Those Who Can't, Call A Contractor

Brute force + stuck flange = cracked sink

The ancient bathroom faucet continued to drip, no matter how hard I twisted the knob. I consulted with the person in charge of these things. She picked out a nice-looking replacement at Home Depot for $88. I've replaced faucets before. Allowing for contingencies, I estimated that it would take four hours max. It took me four days to complete the project.

The rusty parts gave way to repeated applications of WD-40 and elbow grease. I eventually unscrewed the old hot and cold controls as well as the spout. However, the sink flange, where the stopper goes in, wouldn't budge. No cheap piece of oxidized metal was going to defeat me. I've got tools, I've been working out, I'm college educated, and handyman websites all said that this would be easy. The >snap< when the bottom of the porcelain basin cracked was one of those "Oh, *&#%!" moments that are made worse with the knowledge that there was no one to blame but me.

Everything came out except the rust stains  (top).

The person in charge of these things surveyed the damage. "You didn't have to replace the stopper. You could have left the old one in," she said helpfully.

The bathroom sink was undermounted, held up by metal clips and sealant. Replacing an undermount is trickier than a drop-in sink whose weight is supported by the countertop. Again, helpfully: "Maybe you should call Roberto." No, that would be a last resort. If I hired a contractor, the cost could easily sail past $500 for what had been a $100 project.

Worse, I would be conceding defeat not only to family but a manly guy like Roberto, who despite his politeness would have a hard time keeping a straight face when he saw what my wrenches wrought.

Over the next three days I: 1) Removed the old basin; 2) Found a 14" x 17" undermount sink at Lowe's that fit the 13" x 16" opening; 3) Clamped the new sink to a 2x4 for 24 hours so that the silicone would set to the marble; 4) Installed the new fixtures; 5) Cut pipe beneath the counter in order to get the P trap to fit (after several tries the leaks have stopped).

The person in charge of these things said that she was pleased with the result. As for me, I was pleased that it was over.

[Economics note: this episode is an example of household production, where people do their own cleaning, gardening, cooking, repairing, etc. instead of paying someone to do those tasks. Do-it-yourself activities don't show up in GDP statistics and the benefits from them aren't taxed, although they augment net worth just the same as some bucks from one's employer.]