I’ve got round to my tap replacement today. As with most DIY tasks, it wasn’t without its challenges. Despite the holes I cut, it was still hard getting decent access to loosen the bolts. Next, we discovered that the new flexitubes needed different attachments to the old one. Hurrah for the local branch of City Plumbing, where I was able to get the necessary ‘compression male coupling’ adapters. No, I didn’t know what to ask for but they knew what I needed when I whipped out the old and new flexitubes.

The last challenge was getting it all done up again. I wondered if I could do it by hand but water eased out so I redid with the adjustable spanners and a touch of silicon grease. So far, it seems to have worked, both to avoid leaks and cure the drip that was plaguing us. I might wait until tomorrow, though, to put the washing machine fully back though. If we have further issues, I might take out a little more of the cabinet around the sink for better access. Sinks should be designed with easy maintenance in mind.

At least the new tap unit looks good – the higher mounting and higher loop of the faucet are both a worthwhile step forward.