Plumber or handyman: who fixes a leaking faucet in Ontario?

Most leaking faucets are one of three things: a worn cartridge or washer inside the handle (the spout drips), a failed O-ring (water weeps around the base of the spout), or a loose or perished supply line or compression fitting under the sink (the cabinet floor is wet). The first two are parts inside the faucet. The third is the water piping, and that is where the trade question matters.

Can a handyman fix a leaking faucet in Ontario?

Not safely on the legal side, if the job touches the supply piping. Plumber (306A) is one of Ontario's compulsory trades under the Building Opportunities in the Skilled Trades Act, 2021: a person practising the trade must hold a Certificate of Qualification, a provisional certificate or a registered training agreement, and a business may not engage someone who does not. Ontario publishes no exemption for small plumbing tasks, and the trade exemptions in the regulation do not include one. Whether a cartridge swap alone counts as practising the trade has never been spelled out by Skilled Trades Ontario, which is why many handymen quote faucets and many plumbers say they should not.

The practical rule: a handyman can tighten a loose handle screw or replace a spout aerator. Replacing the faucet, a supply line or a shut-off valve is plumbing work and belongs with a 306A plumber. It is also the part most likely to flood a cabinet if a compression fitting is overtightened or cross-threaded.

Can I fix a dripping tap myself?

Many homeowners do. Ontario has published no guidance on owners doing their own minor plumbing; building departments treat fixture repair as permit-free, and a cartridge swap is routine maintenance. Shut both valves under the sink, open the tap to drain it, and remove the handle to reach the cartridge. Take the old cartridge to the store: they are brand-specific, and the brand is often on the handle or the escutcheon. If the shut-off valves are seized or will not stop the water fully, stop there. Forcing an old multi-turn valve is how a two-minute repair becomes a burst fitting.

Do I need a permit to replace a faucet?

No, in most Ontario towns. Replacing a faucet in the same place is a like-for-like fixture replacement, which municipalities such as Aurora, Markham and Toronto list as not needing a building permit. Adding a new sink, or moving one, alters the plumbing and does need a permit.

How much does it cost to fix a leaking faucet in Ontario?

GTA plumbers typically charge a first-hour or call-out minimum of about $150 to $200, then about $100 to $150 an hour, according to published rate guides from Toronto plumbing firms. A cartridge swap usually fits inside that first hour, plus the part. Replacing a kitchen faucet usually takes about an hour of labour; the faucet itself is extra unless the plumber supplies it.

On Doyo, a faucet install is $224.20, the full price including Doyo's fee, shown before you book. It goes to a plumber whose 306A certificate Doyo has checked. Your card is charged only once the job is marked complete.

Repair or replace the faucet?

Repair when the faucet is less than about ten years old and the brand still sells the cartridge. Replace when the body is corroded, the finish is flaking, parts are no longer made, or the plumber's time to fix it would cost close to a new mid-range faucet. If you replace, ask the plumber to replace the braided supply lines at the same time; they are cheap and they fail with age.