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CostLeaky Faucet

How much does a plumber charge to fix a leaky faucet in Virginia?

Virginia has no set price for a faucet repair, so the number that matters is a written quote for your faucet. The price moves with the faucet's brand and type, the part it needs and whether it is under warranty, how hard the old cartridge or stem is to get out, and whether the shutoff valves under the sink need replacing too. A repair inside the faucet needs no permit.

Free to ask. Local shops send quotes, and you pay only when you book one.

By Kasra Taheri, Founder, LoclisPublished

Researched and drafted with AI, then checked claim by claim against the sources listed below before it was published. Prices and rules change; the dates beside each source say when it was last checked.

Step by step

Read when to stop and call a pro, further down this page, before you start.

  1. Step 1: Find the brand and model

    Look for a name on the handle or base plate and any paperwork, so the plumber can bring the right cartridge or washer on the first visit.

  2. Step 2: Note where it leaks

    Write down whether water comes from the spout, around the handle, at the base or under the sink, since each points to a different part.

  3. Step 3: Test the shutoffs

    Close and reopen each valve under the sink; a valve that will not close or leaks at its stem will add a valve replacement to the quote.

  4. Step 4: Check the warranty

    Find the receipt or order history if you bought the faucet yourself, since some makers supply leak repair parts free to the original buyer.[5]

  5. Step 5: Get written quotes

    Ask for at least three written bids for the same work so you can compare prices and contractors.[11]

  6. Step 6: Check the licence

    Look up each plumbing business on DPOR's License Lookup or call the Board for Contractors at (804) 367-8511 before you accept a quote.[11]

  7. Step 7: Keep the deposit small

    Limit any deposit to 10% of the price or $1,000, whichever is less, and get the price and payment terms in writing.[11]

Virginia has no set price for fixing a leaky faucet, and plumbers set their own rates, so the useful number is a written quote for your faucet. What a quote covers matters more than the headline figure: the part, the labour, any valve work under the sink, and what happens if the old part will not come out. The sections below are what moves the price and what to ask for.

Most leaks are a part, not a new faucet

A drip is rarely a reason to buy a new faucet. Chesterfield County's utility department puts it this way: "A faucet leak is usually due to old or broken interior parts of the valve. In most cases, the entire fixture does not need to be replaced."[1] Moen says that leaks are often caused by a scratched or torn cartridge, O-ring, or grommet, and a cartridge replacement typically corrects the leak.[2]

So the core of most quotes is one part and the time to fit it. The part depends on the faucet. Older two-handle compression faucets take rubber washers and sometimes a new seat; cartridge faucets take a cartridge made for that brand and model. Exact matching matters: Moen's Duralast cartridge is sold under three service kit numbers, each with a different retainer nut, and the nuts are not interchangeable.[3] Telling the plumber the brand and model up front avoids a second trip.

A single-lever brushed steel kitchen faucet on a granite countertop, its pull-out hose hanging loose and water pooled around its base
Tomwsulcer, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

What pushes a quote up

A stuck cartridge or stem. Mineral scale can lock a cartridge into the faucet body. Moen's method for a 1225 cartridge whose stem has come out while the shell stays stuck in the valve uses a tap wrench to cut threads into the shell and a short hardwood dowel to force it out.[4] That is slow, careful work, and some plumbers quote it separately once they see it.

Shutoff valves that will not close. The repair starts by closing the valves under the sink. If one is seized or leaks once moved, it usually gets replaced while the plumber is there. Replacing a stop valve generally starts with shutting off the main water valve and draining the pipes,[6] and copper lines can use compression, push-to-connect or sweat fittings, and sweat fittings are soldered onto the pipe.[6] A soldered valve takes longer than a compression one.

Leaks in more than one place. A drip at the spout, water around the handle and a wet cabinet below are three different repairs. Ask the plumber to list each one on the quote.

Repair versus replace. If the faucet body is corroded or parts are no longer made, the plumber may quote a new faucet instead. See what a plumber charges to replace a kitchen faucet to compare.

Who supplies the part. Check the warranty before anyone buys parts. Moen's current lifetime limited warranty says: "If this faucet should ever develop a leak or drip during the Warranty Period, Moen will provide FREE OF CHARGE the parts necessary to put the faucet back in good working condition."[5] It covers the original consumer purchaser for as long as they own the home the faucet is installed in, it needs proof of purchase from the original purchaser and a photo of the installed faucet, and the current text applies only to faucets purchased after November 2024, so older faucets fall under the warranty that came with them. Labour is on you: Moen will not be responsible for labor charges.[5]

What you will not pay for

There is no permit fee for a faucet repair. Virginia's building code lists, among ordinary repairs that need no permit, "Replacement of plumbing fixtures and well pumps in all groups without alteration of the water supply and distribution systems, sanitary drainage systems, or vent systems."[8] Moving the faucet or changing the pipes is different and does need a permit.

What waiting costs

The water itself adds up. EPA's WaterSense program estimates: "A leaky faucet that drips at the rate of one drip per second can waste more than 3,000 gallons per year."[7] On a hot-water side, you also pay to heat it.

Some utilities soften the bill for a leak you fix promptly. Chesterfield County takes leak adjustment requests for leaks on the customer's side of the meter, but you must repair the leak within 30 days after first learning of it, and include a copy of the plumber's invoice for a professional repair, or sales receipts for the parts if you fixed it yourself. In Chesterfield the water adjustment is based on 50% of the billed consumption above your average, and the county allows one adjustment in any 18-month period.[1] Ask your own utility what it offers before you throw away the invoice.

How to get a fair quote

Plumbing is licensed work in Virginia. DPOR's Board for Contractors regulates individual tradesmen in electrical, plumbing, HVAC and gas fitting work, and says that state certification of these trades is mandatory, not optional.[9] For businesses, the Board for Contractors must require a master tradesman licence as a condition of licensure for plumbing contractors, and a Class C contractor licence covers a single contract or project over $1,000 but less than $30,000.[10]

The Board's consumer guide is practical about quotes. "It is advisable to get at least three written bids or estimates using identical plans and specifications so you can compare prices and contractors."[11] It warns that a bid substantially lower than the others probably means the contractor made a mistake or is not including all the work the others quoted. "Virginia law requires all licensed contractors to provide a written contract for residential work," and it suggests an initial deposit of no more than 10% of the total price or $1,000, whichever is less.[11] Check the licence yourself, too: "A license number in an advertisement or on a business card does not necessarily mean the contractor's license is valid."[11]

On Loclis, a licensed plumber can answer your request with a quote, or say it needs to see the faucet first and offer an estimate visit; a paid visit's fee comes off its price. See how pricing works.

Stop and call a pro if

  • A shutoff valve under the sink will not close, or leaks once you move it.
  • The cartridge or stem is stuck, or breaks as you try to remove it.
  • Water is under the sink, in the cabinet or on a ceiling below, not just at the spout.
  • The faucet body is cracked or corroded, or the fix means moving or replacing pipes.

If you want to try the repair yourself first, how to fix a dripping faucet walks through it, and should you repair or replace a leaky faucet helps with the bigger decision. You can also browse all plumbing repair answers or find plumbers in Blacksburg.

To compare prices for your own faucet, describe the leak once and licensed local plumbers quote it.

Common questions

Is there an average price for fixing a leaky faucet in Virginia?
Not one you can rely on. Plumbers price by the job or by the hour, and the same drip can be a quick cartridge swap on one faucet and a stuck cartridge plus a new shutoff valve on another. Compare written quotes for the same work instead.
Is it cheaper to repair a faucet or replace it?
Usually repair. Chesterfield County's utility notes that a faucet leak is usually down to worn interior parts and that in most cases the whole fixture does not need replacing. Replacement makes sense when the faucet body is damaged, parts are no longer made, or the repair quote comes close to the cost of a new faucet installed.
Will the faucet maker pay for the repair?
Some makers supply the parts. Moen's current lifetime limited warranty provides parts free of charge if a covered faucet develops a leak or drip, for the original buyer while they own the home, but it does not pay labour. Check the warranty that came with your faucet and have the receipt ready.
Does a faucet repair need a permit in Virginia?
No. A repair inside the faucet changes no piping, and Virginia's building code lists replacing plumbing fixtures without altering the supply, drainage or vent piping as an ordinary repair that needs no permit, so there is no permit fee in the price.
Can a handyman fix my leaky faucet?
Virginia treats plumbing as a licensed trade: DPOR's Board for Contractors certifies individual plumbers and says certification is mandatory. Ask anyone quoting the work for a licence number and check it on DPOR's License Lookup. On Loclis, plumbing quotes come only from licensed businesses.
Can I get money back on my water bill for a faucet leak?
It depends on your utility. Chesterfield County, for example, takes leak adjustment requests when a leak on the customer's side raises the bill, if it is repaired within 30 days and you send the plumber's invoice or parts receipts. Ask your own water utility what it offers.

Sources

  1. [1] High Usage and Leaks, Chesterfield County, Virginia, Department of Utilities. Checked October 26, 2026.
  2. [2] What causes a Moen faucet or valve to leak or drip?, Moen. Checked October 26, 2026.
  3. [3] Faucet Cartridges: Bathroom, Moen. Checked October 26, 2026.
  4. [4] Removing a Stuck 1200 or 1225 Cartridge, Moen. Checked October 26, 2026.
  5. [5] Lifetime Limited Warranty, Moen. Checked October 26, 2026.
  6. [6] Oatey 101: Stops and Supply Lines, Oatey. Checked October 26, 2026.
  7. [7] Fix a Leak Week, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, WaterSense. Checked October 26, 2026.
  8. [8] 13VAC5-63-80. Section 108 Application for permit (Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code), Virginia Administrative Code, Virginia General Assembly. Checked October 26, 2026.
  9. [9] Tradesmen Program, Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation. Checked October 26, 2026.
  10. [10] Code of Virginia § 54.1-1100. Definitions, Code of Virginia, Virginia General Assembly. Checked October 26, 2026.
  11. [11] What You Should Know Before You Hire a Contractor, Virginia Board for Contractors, DPOR. Checked October 26, 2026.

Want a pro to handle it?

Describe the job once. Licensed local businesses send quotes, and you pay only when you book one.