Shower Head Replacement and Faucet Replacement in San Francisco
A new showerhead or faucet is one of the quickest ways to make a bathroom or kitchen feel better. It sounds simple, but in older San Francisco homes a stuck fitting or a tired shutoff valve can turn a quick swap into a leak. The Handyman SF sends local handymen to replace showerheads and faucets across San Francisco and the Bay Area.
What the job includes
- Showerhead replacement: removing the old head, cleaning the threads, wrapping with thread tape and installing the new fixed head, rain head or handheld shower.
- Shower arm swaps: replacing a short or corroded arm to change the height or angle, where it comes out cleanly.
- Bathroom faucet replacement: single-hole or widespread faucets, with new supply lines and pop-up drain where needed.
- Kitchen faucet replacement: pull-down and pull-out faucets, sprayers and soap dispensers.
- Tub spouts and trim: slip-on or threaded spouts, handles and trim plates on the existing valve.
- Leak check: running the water and checking every connection before the job is done.
Why older San Francisco fixtures take care
Many San Francisco flats and houses still have original fixtures and galvanized or brass pipes. Threads can be corroded, and a shower arm that hasn't moved in decades can twist or snap inside the wall if it is forced. Under sinks, old angle stops often don't fully close or start dripping once turned.
Hard-to-remove fittings are loosened carefully, and the condition of the shutoffs is checked before anything comes off. If a valve is failing, you will know before the old faucet is removed.
Low water pressure from an old showerhead is often mineral buildup. Sometimes cleaning the flow restrictor helps; often a new head is the better fix.
What to have ready
- The new showerhead or faucet, still in the box, with all parts.
- For a faucet, a photo of the sink holes and the pipes underneath so the fit can be checked.
- An empty cabinet under the sink.
- In a condo or apartment, any HOA or landlord approval needed for water shutoffs.
When it's a job for a licensed plumber
A handyman can swap the visible fixture. If the shower valve inside the wall needs replacing, a pipe breaks inside the wall, or the work needs a permit, you need a licensed plumber. California also limits unlicensed jobs to under $1,000 including labor and materials.
