"Just Change

The Washer"
They Said

The Call That Made Me Write This

A customer called about a dripping bath tap. Fair enough - happens all the time in this hard water area. But the moment I walked in and saw the tap, I knew exactly what we were dealing with.

Cheap tap. Lever handles. That "modern" look that comes with every new-build bathroom these days. This wasn't a traditional tap with a washer you can replace for 50p. This was a quarter-turn tap with ceramic disc cartridges - and that changes everything.

What Quarter-Turn Taps Actually Are

I Told Him Straight

I explained the situation clearly: "We can take a look and see if we can do anything, but honestly, it's not worth changing the cartridges. These taps are too far gone. Best thing is a new tap."

I quoted him for a new bath tap - around £175 supplied and fitted. Simple job, no messing about.

But he wanted to try anyway.

Then It Got Worse

Here's where things got complicated. To get a replacement cartridge, you need to take the old one AND the handle to a plumbing shop. They're not standardized - every cheap tap manufacturer uses slightly different sizes. You can't just buy "a cartridge" and expect it to fit.

And to make matters worse, the gate valves on both the hot and cold wouldn't properly isolate the water. So we've got a bath tap slowly pouring into the bath with no way to stop it. Not exactly something you can just leave.

I told him again: "Look, you need a new tap. This isn't going to work."

He Asked Us To Try The Shop Anyway

Against my advice, he asked us to take the cartridge and handle to the plumbing suppliers to try and find a replacement.

So we did. Wasted our time going to the shop with the cartridge and handle. They had nothing like it. Different spline count, different dimensions, wrong thread size. As I'd expected.

Came back and told him: he needed a new tap. The same thing I'd said at the very beginning.

Why This Keeps Happening

I understand why people want to try repairing things. Nobody wants to spend money unnecessarily. But here's what customers don't realize about quarter-turn taps:

• They're not designed to be repaired. These cheap taps are built to a price point. The manufacturers never expected anyone to fix them.
• Cartridges aren't standardized. Unlike traditional washers which are universal, every cheap tap brand uses slightly different cartridge sizes.
• Even if you find one, it costs almost as much as a new tap. A quality replacement cartridge (if you can find it) might be £30-50. For a tap that cost £40 new.
• If one side's gone, the other's not far behind. Ceramic discs wear at similar rates. Fix one side, and you'll be back in six months for the other.

The Lesson (Since You Asked)

I hate these jobs. Not because they're difficult - because I have to charge someone for my time to prove a point I made an hour ago. It doesn't feel good for anyone.

You think you know better. You don't. You've been warned.

How To Spot Quarter-Turn Taps

What You Should Actually Do

If you've got a dripping quarter-turn tap and you're wondering whether to try and fix it:

1. 1Call a plumber and be honest. Tell them it's a cheap tap with lever handles. We'll know immediately what you're dealing with.
2. 2Listen to the advice. If we say replace it, we're not trying to rip you off. We're trying to save you money in the long run.
3. 3Invest in quality this time. Buy a proper tap with traditional washers, or a quality mixer tap with replacement cartridges that are actually available.
4. 4Get your gate valves checked. If they won't isolate, that's a separate problem you need to sort before it becomes an emergency.