Replacing a kitchen mixer tap

[WouldBe]

I‘d second this. I changed my kitchen and bathroom taps last year and it would have been pretty much impossible without one of these.

Not needed if you attach the flexipipes to the tap first (if you can then get the pipes through the hole in the sink). Then just need to secure the tap in place.

 

[neonwilderness]

Not needed if you attach the flexipipes to the tap first (if you can then get the pipes through the hole in the sink). Then just need to secure the tap in place.

That’s all well and good, but I needed to get the old tap (also on flexes) off first

In my particular case it’s old plumbing in an awkward place (I didn’t want to make the job any harder by adjusting that too). The tap spanner has come in handy for a few odd jobs, so well worth the few quid from screwfix or wherever IMO.

 

[Anju]

What everyone else said plus if you're using the existing hoses replace the rubber washers, though a lot of taps come with hoses. Don't over tighten them. Better to have a tiny leak and tighten to stop it. People often use a normal 15mm compression joint or valve and the end is not flat like a tap connector so it can cut into the washer and you end up with a tiny dripping leak. You need to be careful not to twist the hoses when tightening. Once you're done dry the connections and then after a few minutes use a bit of tissue to check it's all still dry.

Also these are the tap spanners you need. There are other things that people call tap spanners but they're for bath and basin taps.



Might also be worth spraying a bit of WD40 on the nut holding the tap.

Give it a go as if you can get it off you'll definitely be able to fit the new one and if you can't get it off it's not a problem anyway.