Faucet, toilet and fixture installation in Nolensville

A house from the 1800s or early 1900s may have been updated with fixtures several times, and each update left something behind: a valve that will not close, a supply line that is too short, an odd drain location. When we replace a fixture, we sort that out so the new one works properly.

Builder-grade fixtures are sometimes the first thing an owner wants to upgrade. A taller faucet, a comfort-height toilet, a deeper sink. These are quick jobs when the rough-in is done right. If the supply stubs are too far apart or too low, we sort it out.

Even in a house that is only a few years old, shutoff valves can seize if they have never been used. If a valve will not close, we replace it before starting on the fixture. It takes a few minutes and saves a mess.

Disposals come in sizes measured in horsepower, from about a third to over one. A larger motor handles tougher scraps and jams less often, but it costs more and needs a bit more under-sink space. For a typical family kitchen, a half to three-quarters horsepower unit is plenty. Pick one with a stainless grinding chamber and a decent warranty.

Installation is straightforward when there is an outlet under the sink and the drain lines up. If there is no outlet, one has to be added, which is an electrician's job. A dishwasher drain, if you have one, connects to a port on the disposal, and the knockout plug in that port has to be removed. Forgetting that is the most common reason a new disposal makes the dishwasher back up.

A new Nolensville house usually comes with fixtures that do the job and no more. The faucets are plain, the toilets are the cheapest that pass code, the showerheads are small. After a year or two, many owners want better. The trick is doing it in a sensible order, so you do not pay for a visit twice.

Start with what you use most, like the kitchen faucet and the main bathroom shower. Replace the shutoff valves and supply lines at the same time, since they are right there. Then do the toilets, when you have a weekend, and the rest as you go. We are glad to do it all at once or in stages.