Bathroom Plumber in Fort Collins, CO
Your shower drips with the handle all the way off. Your bathroom faucet has not stopped running since yesterday. The handle seized from mineral buildup and now takes two hands to turn. Bluewave is the bathroom plumber Fort Collins homeowners call when something needs a licensed plumber — not a handyman with a YouTube video and not a two week wait.
Bathroom Plumber in Fort Collins, CO
We repair showers, faucets, bathroom sinks, and bathroom fixtures across Fort Collins, and install new fixtures for renovations and remodels. Toilet repair and installation has its own page — visit our toilet repair and installation page for toilet-specific work.
What does a bathroom plumber fix in Fort Collins?
A bathroom plumber repairs and installs showers, faucets, bathroom sinks, supply lines, and bathroom fixtures. Common calls include leaking shower valves, dripping faucets, showerheads with low flow, slow bathroom sink drains, and fixture installation during a remodel. Toilet repair and installation in Fort Collins has its own dedicated page — visit our toilet repair page for toilet-specific work.
Shower Repair Service in Fort Collins — Leaks, Pressure Loss, and Valve Failure
Here are the five shower situations we see most often in Fort Collins, and what causes each one.
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Shower that drips when the handle is fully off.
A dripping shower in the off position almost always means a worn cartridge inside the valve body. In Fort Collins hard water, mineral abrasion wears the cartridge seal faster — what lasts five or more years elsewhere may need replacing in two to four years here. Cartridge replacement restores a watertight seal on the same visit without replacing the full valve.
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Loss of water pressure or reduced flow from the showerhead.
The small holes in a showerhead that direct water flow clog with calcium and magnesium deposits from Cache la Poudre water over months and years. Cleaning or replacing the showerhead restores full pressure in most cases. If pressure is low throughout the whole fixture, the cartridge or valve seat below the handle may need servicing.
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Shower that cannot hold temperature or loses hot water suddenly.
A failing cartridge or thermostatic element loses its ability to blend water at a consistent temperature. The shower may run hot until a toilet is flushed in another bathroom, or it may simply drift colder over time. Cartridge replacement or a new mixing valve element restores temperature control.
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Water appearing on the ceiling below the shower or on the subfloor.
This is either a valve body connection leak, a failed shower pan seal at the drain, or a broken tile-to-drain connection. We locate the source before recommending a repair. A supply connection leak is a straightforward plumbing repair. A failed shower pan or drain seal may involve a tile contractor alongside the plumbing work.
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Three-handle shower valve that leaks or has a stuck handle.
Older Fort Collins homes in Old Town and the historic neighborhoods around Colorado State University often have original three-handle valves from the 1960s and 1970s. These stems are still serviceable in most cases. We source replacement stems or convert the valve to a modern single-handle system when the original body is corroded past repair.
Why is my shower losing pressure or dripping constantly?
A dripping shower is almost always a worn cartridge inside the valve. A shower losing pressure is usually mineral scale clogging the showerhead holes or a partially closed valve seat. In Fort Collins, hard water from the Cache la Poudre accelerates both problems. Cartridge replacement or showerhead cleaning restores full performance on the same visit in most cases. Call (970) 997-1528.
Faucet Services in Fort Collins — Repair, Installation, and Hard Water Maintenance
Hard water from the Cache la Poudre is the root cause behind most Fort Collins faucet failures — addressing the mineral buildup is the first step before recommending a full replacement.
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Dripping bathroom and kitchen faucets.
A drip at the spout with the handle off almost always means a worn cartridge or valve seat. We replace the cartridge on the same visit for most standard faucet brands. A dripping faucet wastes up to 3,000 gallons of water per year, per the US EPA.
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Faucets leaking at the base.
Water pooling around the base of the faucet usually means a worn O-ring on the body or a loose supply connection underneath. Both are repairable without replacing the faucet in most cases.
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Handles that are stiff or will not turn.
Mineral scale from Fort Collins hard water can seize a faucet cartridge inside the body over time. We remove the cartridge, clear the mineral deposit where possible, and replace the cartridge with a compatible part.
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Aerator cleaning and replacement.
The aerator screen at the tip of the faucet catches calcium and magnesium deposits from Cache la Poudre water and reduces flow rate over months. Cleaning or replacing the aerator restores full pressure — one of the simplest and most overlooked maintenance tasks for Fort Collins faucets.
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Full faucet replacement and installation.
When repair is not cost effective or you are upgrading the style. Brands we install: Moen, Kohler, Delta, American Standard, and Pfister. We supply or install faucets you have already purchased.
My bathroom faucet is dripping. Is that worth fixing or should I just replace it?
Most dripping faucets in Fort Collins are worth repairing. A worn cartridge replacement typically runs $95 to $175 and restores the faucet to full function. Replacement makes more sense when the faucet body is corroded past the cartridge, the finish is worn through, or you want to upgrade the style. We give you both options and both costs before starting.
Bathroom Sink Drain and Plumbing Repair in Fort Collins
Bathroom sink plumbing repairs are among the most common same-day calls we handle. Fort Collins hard water accelerates mineral buildup inside aerators and drain fittings, and older homes frequently have supply valves that have seized from years of disuse.
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Slow or clogged bathroom sink drain.
Hair and soap buildup in the drain trap below the sink is the most common cause. We clear it and confirm whether the blockage is in the trap or further down the drain line below the floor.
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Drain stopper that will not hold or will not pull up.
The pivot rod mechanism connecting the stopper to the drain lever corrodes and breaks in older Fort Collins bathrooms. Replacement is a same-day repair with standard parts.
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Supply line that weeps at the wall connection or the faucet base.
Braided stainless supply lines develop slow leaks at compression fittings over time. We replace the supply line and check the supply valve underneath for mineral seizure, which is common in homes where the valve has not been turned in years.
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Drain trap that leaks.
The curved pipe under the sink that retains water to block sewer gas can crack from mineral expansion in cold temperatures, or corrode at the slip joint connection. Both are same-day repairs with standard replacement parts.
Bathroom Plumbing Installation in Fort Collins — Renovations and New Fixtures
Fort Collins has an active home renovation market, with older homes in Old Town and established neighborhoods being updated regularly. We handle the plumbing side of bathroom renovation projects, from simple fixture swaps to roughing-in work for a bathroom addition.
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New fixture installation.
Replacing a vanity, adding a freestanding tub, or upgrading a shower system during a bathroom remodel. We connect supply and drain, test all connections, and leave the finish work to your contractor.
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Shower system replacement.
Removing an old three-handle valve system in an older Fort Collins home and installing a modern single-handle thermostatic system, including any supply line changes the new valve requires. Permits are pulled for any new valve body installation.
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Bathroom roughing-in work.
Running new supply and drain lines for a bathroom addition or a fixture relocated during a renovation. Permitted through the City of Fort Collins Building Services or Larimer County, depending on your address.
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Fixture upgrade connections.
Connecting fixtures a homeowner or contractor has purchased and staged for installation. We connect, test, and verify before leaving.
Permit note: Bathroom plumbing installations that involve new drain lines, new supply runs, or relocating existing fixtures require a permit through the City of Fort Collins or Larimer County. We pull permits and coordinate inspections on every job that requires one.
How Our Fort Collins Bathroom Plumbing Service Works
Most bathroom plumbing calls in Fort Collins follow a simple four-step process from your first call to the finished repair.
Call or Book
Call (970) 997-1528 or book online. Tell us what is happening — leaking shower, dripping faucet, slow sink drain, or a fixture installation. This helps us bring the right cartridges and parts on the first trip.
Same Day Arrival
We arrive with cartridges for the most common Fort Collins shower and faucet valve types, standard supply lines, and drain components. Most bathroom plumbing calls finish on the first visit without a parts run.
Flat Rate Quote Before We Start
We give you the price in writing before we touch anything. You say yes or no. The number we quote is the number you pay.
Repair or Install, Then Test
We complete the work, run the fixture through a full cycle, confirm there are no drips or leaks, and clean up the work area before we leave.
Same Day Bathroom Plumbing in Fort Collins
Flat rate price before we start. Licensed Colorado plumbers. We carry cartridges for the most common shower and faucet valve types on the truck.
Bathroom Plumbing Repair and Installation Costs in Fort Collins
Most bathroom plumbing calls are flat rate services. Here are typical ranges for the most common work we do in Fort Collins.
| Service | Typical Fort Collins Range |
|---|---|
| Shower cartridge replacement | $150 to $300 |
| Showerhead replacement or descaling | $75 to $175 |
| Three-handle valve stem replacement | $175 to $350 |
| Shower valve body replacement | $350 to $650 |
| Faucet cartridge replacement | $95 to $175 |
| Full faucet replacement, labor only | $150 to $350 |
| Supply and install faucet | $250 to $550 |
| Drain trap replacement | $75 to $150 |
| Aerator cleaning or replacement | $50 to $95 |
| Bathroom fixture installation, labor | $150 to $400 per fixture |
These are typical ranges. Your cost depends on the valve type, the cartridge required, the access conditions, and whether a permit is needed. We give you a flat rate written price before we start.
How much does shower repair cost in Fort Collins?
A shower cartridge replacement — the most common shower repair in Fort Collins — typically runs $150 to $300 including the cartridge. A shower valve body replacement runs $350 to $650. We give you a flat rate written price after identifying the part, before any work begins. Most shower repairs are finished on the first visit.
Fort Collins Bathroom Plumbing Service Areas
We perform bathroom plumbing repairs and installations across all of Fort Collins, including Old Town, Northside, Midtown, Campus West near Colorado State University, Rigden Farm, Fossil Creek, the Harmony Corridor, and the areas along Prospect Road, Drake Road, Lemay Avenue, Taft Hill Road, and Shields Street.
Old Town and pre-1970 homes are the highest frequency locations for shower valve cartridge and three-handle valve service. Rental properties near the Colorado State University campus are our highest volume repeat bathroom plumbing accounts. We also serve Timnath, Windsor, Wellington, Loveland, Laporte, and Bellvue.
Fort Collins Bathroom Plumbing Questions
My shower is dripping when the handle is fully off. Do I need a whole new shower valve?
Probably not. A dripping shower with the handle fully off almost always means a worn cartridge inside the existing valve body. In most cases we replace the cartridge and the valve works well for years. A full valve replacement is needed only when the valve body itself is cracked or corroded past repair.
My shower has lost a lot of pressure. What causes that in Fort Collins?
The most common cause in Fort Collins is mineral scale from Cache la Poudre hard water clogging the small holes in the showerhead. Cleaning or replacing the showerhead often restores full pressure on the same visit. If pressure is low throughout the whole fixture and not just the showerhead, the cartridge or valve seat may need servicing.
Water is showing up on the ceiling below my upstairs bathroom. Where is it coming from?
The most common sources are a dripping supply line, a failed shower pan seal at the drain, or a cracked drain trap below the floor. We locate the source before recommending a repair. A valve connection leak is a straightforward plumbing repair. A failed shower pan or tile-to-drain seal may need a tile contractor alongside the plumbing repair.
My faucet handle is stiff and hard to turn. Is that a repair?
Yes. A stiff faucet handle is almost always a cartridge that has corroded or seized from mineral buildup inside the valve body from Fort Collins hard water. It is a repair, not a replacement. We remove the old cartridge, clear mineral buildup where possible, and install a compatible replacement. We regularly carry cartridges for Moen, Kohler, Delta, and American Standard.
Do you need a permit to replace a shower valve in Fort Collins?
A simple in-kind cartridge replacement in the same location typically does not require a permit. A full valve body replacement, a three-handle to single-handle conversion, or any work that changes the supply line routing may require a permit through the City of Fort Collins or Larimer County. We confirm permit requirements on site and pull any permits needed.
How often should a shower cartridge be replaced in Fort Collins?
In Fort Collins hard water conditions, a shower cartridge typically lasts two to four years without a water softener. With a whole-house water softener, five to seven years is more realistic. If your shower has been dripping or temperature control has become inconsistent, the cartridge is likely past its useful life.
I have an old three-handle shower in my Fort Collins home. Can you still service it?
Yes. Three-handle shower valves with individual hot, cold, and diverter stems are still serviceable in most cases. We carry or source replacement stems for most common older-style Fort Collins valves. When the valve body itself is corroded past repair, we convert to a modern single-handle thermostatic system. Both options come with written costs before work begins.
Book Your Fort Collins Bathroom Plumber Today
Whether your shower is leaking, your faucet will not stop dripping, your bathroom sink drain is slow, or you need fixture installation for a remodel — Bluewave handles it the same day with a flat rate price before we start. We are a plumbing-only company. Every bathroom call goes to a licensed plumber who does this work every day.
We answer 24/7. Also see our toilet repair page and our drain cleaning page for related services.