New Sink and Taps: Cost, Options & What Fitting Involves

A new sink and taps is one of the fastest ways to lift a tired kitchen or bathroom without the cost of a full refit. Whether your old tap is dripping, the sink is scratched and stained, or you simply want a cleaner look, a straight swap is usually a same-day job for a qualified plumber. Here is what fitting a new sink and taps involves, what it costs, and photos from our recent installs across Coventry and Nuneaton.

When Is It Time for a New Sink and Taps?

• Constant dripping. A worn tap wastes water and leaves limescale stains in the bowl below it.
• Stiff or loose handles. The cartridge inside is worn. On decent taps that is a cheap fix, but on budget taps the cartridge is often sealed in, so the whole tap has to go.
• Limescale you cannot shift. Coventry sits on hard water and scale slowly eats through chrome plating.
• Chips, scratches and stains. Old stainless and ceramic bowls show their age no matter how hard you scrub.
• Low water flow. Sometimes the tap, sometimes the pipework behind it. We check both before recommending anything.

Choosing Your New Taps

Kitchen taps

The most popular choice is a swan-neck mixer. The high arc gives you room to fill stock pots and rinse oven trays without knocking the spout. If you rinse a lot of trays and pans, a pull-out spray mixer is worth the small extra cost. Both come in chrome, brushed steel and matte black.

Bathroom taps

Basin taps come as traditional pillar taps (separate hot and cold), mono mixers (one lever, one spout) or wall-mounted sets. Finishes have moved on as well. Brushed brass and rose gold turn up in more and more of the Coventry bathrooms we work in, like the basin below.

What Does a New Sink and Taps Cost?

Our tap prices are fixed and published: a full tap replacement is £100 supplied and fitted, and if you have several worn taps we change up to three for £90 per visit (labour, you supply the taps). A full sink swap depends on the sink you choose and the state of the pipework underneath, so we agree a fixed price before any work starts. There is no call-out fee either way.

What the Job Involves

1. Isolate the water and disconnect the old tap and waste.
2. Remove the old sink (for full swaps) and clean up the worktop or basin area.
3. Fit the new sink and taps with new flexible connectors and fresh sealant. We never reuse old flexi hoses. A perished flexi is one of the most common causes of kitchen floods we attend.
4. Replace tired valves or waste fittings so the new install sits on sound plumbing.
5. Test everything. Flow, temperature, and every joint run and checked dry before we pack up.

A straightforward tap swap takes under an hour. A full sink and taps replacement is typically two to three hours, done in a single visit.

New Basin Taps and Wastes

Bathroom basins get the same treatment: new taps, a new click-clack or chain waste, and fresh seals so nothing drips into the vanity below.

New Sink and Taps in Coventry & Nuneaton

First Call Home Services fits sinks and taps across Coventry, Nuneaton, Bedworth and surrounding Warwickshire. We are Gas Safe registered, rated 4.8 from 396 Google reviews, and every job is priced before we start. No call-out fee.

Common Sink Materials Explained

Stainless steel remains the most popular choice for kitchen sinks thanks to its durability and low maintenance, though it can show water spots and scratches over time. Composite granite sinks resist scratches and heat better but need more careful cleaning to avoid staining.

Ceramic sinks give a classic look, particularly in period-style kitchens, but are heavier and can chip if something is dropped on them. We can advise on what suits your kitchen and how you use it before you commit to a material.

Signs Your Sink Needs Replacing

Cracks, chips, or a worn finish that no longer cleans up properly are the clearest signs it's time for a replacement rather than another repair. Persistent staining that won't shift, despite cleaning, is another common trigger.

If the sink itself is fine but the taps are failing repeatedly, it's often more cost-effective to replace sink and taps together rather than paying for separate visits over time.

Undermount vs Inset Sinks

Inset sinks sit into a cut-out in the worktop with a visible rim, and are generally the more affordable and straightforward option to fit or replace. Undermount sinks sit beneath the worktop for a seamless look but need a compatible worktop material and more careful installation.

We can advise on which suits your existing worktop and budget before you commit to a style that might not be straightforward to fit in your kitchen.

Fitting Timeline and What to Expect

A straightforward sink and tap replacement, where the new unit is a similar size and fits the existing cut-out, is typically completed within a few hours including isolating supplies, removing the old unit and testing the new one.

If the new sink requires a different cut-out size or worktop modification, this adds time - we'll always flag this during the quote so there are no surprises on the day.

Matching Your Kitchen Style

Tap and sink styles have moved on considerably from standard chrome mixers - brushed brass, matte black and copper finishes are increasingly popular for kitchens looking for a distinctive look, while classic chrome remains the most versatile and easiest to match with existing fittings.

Sink shape matters as much as material - a single large bowl suits those who wash bigger pots and pans regularly, while a divided bowl works better for households that want to separate washing and food prep. We can talk through what's practical for how your kitchen is actually used, not just what looks best in a showroom.

Waste Disposal Units and Modern Additions

Waste disposal units, boiling water taps and integrated water filters are increasingly popular additions when replacing a kitchen sink, though each has specific plumbing and, in some cases, electrical requirements that need planning into the job from the start.

If you're considering any of these alongside a standard sink and tap replacement, mention it when booking - it changes what's needed under the sink and can affect both the cost and the time the job takes to complete properly.

Quick Questions

Can you fit a sink I've bought myself? Yes, we regularly fit customer-supplied sinks and taps - just check the dimensions match your existing worktop cut-out first.

Do you dispose of the old sink and taps? Yes, responsible removal and disposal of the old fittings is included as standard as part of the job.

A new sink and taps is one of the more affordable ways to refresh a kitchen without a full renovation, and the difference it makes to how the room looks and functions day-to-day is often bigger than people expect. Whether you're planning a full kitchen update or just tackling a tired, worn sink on its own, we're happy to talk through the options.

Ready to update your kitchen sink and taps? Get in touch for a fixed quote, whether you already have the fittings you want or need advice on what to choose.