A lesson in faucet purchasing today.

Contractors end up at big box hardware stores a lot. (Dare I say this one was orange?) We were considering faucets for the bathroom renovation house where I hope to get some time tomorrow (if I can get my kids to beat the pollen and go to school.) If you haven't priced faucets lately, there is quite a range of options starting I believe at 18.97 and going up to 119.99. So what make the difference of $100?

plastic or brass

If price is your primary consideration, you could end up paying a lot more in the long run. Although the high end isn't necessarily the best, you would be safer to err on the side of pricey - especially where water is concerned. Water can cause a tremendous amount of damage. So if you opt for the $18.97 faucet, you are risking that the plastic interior will hold up against the water pressure inside until you replace it again. Otherwise, the only way you will know that the plastic wasn't strong enough is when it breaks and water floods your bathroom. A flood in your bathroom might be manageable - if you are home when it happens and catch it right away and know how to turn off your water.

But what if you are not home? Michael told me a story of a client who opted for the $18.97 faucet. The guy was away on vacation when the bargain faucet with the plastic innards that he installed on the third floor of his townhouse ruptured under the pressure of the water. The Water erupted from the faucet at such a force that a few days later when he got home, not only was there a hole in the ceiling above the faucet, he had extensive damage to the drywall, carpet, and furniture on all three floors of his home.

It might have been worth it to have spent another $40 on a faucet that had insides parts of brass and not plastic. How can you tell the difference? You take a few seconds and look. Brass isn't white.

So the moral of the story is, if you are going to invest, invest in something made of solid materials. What looks like a bargain will cost you possible a thousand times more in the long run. Look at the insides. Invest a little time - and even a little money. What looks fast and easy could be a real disaster. Who has already learned that the hard way?

I'd like to take a second to thank those of you who have the brass insides enough to post comments. You certainly keep me smiling throughout the day. And the Billy Price concert was great. You should've been there. Thanks Anne!