Last week I went to a local plumbing supply house and bought a fancy new Moen kitchen faucet. I also purchased a new 16 gauge Kohler Stainless Steel kitchen sink, and Insinkerator garbage disposal from Lowe's. I had a local plumber come out and install everything, and change out all my RO filters at the same time. He did a nice job and everything is wonderful, and the wife is happy. (Which is why everything is wonderful).
I paid $425.00 for the faucet. I've had builders and plumbers tell me that faucets from a plumbing supply house cost more, because they are of much higher quality. Brass and Stainless Steel internals, instead of Nylon and plastic that come with all the cheaper Home Depot and Lowe's specials. Even if they're the same model number, the SKU numbers are different.
The big box stores sell so much product they can have special runs of faucets made just for them, from the big name brand companies. (Delta, Kohler, Moen). I looked at Lowe's the other day, and found the exact same style Moen faucet I bought for $179.00. When I picked up the box, it was noticeably much lighter. Also the base plate was thin stamped sheet metal. Mine is a heavy die cast part that came with a nice O-Ring set up that went underneath. The removable sprayer nozzle on the Lowe's special was also chrome plated plastic, where mine is all metal.
So I believe there is some truth to all of this. The plumber also told me that if mine ever leaks, he can easily install a whole new internal valve, that basically makes it like new. And Moen will provide the part free of charge. Many of the cheaper models at the big box places are not easily rebuilt. And simply not worth it to even try.
Will my faucet last 2-1/2 times longer than the Lowe's special? I don't know. I do know that in the last 20 or so years I've had to replace an abnormally large amount of faucets. I bought all of them at big box stores. And they just don't seem to last as long. So I'm hoping this will be different.
I paid $425.00 for the faucet. I've had builders and plumbers tell me that faucets from a plumbing supply house cost more, because they are of much higher quality. Brass and Stainless Steel internals, instead of Nylon and plastic that come with all the cheaper Home Depot and Lowe's specials. Even if they're the same model number, the SKU numbers are different.
The big box stores sell so much product they can have special runs of faucets made just for them, from the big name brand companies. (Delta, Kohler, Moen). I looked at Lowe's the other day, and found the exact same style Moen faucet I bought for $179.00. When I picked up the box, it was noticeably much lighter. Also the base plate was thin stamped sheet metal. Mine is a heavy die cast part that came with a nice O-Ring set up that went underneath. The removable sprayer nozzle on the Lowe's special was also chrome plated plastic, where mine is all metal.
So I believe there is some truth to all of this. The plumber also told me that if mine ever leaks, he can easily install a whole new internal valve, that basically makes it like new. And Moen will provide the part free of charge. Many of the cheaper models at the big box places are not easily rebuilt. And simply not worth it to even try.
Will my faucet last 2-1/2 times longer than the Lowe's special? I don't know. I do know that in the last 20 or so years I've had to replace an abnormally large amount of faucets. I bought all of them at big box stores. And they just don't seem to last as long. So I'm hoping this will be different.