Another cool and cheap saw like that are these $8 Kobalt keyhole saws that let you mount the blade four ways- up or down and also side to side, to fit in even more awkward spaces.
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Kobalt-7-5-in-Cross-cutting-Keyhole-Saw/5013540247
Question:
There is a plastic… “gasket” (that’s what they call it…) both on the old faucet and one comes with the new faucet. It’s supposed to get sandwhiched between the the faucet’s “base” and the sink’s deck/surface. It’s shown in the installation video (second video on this product page. check the thumbnails below the main image, one of them has “3 videos”. It’s the second video):
It’s also shown in the chris fix video I linked in my first post about this.
So, my question is: should I put some kitchen and bath silicone between the sink’s deck/surface and the plastic gasket piece? ie: Put silicone around the holes, or even each hole – OR to the same effect, put silicone around the perimeter of the underside of the gasket before I put it down on the deck?
There was some silicone remnants underneath the old plastic “gasket” I just spent 10-15 minutes scraping it clean with plastic razors, soap and water, and then alcohol. It’s nice and clean now.
I don’t trust just that plastic “gasket” to seal water tight to the sink surface. (Hence the quotation marks).
EDIT: (See below. The video link starts at the part I’m talking about. He cleans the surface, but then lays that plastic “gasket” down as is, and then the faucet on top. No silicone, no plumbers putty - which I did buy some of that too the other day… Should I use one or the other?
Yeah, the valve stem washer, often called “packing”, gets pressed into place by the packing nut & should form a seal. The packing, or seal, will get old or get so used to staying on one position, loosening or tightening the valve stem can make it drip. Tightening the packing nut can smash the seal back into place, if enough seal remains. I have work with all types and sizes of valves, many are very old. Oddly enough, had a 3" gate valve on Thursday that leaked like hell from the stem/packing nut area when I tried to turn it off, much more than a drip. Tightened the packing nut, it quit leaking.
Unless the packing is completely shot, tightening the nut a little usually stops the leak. It’s quick to try and it either works or it doesn’t.
Also depends on the type of valve, you may have one where the packing is smashed in place without an external nut. Basically, if there’s a nut where the valve stem goes into the valve body, you can try to tighten it and see what happens. But you know, don’t be a dummy and wrench it so hard you twist the valve off of the pipe!.. thats a bad day.
@Ivy Gotcha. Thanks.
This is my concern. I’m assuming the worst, and old valves with probably dried/decaying seals.
I’ve lived where they salt the absolute fuck out of the roads. Snow, rain, salt, and wrenching on my own vehicles. So I’m used to spending 10x the amount of time and effort babying a rusted fastener so as not to turn a day long job into a week long nightmare (and/or a tow, + mechanic fees). A job that would take someone in a non-snow or at least non salt 30 minutes max.
Thanks for the information, and the heads up. One can always tighten a little more. But you often can’t come back from over tightening. Memories are flooding in. Haha.
No prob. It’s all good, buddy. Your job, your call! Good luck with whichever direction you end up going. 
Thanks.
Just waiting for feedback on whether or not to use some plumber’s putty or silicone under the stupid plastic “gasket” for the faucet, between the gasket and the sink’s surface.
The sink’s surface isn’t perfectly flat, it’s slightly “wavy”, from what I can tell and feel. Very stupid.
i always use plumbers putty i believe the plastic base is a bond breaker as unless you renovate the sink is there for life built to last but the faucets 10 years max you would wear off the enamel coating from the contact between sink and faucet get ya some putty and make a snake pencil lead size not much they do not seal on there own always remember nothing sticks to silicone not even silicon
Hang in there @Nitt . I used to despise plumbing and would rather live with a leak than break into a line for any reason. Pex is the only way to go. It’s an initial investment in the crimper, cutter and fittings, but you’ll thank yourself in the end. Get rid of all the copper you possibly can. If you go the Pex route, use stainless steel crimps, not copper. The copper ones will eventually corrode, and I’ve discovered that they will leak on the hot water lines after a couple of decades. I think it has to do with the thermal cycling of the hot water lines. I replaced everything with stainless steel crimps. In addition, you can buy bags of Pex ball valves from Amazon for a reasonable price. Whenever I have to break into a line, I install a ball valve and turn the water back on. That way I can take my time and do everything right without worrying about not being able to flush a toilet. When the repair is done, I leave the ball valve there so I can isolate the device in the future and still have water. Using Pex is so easy, it’s almost silly not to.
Not much help for your current situation, but it will help you in the future.
I have some. But have just been watching videos on this (how to use, when and where to use, when to use silicone or teflon tape instead - I know it’s for threads) and I heard something that made me double check the tub of putty I have. It says do not use on plastics. The one in the video I was watching even said “do not use on ABS”.
Well, that plastic base is…plastic, haha. So I guess I’ll have to use silicon and avoid using the bathroom sink/faucet for at least 24 hours.
It’s gonna be kinda tricky or messy to apply the silicone, then the plastic gasket, then faucet, and then be able to do the nut fastening and hose hookup without the faucet sliding around up top and smearing the silicone around. This’ll be fun. Haha.
I’m surprised the putty can’t be used on/around plastics. That sucks.
@Coda The initial investment in the crimper tool etc. is why I don’t already have one, haha. Yea, definitely a better way to go.
When I was doing electrical, some of the HVAC/plumbing guys were using that (milwaukee) tool that you put into the end of the pex pipe and it stretches the opening, then you put that stretched opening over the fitting and it shrinks back down. I think I rememberd that right. Kinda cool.
Hopefully my silicone that I opened a few weeks ago is still good. Don’t you love buying a giant tube of silicone when you need a tablespoon of it. Then the entire tube goes hard when you need it months later (or a year, let’s be honest). Shit goes bad anyway, but as quickly as in months.
Thanks guys.
What do you guys think this would cost a plumber to come and do, ball park? Just estimate (note whether CAD or USD). Replace a faucet from beginning to end. Assume labor and materials, and even throw in having to replace stop valves.
(I’m trying to see if I can justify the pex tool purchase as a tradeoff for doing it myself. Many of my tools were acquired with this reasoning.)
if you lived close i would just jump in the truck and fix you up make you roll a big fatty for when we finished
Cost to Install Bathroom Faucet - 2024 Cost Calculator (Customizable) (homewyse.com) mind you that’s just faucet no Drian, no shut offs, i can hunt that for you as well
What state, what is the hourly rate for a plumber in your area
If you do go Pex, get the hand crimper. You don’t need the Milwaukee. The stainless-steel crimps have a tab like an Oetiker clamp, and you can get on them in tight spaces.
I guarantee you’ll spend less buying the tools and parts you need to do it yourself than you will hiring a plumber. Then you’ll have the tools for life. Once you figure out what you need, you’ll be surprised how easy it is (I was).
The flip side with a plumber is, you swipe your card and there’s zero stress.
I always used plumbers putty too. I used it because it was what I used before there was silicone. Old habits die hard.
Here’s a question - realistically, how likely are you to use it again? What will you do with it once you’ve completed your job?
Personally, I’d be for you doing the work yourself if you at all can. I think we’re all in your corner! 
Thanks for that calculator!
WOW! I’ve swapped out so many kitchen and vanity faucets for friends for nothing, not to mention for myself. I could never justify charging someone that much for a simple swap, but I totally believe that calculator is right. Sadly, imo.
I’ve been workin’ cheap too.
Landlord cheap…
HA! Must be related to our landlord!
I do all the maintenance in our apartment. When I first moved in in 1996, we were really broke and the tub surround desperately needed re-grouting. It’s a very nice tile job, done when the building was built in 1970, but I doubt the surround had been redone since. In any event, I had some unsanded white grout from a job I’d just done, and it was just enough to do the worst areas (always the wall with the fixtures, then the adjacent wall, and finally the wall at the far end of the surround), but not quite enough to finish the job. I think I’ll finish the job now that I can afford a box of white, unsanded grout! HA!
in north America there is a bible when it comes to estimating it is called the book of means this site is really close to that book the book is law for making money if you are not within 10% of the book its your numbers better look before you submit a price. Remodeling, Repair and Installation Cost Calculators - Homewyse if you ant to really make yourself think look at estimates for things you have done for friends and family site is layed out well
Yeah, I used to use a book for how to calculate your costs as the professional. It was really a good investment.