How To Change Your Bathroom Taps Yourself

There are many DIY jobs you can do yourself at home (hence the term ‘DIY’) and changing your bathroom taps is one of them. With no prior skills or knowledge required, you can change your taps with the help of our guide, and maybe a few handy YouTube videos. So let’s get into it.

Step 1: Turn Off The Water Supply

This is an obvious first step, but an essential one. You need to turn off both the hot and cold water supplies to your tap, so find your stopcock and turn it clockwise until it’s tight to stop the water supply.

Once this is done, some water will still remain in the system so this needs to be drained. Run all the hot and cold water taps in your house until no water comes out of them. This could take a few minutes.

Keep all the taps open once drained.

In some cases, the tap itself might have an isolation valve so you can just turn off the supply to that tap. In this instance, look for a small handle on the pipes underneath the sink and twist it clockwise to turn off the water

Step 2: Remove The Old Tap

Before you can fit your shiny new tap, it’s time to remove the old one.

First, identify the tap connectors (there should be two, one for a hot feed and one for cold) and loosen these with an adjustable spanner. Just remember to take note of which is hot and which is cold so you don’t mix them up later!

Once these connectors are out, unscrew the nut that connects your tap to the sink. It could be plastic or brass but you’ll know when you’ve found it as the tap will loosen once the nut is unscrewed. These nuts can corrode over time, so it may be tricky to loosen at first (and access isn’t the easiest).

Once both the connectors and the nut are removed, you should be able to lift the old tap out easily.

Give the area a really good clean before you install the new tap, making sure to remove any old silicone from the basin.

Step 3: Install The New Tap

Now it’s time to shine for the new tap. Before installing it, read the manufacturer’s instructions as they’ll be able to offer some additional help and could offer tips for that specific model.

Put the new bathroom tap in the right position and then basically reverse the steps you just did above. So first, tighten the new tap so it’s in a position you’re happy with, and then reattach the connectors for the water supply.

When tightening up your tap, make sure its position is correct (central and the spout facing straight over the sink) and slide the retaining nut into place from underneath. It might be worth asking for an extra pair of hands here, as it can be almost impossible to hold the tap while getting the nut screwed in.

Use an adjustable spanner to tighten it to a point where the tap doesn’t move too much (but don’t overtighten it, as this could cause damage).

Then, attach the flexible connections to the correct hot and cold pipes under the sink. As a general rule, hot is on the left and cold on the right, but this isn’t always the case).

Step 4: Turn The Water Back On

Once you’re happy that your tap is secure, it’s time to turn the water back on. Keep the taps open to ensure any trapped air is pushed out first. Now you can turn the rest of the taps in your house off, and check for any leaks around the tap you’ve just fitted.

FAQs About Installing A New Tap

How long does it take to change a bathroom tap?

For a first-timer, expect the job to take around one to two hours. If you're more confident with DIY, you could have it done in under an hour. Securing the retaining nut from underneath the sink is generally the hardest and most time-consuming part.

Do I need any special tools for the job?

You’ll need an adjustable spanner to loosen and tighten the tap connectors and retaining nut, as explained above. Sometimes a basin wrench can be useful when you don’t have as much movement in tight spaces, like under the sink, but other than that, there’s no specialist tools you need. A towel could come in handy, though, to catch any residual water that might drip out.

Why is water still coming out after I’ve turned off the stopcock?

It’ll take the water in the system some time to drain, even after you’ve turned off your home’s water supply. Keep the water running for a few minutes and it should start to slow down. If it doesn’t, there may be another water supply you need to turn off, or you could isolate the tap directly if it has its own isolation valve.

What’s an isolation valve and does my tap have one?

An isolation valve is a small valve that’s fitted directly to the water supply pipes under your sink, allowing you to shut off water to just that tap rather than your whole house. Look for a small handle or flat-head screw slot on the pipes beneath the basin. If you can see it, turning it clockwise will turn off the water.

The retaining nut is really stuck, what can I do?

It’s common for retaining nuts to corrode, especially if it’s been there for a while. Some WD-40 might help to slacken it, so try applying some of this and wait for 10 minutes before trying again.

How do I know which connector is hot and cold?

As a general rule, hot water is on the left and cold is on the right, but this isn’t always the case. The best thing to do is check the connections before you remove them.

What do I do if the new tap is leaking once I’ve fitted it?

First, you should check that all the connectors have been tightened properly and that the flexible hoses are connected to the right pipes. If this doesn’t fix the issue, then try to identify where the leak is coming from. If it’s from around the fittings, then you may need to wrap some PTFE tape (“plumber’s tape”) around the threads to create a better seal.