A dripping faucet. Honest answer: this is a DIY job with a $5 part.
It wastes water, not the house. The EPA says one drip a second wastes more than 3,000 gallons a year. Fix it this month.
What is probably happening
- A worn washer or O-ring on a two handle faucet. A worn cartridge on a single handle.
- Parts cost $1 to $5 for a washer or O-ring and $10 to $100 for a cartridge.
- If it drips from the base of the spout rather than the tip, it is the O-rings.
Do this in the next five minutes
- Turn off the two small valves under the sink, clockwise until they stop.
- Plug the drain so screws cannot fall in.
- Pull the handle, then the cartridge or stem. Photograph each step so it goes back the same way.
- Take the old part to the hardware store and match it. Many brands supply the cartridge free under warranty if you call them.
- Reassemble, turn the valves on slowly, test.
Do not
- Do not force a stuck stem or cartridge. Use the brand's puller tool, a few dollars.
- Do not pay an emergency rate for a drip. Ever.
- Do not replace the whole faucet for a worn washer unless it is old and you want a new one anyway.
Who to call
A licensed plumber, only if you would rather not
A plumber will do it in half an hour at a standard rate, but there is nothing here that needs a licence.
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What it should cost
$100 to $400, averaging $270
Plumber repairing a leaky faucet, national range. Parts alone $1 to $100
Source: Angi, cost to fix a leaky faucet, updated July 2026. View source
National published range, not a quote for your job. The full cost table for this trade is on the plumbing page.
Ask this contractor, on the phone, before anyone comes out
Tap each one as you ask it.
- Is this a standard rate call, and is the trip fee applied to the repair?
- Are you repairing the cartridge or replacing the faucet, and why?
- Can you fix the other drips in the house on the same visit, at what price each?
End the call if
- A new faucet quoted for a drip.
- An emergency premium.
- A repipe or water softener pitch on a faucet call.