When you are remodeling a bathroom or kitchen, you will quickly learn that there are quite a few costs involved.
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Some of these higher costs like vanities or cabinets are expected, but some of the expenses for bathroom fixtures can seem a bit extreme.
When looking at faucets, you may notice that some of them cost several hundred dollars.
In fact, there are some faucets which can cost more than $1000.
Although this may seem like a simple fixture in your home, some things are worth thinking about and considering why faucets are so expensive.
Here are our top ten reasons faucets are so expensive.
Why Are Faucets So Expensive?
1. Material
Faucets are made with materials which cause them to be higher in price.
The price of a faucet will be directly related to the type of material it is made of.
Some of the cheaper faucets have plastic pieces which are covered with chrome.
If you look at the more premium faucets, the materials like brass, nickel, and steel will come into play.
The materials are harder to source, harder to work with, and they eventually end up costing more money to the end user.
The cheaper materials will not last as long, and therefore, most faucets are made with better materials.
You will have to consider the fact that a faucet is something that is used quite often.
Since there is frequent daily use, the materials have to be of a certain quality, or the faucet will actually start to fall apart.
When it comes to changing out the faucets in your house, make sure that you know the materials they are made with and the quality of that material.
2. Longevity
The reason you were surprised by the price of the faucet could be that it has been a while since you last purchased a faucet.
If this is the case, you are not alone.
Faucets are not something homeowners should have to replace all that often.
In fact, the only time you should have to replace a faucet is if there is a leak or an issue or if you are remodeling your kitchen or bathroom.
Most of these faucets are built to last for ten or twenty years.
This is quite a bit of time, and it’s probably why you have lost touch with the kitchen faucets’ current pricing.
When a product is built to last for ten or more years, the pricing is always higher.
Although this can be hard to accept, you have to consider how long you will have that product.
Of course, a new faucet could cost you $200, but you must consider that this is probably not much more than your weekly food bill.
This food is not even going to make it through the week.
Think about the long-term value when you purchase a faucet, and it will be a little easier to justify spending the money.
3. Interior Design
Interior design is expensive, and faucets are just as much a part of the design as any part of your kitchen or bathroom.
When you look at a kitchen or a bathroom, the faucets are going to be noticed.
There is absolutely a difference between a cheap-looking faucet and an expensive faucet.
If you are putting high-end finishes in your kitchen and throughout your home, the faucet must match.
It will stand out quite a bit when you put in new marble counters and have a cheap faucet sitting on them.
The interior design industry has undoubtedly increased the pricing on the faucets.
They have had an enormous impact in the prices that companies can charge for their faucets as well.
If more time was put into the design and layout of the faucet to match a certain style, the pricing is going to be higher.
If you don’t care much about the overall design of your kitchen or bathroom, you will likely save some money on the faucet you choose.
However, if you are going to consider resale value when you replace your faucet, you must put in a decent looking faucet.
4. Installation
Faucets can be expensive because of their installation.
Although it doesn’t take too much to replace a faucet, it can cause an issue for some homeowners.
If you are replacing your faucet because it is leaking, you may want to consider hiring a professional to do the replacement for you.
The leak could be in another area of the pipes, and simply changing out the faucet is not going to do the trick.
The faucet installation is also not that easy if the faucet has certain features.
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Keep in mind that you will also have to pay for installation in addition to the price you pay for the faucet.
The installation fees will probably be just as much as the cost of the faucet, if not more.
However, to get the longevity and the durability out of your faucet, you will need to make sure the installation is done properly.
5. Industry Pricing
The kitchen and bath industry is getting more and more expensive.
Since the kitchen and bathrooms are essential parts of the home, the pricing seems to continue to increase with no end in sight.
Years ago, people did not take quite as much pride in their kitchens and bathrooms as they do now.
In fact, today, some kitchen renovations will cost more than some houses.
The pricing in the industry and the pricing on other fixtures have bumped up the price of the faucets.
Since faucets are an integral part of the kitchen, and no kitchen will be complete without one, the faucet companies want their fair share of profit in this industry.
Think about a person who is going to do a $30,000 kitchen renovation.
If they have the choice to purchase a faucet for $50 or for $250, they probably won’t notice that much of a difference.
With all of the other costs that are built into the project, the $250 will seem like nothing.
This is why more and more faucet manufacturers are getting rid of their lower priced faucet models and replacing them with higher priced options.
Of course, these higher priced options are not all that much better than the lower priced, but they realize they can charge more for them.
If industry pricing keeps going the way it is, you are going to see more and more DIY homeowners.
It is getting to the point where there is a fine line as to whether or not a kitchen or bathroom renovation is worth the money.
6. Not High Selling Product
Another reason faucets are so expensive is that they are not purchased that often.
As we mentioned already, the long-term durability of a faucet is quite good.
This means you will be able to keep any item that you purchase for many years.
If a company knows that they may only have you as a customer every ten to twenty years, they are going to have to charge a higher price for the faucet.
This is a simple economics calculator that has to do with the cost to acquire a customer.
The more money and time it takes to get a new customer, the harder it will be to give them a great deal on the product.
If faucets were something that people were purchasing every year, chances are the pricing would be considerably lower on them.
The fact that faucets don’t sell quite as fast as other products also helps the seller justify higher costs.
When you know that you will be able to hang on to a product for quite some time, the pricing that you pay for it will be a bit easier to swallow.
7. Middleman
There is almost always a middleman when it comes to purchasing a faucet.
You will find that the middleman will add to the pricing.
The reason for the middleman happened years ago.
When there were companies that created faucets but did not want to deal with the end user as far as sales are concerned, the middleman came into play.
With the middleman being involved in this process, you will find that the pricing has to go up.
Although the middleman will acquire a product for less than a consumer can acquire a product, they still need to make a profit on it.
Of course, they will have their own staff and logistics that will need to be embedded in the total cost of the product.
With the world of the internet, the middleman is not as necessary as it once was.
For instance, you now have the ability to go directly to a manufacturer and purchase the product.
Sometimes this can save a bit of money, but now some manufacturers will compete with the middleman and charge the same prices.
It turns into a cycle of every person in the process wanting a piece of the pie and a cut of the overall purchase price.
As you can imagine, the higher the price of the faucet, the easier it is to split it amongst all of the interested parties.
Therefore, you end up with high priced faucets for your kitchen or bathroom.
8. Features
Products that have more features and better features are generally going to cost quite a bit more.
A simple faucet that has no temperature control or extra functionality will certainly be quite a bit cheaper than other faucets.
If you look at the world of faucets today, they have some very advanced technology.
Some faucets will allow you to set a temperature while others can turn on without you ever having to touch the faucet.
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Certainly, this will be a nice additional feature to have, but it adds to the faucet’s overall pricing.
For kitchen faucets, the features and functionality are a bit more important.
You will need to have the ability to reach every area of your sink, and it can be important to have different spray types as well.
The kitchen faucet will very likely be used more than a bathroom faucet, and it is worth purchasing something that has a lot of functionality.
However, once you see the pricing on a high functioning faucet, you may change your mind.
As great as these various features are, the more important fact is whether or not the faucet is going to hold up long term.
Choosing something with stainless steel parts as opposed to plastic parts is a smarter choice than choosing a no-touch faucet.
If your budget constraints force you to choose between technology or quality, always choose the quality.
9. Single vs. Multi Handle
Another reason some faucets are so expensive is that they have multiple handles.
The multi handle faucets are going to cost quite a bit more money than those with the single handle.
With a single handle, you will find that you don’t get quite as much ability to customize the water flow and the temperature.
The double handles give you a lot more ability to change the water pressure and get the faucet to work for your needs.
As great as this is, the extra functionality and customization cost money.
The multi handle faucets use more material, and they are certainly going to take a bit more work when it comes to installation.
Many bathrooms and kitchens have no choice but to use a multi handle faucet.
If you already have holes cut in your counters, the multi handle faucets are going to be your only choice.
With advances in technology and the ever-changing industry standards and design, the multi handle faucets are becoming more and more popular.
This, of course, increases the price as the items start to gain in popularity.
10. Name Brand
Last but certainly not least, kitchen faucets are expensive because of the competition between the name brands.
There are some very popular name brands in the faucet industry like Delta and Kohler.
These brands compete to be the best of the best, and they are continually trying to put out the latest and greatest products.
Although this can be a good thing for an interested consumer, it does increase the price that we all pay for faucets.
As these companies compete against each other, they must hire better people, raise marketing budgets, and increase the quality their products.
These are all good things, but they lead to a more expensive faucet.
It is important for consumers to know that not all of the best faucets are name brand.
You can find a lesser-known faucet brand and still do very well with their product.
We highly recommend doing a bit of research on the warranty and service that a company offers on a faucet.
If you are going to pay $400 for a faucet, you deserve to know that it will last for quite some time.
Are Expensive Faucets Worth It?
When you go to pick out a faucet for your kitchen or bath, you will see prices ranging from $50 to $1500.
It can get very difficult for a consumer to know and understand what the proper price for a faucet should be.
It is hard to say that there is a specific amount you should pay for a solid faucet.
Some of the $50 options will last longer than the $1500 faucets.
The most important things to look out for are quality and functionality.
Try and find something in your price range that does what you need it to do.
Don’t choose a faucet simply because it was rated the best faucet of last year.
These ratings change, and you never know what went on behind the scenes.
Try to get a feel for the faucet out of the box and see if you like its functionality.
Don’t pay for features that you don’t need.
If a faucet has more technology than you need, don’t put it in.
As great as new technology is, it also opens the door for more issues.
An expensive faucet could very well be worth the money if you are someone who knows you are going to use it and enjoy it each day.
However, if you are wondering whether or not it makes sense to spend $1000 on a new kitchen faucet, chances are it is not.
Take your time and choose an option with exactly what you need for your home, which also fits your budget.
Source: https://gardencourte.com
Categories: Kitchens
