How many at once
The call-out is the fixed part. Four small jobs in one visit cost far less than four visits.
Toilets, faucets & fixtures
The small jobs that quietly cost the most
Nobody calls a plumber about a running toilet until they see the bill. These are the least dramatic repairs we do and, measured over a year, some of the most worthwhile.
What the job actually involves
Most of it is deciding whether a part will fix it or whether the fixture is finished. A toilet that runs almost always needs a flapper or a fill valve, which is a short job with a cheap part. A tap that drips needs the correct internal cartridge for that specific make — not a generic washer, which is why so many DIY attempts don't hold.
Where we'll tell you to replace instead of repair is when the seat inside a tap is pitted so badly that no new part will seal against it, or when a fixture has been discontinued long enough that parts have stopped existing. Both happen, and neither is a sales tactic — we'll show you the worn surface.
We also install fixtures you've bought yourself. That's completely normal and we're happy to do it. The only things to check before ordering are hole spacing and rough-in dimensions, because a beautiful tap that doesn't match your sink's drilling is an expensive ornament.
The one to stop putting off
Shut-off valves — the little chrome stops under every sink and toilet. In any house past about twenty years these are the original builder-grade parts, and they seize solid. That doesn't matter until the day a supply line lets go, you reach under the sink to shut that one fixture off, and the valve snaps in your hand. Now you're shutting off the whole house, in a hurry, while water spreads.
Replacing them across a house in one visit costs a fraction of doing them one emergency at a time. It's the dullest recommendation in this business and the one that saves people the most money.
Signs you need this
- A toilet that hisses, refills on its own, or never quite stopsSilent water loss, day and night. This is the single most expensive small fault in a house.
- A tap you've already tried to fixUsually means it's a cartridge tap, not a washer tap, or the seat is damaged. Neither is fixed by another trip to the hardware store.
- A shut-off valve that won't turnFind out now, on your terms — not at the moment you urgently need it to work.
- A toilet that rocks when you sit on itIt's breaking the wax seal underneath every time. Left alone this turns into a subfloor repair.
Cost
What moves the price
These are the most predictable jobs we do, but a few things still swing it.
Repair or replace
A flapper or cartridge is a small part. A new toilet or tap is a fixture purchase plus the install.
Who supplies the fixture
You can buy your own. We'll install it, and the manufacturer's warranty stays yours to claim.
What's behind it
A seized valve that snaps, or corroded pipe behind a fixture, turns a small job into a slightly bigger one.
Access
A pedestal sink or a tight vanity cabinet takes noticeably longer than an open under-sink space.
Obsolete parts
For a discontinued fixture, sourcing internals can cost more than replacing the whole thing. We'll say so.
Small jobs get the same treatment as big ones: diagnosed first, priced before we start, itemised on the invoice.
Where we do this
Fixture work across the areas we cover
Maple
Boom-era builder valves seizing across whole streets at roughly the same time.
Markham
Houses, townhouses and condos — tell us which, since condo work needs building sign-off.
Richmond Hill
Newer subdivisions where the original fittings are all reaching the same age.
Questions
About toilets, taps and fixtures
Why does my toilet flush by itself?
Phantom flushing. Water is escaping slowly from the tank into the bowl, and when the level drops far enough the fill valve tops it back up — that is the flush you hear. The flapper or its seat has stopped sealing. Cheap part, short repair, worth doing quickly.
Can I buy my own faucet and have you install it?
Yes, and plenty of people do. Two things to check. The hole spacing on your sink, because a widespread faucet will not fit a sink drilled for one hole. And warranty is split — the manufacturer covers the fixture, we cover the installation.
Why does my faucet still drip after I replaced the washer?
Because most modern taps have no washer. They use a cartridge, ceramic disc or ball assembly instead, so fitting a new rubber washer does nothing. The other common reason is that the seat is pitted, so even a perfect washer cannot seal against a damaged surface.
Is a wobbly toilet a problem?
Yes, and worth dealing with before it becomes a floor repair. A rocking toilet breaks the wax seal underneath every time someone sits down. Once that fails, water and waste escape under the flange on each flush, into the subfloor where you cannot see it.
How long do taps and toilets actually last?
The porcelain lasts effectively forever — it is the working parts inside the tank that wear, typically 5 to 7 years. Faucets vary with quality: a good kitchen tap can run 15 to 20 years, a budget one can drip in three.
Make a list and we'll do it in one visit
Call for anything urgent, or book online and we'll confirm a window.