale right now. Go hunting and find that bargain Moen faucet, its out there waiting for a good home at a discounted price

I keep checking Home Depot for Moen faucets. Rona is sadly more expensive out here, and we don't have access to Lowe's because it's only in Ontario. We plan on purchasing the countertop in linear footage, which means we save a good chunk of money too. We won't buy it unless it's on sale, as well.

We put "gorilla glue" on the sprayer last night and this morning, the water was shooting out of the other side of the sprayer. It was also making this glue bubble, and I could see water coming out of the sides of the glue. We're trying everything we can to make sure that this lasts us. The banging isn't as prevalent now. It was doing it every 2-5 seconds before. Now it's doing it every 30 seconds. Bleh.

[Vanilla]

...
The banging isn't as prevalent now. It was doing it every 2-5 seconds before. Now it's doing it every 30 seconds. Bleh.

Don't know if you have tried this method regarding the 'banging' noise from the pipes, we once had that problem after replacing the kitchen faucet; the plumber told us to turn on ALL the water faucets in the house, all running at full force at the same time for about 5-10 mins., then turn off all the faucets, wait a while & turn on one faucet to test, if problem persists, try again but for longer period, like 15-20 min. It worked for us at the first try.

Sorry for the sprayer problem.

[MomToTwoBoys]

Don't know if you have tried this method regarding the 'banging' noise from the pipes, we once had that problem after replacing the kitchen faucet; the plumber told us to turn on ALL the water faucets in the house, all running at full force at the same time for about 5-10 mins., then turn off all the faucets, wait a while & turn on one faucet to test, if problem persists, try again but for longer period, like 15-20 min. It worked for us at the first try.

Sorry for the sprayer problem.

Yeah. I tried bleeding the pipes twice and it's gotten worse.

But I thank you for the advice.

[MomToTwoBoys]

So we put a hose clamp on the sprayer today...

and now it only thumps when the temperature of the water changes.

I guess we can delay the countertop and faucet thing for a while now.