Kitchen and bathroom fixes in Calgary

Kitchens and bathrooms get used harder than any other rooms in the house. Doors and drawers open dozens of times a day, water splashes everywhere, and steam from the shower works on every joint. Small things wear out: a cabinet door starts to sag, a towel bar pulls out of the wall, the toilet runs every twenty minutes through the night.

These are some of the most common handyman calls in Calgary, and most of them are quick. This guide covers the fixes we do most, a note on Calgary's hard water, and where the line sits between handyman work and plumbing.

Kitchen fixes

Cabinet doors that sag or will not close

Most modern cabinets use concealed European-style hinges with adjustment screws for height, depth and side to side. A sagging door often just needs adjusting. Hinges that have pulled out of particleboard can be repaired by filling and re-drilling, or by moving the hinge plate slightly. Broken hinges are replaced with matching ones.

Drawers that stick or fall off the track

Drawer runners wear, come loose or get knocked out of line. Re-securing runners, replacing worn ones, or upgrading to soft-close runners where the cabinet allows are all common jobs.

Loose handles and knobs

Usually a matter of tightening, sometimes longer or shorter screws. Changing all the cabinet hardware is an easy way to update a kitchen; new handles may need new holes if the spacing is different.

Backsplash and countertop caulking

The joint where the countertop meets the backsplash, and around the sink, is caulked to keep water out. When it cracks or turns dark, water can get behind it. Cutting out the old caulk and re-caulking is a quick job. See caulking and sealing in Calgary.

Range hood and under-cabinet lights

Replacing burnt-out bulbs, cleaning or replacing filters, and swapping an existing under-cabinet light are handyman work. New wiring for added lights is not.

Bathroom fixes

Running toilets

A toilet that runs or refills on its own usually has a worn flapper, a fill valve that is not shutting off, or a chain that is too long. Replacing these internal parts is a common small job.

Loose or cracked toilet seats

Seats loosen over time, and some cheaper seats crack. Replacing or properly tightening a seat takes minutes.

Towel bars and toilet paper holders

These are the classic bathroom repair. They get pulled on, the drywall anchors fail, and the bar comes off. The fix is to remount with proper anchors or into blocking, sometimes after patching the old holes. Grab bars are different: they need to be fastened securely into solid framing or blocking to be safe.

Dripping taps

A dripping faucet usually needs a new cartridge or washer. Most single-handle faucets have a replaceable cartridge specific to the brand. Swapping a cartridge, or replacing a faucet on existing supply lines and shut-offs, is something Kaur Handyman can do.

Tub and shower caulking

Mildew under the caulk, gaps at the corners, or caulk peeling off the tub edge mean it is time to redo it. Done well, it keeps water out of the wall. See caulking and sealing in Calgary.

Bathroom fans and vanity lights

A noisy or broken fan cover, or a dated vanity light swapped for a new one on the same box, is handyman work. See light fixture installation in Calgary.

Mirrors, shelves and accessories

Hanging mirrors and medicine cabinets on existing openings, open shelves and robe hooks.

Grout and tile

Cracked grout at the base of a tub surround or in a shower corner is common in Calgary homes, especially where the tub meets the wall tile. Corners and changes of plane move slightly, so they are better sealed with caulk than grout. Small sections of cracked grout on flat walls can be raked out and regrouted. Loose or hollow-sounding tiles in a shower are a sign water may have got behind them, which needs a closer look before any patching.

Calgary's hard water

Calgary's tap water is on the hard side. The City of Calgary's own water quality reports put it in the moderately hard to hard range, and it varies by season and by which treatment plant supplies your area. In daily life, hard water shows up as:

• White, chalky buildup on taps, showerheads and glass shower doors
• Scale inside aerators that reduces flow from the tap
• Faster wear on toilet fill valves and faucet cartridges
• Spots on dishes and fixtures

Practical steps:

• Unscrew and soak aerators and showerheads in vinegar every few months to dissolve scale
• Wipe down glass shower doors after use
• Expect fill valves and cartridges to wear sooner than the box suggests

Whether a water softener is worth it is a personal choice. Installing a softener involves plumbing connections and should go to a plumber.

When to call a licensed plumber

Signs it is plumbing work:

• Water stains on the ceiling below a bathroom
• A shut-off valve under the sink that will not turn or leaks
• Slow drains that come back after clearing
• A toilet that rocks, which can mean a failed wax seal or a floor problem
• No shut-off valves at all

Small upgrades worth doing at the same time

If someone is already coming to fix a cabinet door or a running toilet, a few small upgrades can be added for little extra time:

• Soft-close hinges or runners, where the cabinets allow them
• New cabinet handles or knobs
• A new toilet seat with slow-close hinges
• A new showerhead or faucet aerator, especially if the old one is scaled up from hard water
• A properly anchored towel bar, robe hook or toilet paper holder
• A new vanity light on the existing box
• Fresh caulking at the tub, sink and backsplash

Put them in the same text and they are quoted together.

Before a visit

• Clear out the cabinet under the sink if the job is there
• Know where the main water shut-off is
• If you have the replacement part, have the box or packaging on hand
• Take a photo of any model numbers on faucets or toilets

Kitchens and bathrooms when renting or selling

Bathroom caulking, cabinet doors and dripping taps are near the top of every turnover list and every home inspection report. See rental turnover repairs and the pre-listing repair list.

For other jobs, see the services list.

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Calgary NW, NE, SW and SE, plus Airdrie and Chestermere.

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