Amazon is great. I use it all the time for household items, tools, and last-minute needs around the house. But when it comes to plumbing parts and fixtures, it might not always be the best place to shop—especially if you’re hoping to save time and money.
At Rooter Man Plumbing of Charleston, we often get requests to install faucets, toilets, and water heaters that customers have purchased themselves. We’re happy to accommodate that in many cases, but there are a few important things to understand before going that route.
Many people choose to supply their own fixtures thinking it will save money. Sometimes it does but often it does not. We’ve seen situations where a customer buys a discounted or clearance item that turns out to be incomplete or incompatible. That can lead to extra trips, delays, and added labor costs especially if the item cannot be returned.
If you’re planning to supply your own plumbing parts or fixtures here are some important things to know:
We do not offer pickup or delivery for customer-supplied items. For larger fixtures like toilets and water heaters it’s your responsibility to have the product onsite and ready for installation.
If something is wrong with the item you’ll need to handle the return or exchange with the store. We’re not able to manage that process or wait on replacements.
While returning a faucet is relatively simple replacing a toilet or hauling back a water heater is much more difficult. Be sure you’re prepared to take on that responsibility if something is missing or damaged.
We typically cannot warranty parts we didn’t supply. If a customer-supplied fixture leaks malfunctions or fails shortly after installation we may need to charge for a return visit and labor.
Our team installs fixtures every day and we know what typically works in different homes. We also know which products come complete and which often lack parts like supply lines or adapters. For example some faucets include everything needed while others do not. Similarly many homeowners purchase a water heater without realizing they also need a new drain pan expansion tank fittings or shutoff valve.
By allowing us to supply the materials we can help ensure that the job is done right on time and with the correct parts. It also allows us to offer both a labor and part warranty giving you peace of mind.
If you’re looking for a specific design brand or style of fixture that you really like we fully support that. Specialty faucets, shower heads or decorative sinks are great examples of items that customers can and should choose on their own if they have a particular vision in mind. In those cases just let us know what you plan to order and we’ll do our best to make sure it’s a fit for your space.
We are not trying to discourage anyone from supplying their own plumbing fixtures but we do want to help customers make informed decisions. What seems like a cost-saving move can sometimes create unexpected delays, extra visits and added expenses.
If you’re thinking about buying your own plumbing parts give us a call. We’re happy to offer guidance so your project goes smoothly from start to finish.
