FairangeSmall plumbing fixes: DIY or call a plumber?
Most small plumbing problems start the same way: something drips, runs, or won't drain. Some are a quick fix with a part from the hardware store. Others are worth paying for. Below, each fix has what you can reasonably try, the signs it's time to call someone, and the price range from our full guide.
Toilet Repair (Fill Valve and Flapper)
Try it yourself: Put a few drops of food coloring in the tank. If color shows up in the bowl without flushing, the flapper leaks; EPA WaterSense, Fix a Leak Week says flappers wear out and should be checked and replaced at least every five years. Flapper and fill valve kits are sold by size.
Call a plumber if: The tank or bowl is cracked, water leaks at the floor, or the shutoff valve won't close.
If you hire it out: $47–$287 across the US, midpoint near $118. Full cost guide · Price it for your ZIP
Bathroom Faucet Replacement
Try it yourself: A drip is worth fixing soon: EPA WaterSense, Fix a Leak Week says one drip per second wastes more than 3,000 gallons a year. If you're comfortable shutting off the valves under the sink, a cartridge or a like-for-like faucet swap is a common DIY job.
Call a plumber if: The shutoffs are seized, the supply lines are corroded, or the drain under the sink leaks too.
If you hire it out: $72–$606 across the US, midpoint near $226. Full cost guide · Price it for your ZIP
Kitchen Faucet Replacement
Try it yourself: Same as the bathroom: shut off both valves, take a photo of the connections, and match the number of holes in the sink or counter.
Call a plumber if: You also have a sprayer line, a filter, or a dishwasher connection you're not sure how to reconnect.
If you hire it out: $102–$711 across the US, midpoint near $277. Full cost guide · Price it for your ZIP
Garbage Disposal Replacement
Try it yourself: A disposal that hums but won't turn is often jammed. InSinkErator, fixing a jammed disposal says to switch it off, turn the hex wrench in the hole on the bottom until it spins freely, pull out anything stuck with tongs (never your hand), and press the red reset button.
Call a plumber if: It leaks from the body of the unit, or it keeps jamming or tripping after you've cleared it.
If you hire it out: $184–$871 across the US, midpoint near $365. Full cost guide · Price it for your ZIP
Drain Cleaning
Try it yourself: One slow sink or tub usually has a clog close to the drain. A plunger or a hand snake clears many of them.
Call a plumber if: Several drains are slow at once, water backs up into a tub or floor drain, or the clog comes back within days. That points to the main line.
If you hire it out: $42–$491 across the US, midpoint near $142. Full cost guide · Price it for your ZIP
Tub Surround Caulk & Spot Regrout
Try it yourself: Recaulking around a tub is one of the easiest bathroom jobs: cut out the old bead, clean and dry the joint, and lay a new one.
Call a plumber if: Tiles are loose, the wall feels soft, or there's mold coming back from behind the tile.
If you hire it out: $83–$627 across the US, midpoint near $239. Full cost guide · Price it for your ZIP
Outdoor Faucet / Hose Bib Installation
Try it yourself: Replacing a washer or packing nut on an outdoor faucet is simple once the water is off.
Call a plumber if: The pipe split inside the wall after a freeze, or you want a frost-free sillcock where there wasn't one.
If you hire it out: $89–$722 across the US, midpoint near $235. Full cost guide · Price it for your ZIP
Sources: EPA WaterSense, Fix a Leak Week · InSinkErator, fixing a jammed disposal · InSinkErator, installing a replacement disposal. Prices are the national ranges from our guides (BLS OEWS May 2025 wages and cited parts prices). Fairange does not book contractors or sell parts.