Still Do Any Work Around Here?

To answer a persistent question, yes.

Here's an update on a project that actually has been completed. The issue that led to my recent rant regarding the kitchen faucet has been resolved. The not-repaired stem was inserted back into the faucet and failed completely a week later. I then paid a visit to my brother-in-law at the plumbing supply store to get a better quality faucet.

There was a Chicago brand faucet in stock, and after being satisfied that this would be the last faucet I installed for some time I bought it. My specific questions were:

• Do the stems have rubber washers or ceramic?
  
• Are the washers replacable?
  
• Can I order new washers?
  
• Can I get new stems?
  

Jim's answers were:

• Both rubber and ceramic fit this model. If the rubber go bad quickly due to heavy use, replace with ceramic
  
• Yes
  
• Yes
  
• Yes
  

This answers made me very happy. Here is the faucet installed:


One week after I installed it I noticed rust stains from a drip at the cold tap:

I was of course fearing the worst as the supplies barely come up to the openings in the sink. But thankfully it was the connection between the adapter that fit onto the supply and the faucet itself that was not tight so I DID NOT have to disassemble the entire unit. I cleaned up the rust and it seems OK. (knock wood)

My only regret with this model doesn't have a built in post to add a soap dish. However I think that perhaps I can kill two birds with one stone here. In noticing the THIRD hole in the sink, there was a pipe for a cistern line originally. I can state with complete confidence that there NEVER was a cistern, as it isn't mentioned in the original contract, blueprints, or show anywhere in pictures. I do have original kitchen photos with a third faucet but it was likely just a dummy. There is no pipe coming down the back of the sink, nor is there any hole in the original floor for a pipe to go to the basement. I think if I can work the plug off and there is some little bit of pipe there I might be able to fashion some adapter and mount the soap dish from the previous faucet...