Cost of tap washer replacement (2025)

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littlemoney Posts: 810 Forumite

12 August 2019 at 6:47PM in In my home (includes DIY) MoneySaving

I have a dripping cold water bath tap. The speed of the drip is increasing and I need to find a plumber to replace the washer. The bath and taps are very old, fitted in 1949, would replacement washers be available? I am hoping that taps might be a standard size but before I try to find a plumber who isn't going to charge me a fortune or insist I need new taps as they are so old I thought I would try to find out what is feasible first.

Can anyone give a a ball park figure on the going rate for a plumber to replace a washer so I don't fall over with shock later.

A DIYer friend tried to replace it for me but he couldn't move the housing with the wrench he had and I didn't want to have to replace the bath as well if something went wrong and he broke the bath whilst he was doing the job.

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sevenhills Posts: 5,938 Forumite

12 August 2019 at 7:14PM

£20-£80
http://www.whatprice.co.uk/prices/plumbing/repair-leaky-tap.html#axzz5wPq6rlb3
Owain_Moneysaver Posts: 11,389 Forumite

12 August 2019 at 8:22PM

Penetrating oil on the tap housing, and you need two wrenches - one on the housing and one on the tap wedged to the bath so the tap body doesn't twist.
Also try tapping the wrench with a hammer as the momentary force can unjam it without twisting the whole thing.

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Jackmydad Posts: 9,186 Forumite

13 August 2019 at 10:41AM

If they're taps with a chrome cover over the innards, then the chrome cover can be a job to get off without damaging it. Proper penetrating oil can help, as can rag wrapped around and hot water poured over.
You really need a decent strap wrench, and something to hold the tap body. I've got a piece of wood somewhere with the shape of the tap body cut out which I use to hold it still.
The inside part called the "head" can be tight as well. Use a decent, well fitting spanner.
The washers are available in all sizes and are literally pence.
missprice Posts: 3,736 Forumite

13 August 2019 at 11:53AM

As already noted, tap washers are cheap. Just to add I had really old taps probably around 1975/80 fitted. When a washer went I took old one out (well I didnt cos not strong enough) and trotted to a shop with the old one.
Bought the biggest washers i could find and still they were not quite big enough. They barely did the job until I had whole bathroom replaced a year later.
I believe they cost 8p each.

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Jackmydad Posts: 9,186 Forumite

13 August 2019 at 12:19PM

missprice wrote: »
As already noted, tap washers are cheap. Just to add I had really old taps probably around 1975/80 fitted. When a washer went I took old one out (well I didnt cos not strong enough) and trotted to a shop with the old one.
Bought the biggest washers i could find and still they were not quite big enough. They barely did the job until I had whole bathroom replaced a year later.
I believe they cost 8p each.
The sizes seem to be variable these days. I wonder if some you get are a sort of metric equivalent or something.
You need to go to a proper plumber's merchant.
If you can find one these days!
greyteam1959 Posts: 4,680 Forumite

14 August 2019 at 9:50AM

The biggest problem you, & anybody you get in to do the job, is that it could go expensively wrong.
littlemoney Posts: 810 Forumite

15 August 2019 at 12:46PM

greyteam1959 wrote: »
The biggest problem you, & anybody you get in to do the job, is that it could go expensively wrong.
What can go wrong?
Dan-Dan Posts: 5,272 Forumite

16 August 2019 at 10:17AM

littlemoney wrote: »
What can go wrong?
could end up with a damaged bath and knackered taps/s

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greyteam1959 Posts: 4,680 Forumite

16 August 2019 at 3:50PM

Dan-Dan wrote: »
could end up with a damaged bath and knackered taps/s
Exactly................
littlemoney Posts: 810 Forumite

19 August 2019 at 8:20PM

Am I wrong to assume if I get a proper plumber in they are responsible for any damage.
The bath is 70 years old, it may be a cast iron bath, is it likely to be a bit harder to damage