Pot filler installation costs on average $1,650 if you have the existing plumbing, but expect to pay $3,000 or more if you need new pipes.
Pot fillers, also called pasta arms, might cost a pretty penny but they offer immense utility for home chefs. Even strong cooks have a hard time transferring large pots from the sink to the stove. It’s not good for your wrists and can even be dangerous, which is why many choose to spend an average of $1,650 installing a pot-filling faucet. These additions provide amazing functionality and offer a certain luxe element to a kitchen, but you might be left wondering, what is the true cost of installation?
A perfect kitchen would have plumbing directly behind the stove, and all you need to do is add the faucet. The reality is not quite as rosy, often requiring extra plumbing work and removing your backsplash.
While the type of faucet you choose factors into the cost, the work required to install a pot filler takes the lion’s share of the budget. While a bathroom faucet is built into an existing fixture, adding a pasta arm often requires reworking the plumbing since it is usually installed directly into the wall behind the stove.
One of the reasons you see pasta arms much more often in restaurants than in homes is that restaurants have exposed plumbing, which makes rerouting it much easier than through a wall at home. Restaurants also use much larger pots—such as those for stock—and it may not even be possible to lift a full pot from the sink and transfer it to a stove.
The cost to add a pasta arm in a home depends on the work that’s required. The more complex the project, the more tools, materials, expertise, and time are required.
| Work Required | Average Cost |
|---|---|
| Faucet only | $280 |
| Faucet with minor plumbing changes | $400 |
| Faucet with major plumbing changes | $1,200 |
| Faucet, major plumbing, minor structural changes | $1,900 |
| Faucet, major plumbing, major structural changes | $3,000+ |
Before thinking about installation, you need to choose which type of faucet you want to install. There are three types, each with their pros and cons. A fixed arm won’t allow you to fill separate pots in multiple locations on the stove, requiring you to lift and place the pot on the correct burner.
Swing-out and double-jointed arms allow you to fill the pot where you need it. They aren’t much more expensive and the process to install them is identical, which is why the most common type of faucet filler is double-jointed.
Now that you have the faucet, you will need additional materials if you’re performing more substantial work like rerouting plumbing, installing shut-off valves, or replacing damaged backsplash. These increase the budget, but if you don’t have plumbing lines running to the right places, these costs are unavoidable.
| Additional Materials | Average Cost |
|---|---|
| Shut-off valve | $19 |
| Wall reinforcements | $40 |
| Copper pipe fittings | $28 |
| 8 feet of copper plumbing pipe | $58 |
| Screws, anchors, adhesives | $20 |
| Backsplash (material and labor) per square foot | $55 |
Professional plumbing experts near you will cost between $45 and $200 per hour. This is a wide range, but it covers everything from a basic pipe installation to running new water lines from a different room and through walls to where your stove is.
The time required to install a pasta arm varies widely. If all you are doing is changing the faucet, you may not need a plumbing pro at all. But if you need to rip out all your backsplash, make a structural change, replace a wall, and route new plumbing around electrical, that is not a DIY job, and you need to call a pro.
Unless you can swap out the faucet or have previous professional plumbing experience, this isn’t a DIY-friendly project. You’ll be working with water lines close to high-voltage appliances, and any sort of bad plumbing connection could cause significant water damage to your walls and floors.
A local plumbing expert will do the work, but more importantly, they will save you from doing future work in the form of costly repairs. Installing a pasta arm can be pricey, but not nearly as much as replacing a wall or having to fix electrical circuits.
The two pillars of cost are labor and materials. However, there are some creative ways to bring both of those down:
Instead of using full copper faucets, find copper-plated versions.
Consider adding a pot filler faucet during a remodel or kitchen facelift, as opposed to a standalone project.
Install a backsplash that you can cut through easily without requiring total removal.
Consider a pasta arm in the wall where the plumbing would be easiest, even if it’s not directly over the stove.
A pot filler adds value to your kitchen and makes cooking much easier. Whether it is worth it will depend on whether you want or require the convenience it provides and whether you’re content with spending around $800 to install one. Many home cooks who cook items requiring a large pot full of water—pasta, soups, stocks, blanching—will find they use a pot filler more often than the casual cook.
The number one downside to installing a pot filler is the cost. It’s extremely useful to have a pot filler over a stove, and if you’re someone who can’t lift heavy pots due to an injury or other issue, they can make an enormous difference in both the comfort and safety of your kitchen. Once they are installed, they are difficult to move, so if you’re considering one, make sure it’s exactly where you want it before beginning work.
Pot fillers are usually outfitted with cold water only. When you need water for boiling, always choose cold water because hot water may contain more dissolved minerals from the pipe, offsetting the flavor of the food. In kitchens where the filler is used often, it may make sense to route hot water too, but this is rare, and even professional kitchens seldom have this option installed.
Pot fillers are not something that necessarily goes in and out of style. Certain materials may be more vogue than others, but ultimately a pot filler is a tool. Asking if a pot filler is in style is like asking if a stove is still in style, and it isn’t really something that matters. That being said, some may consider a luxury kitchen lacking if there isn’t one installed.
Yes, a pot filler can add value to a home by attracting buyers with its combination of prestige and usefulness. When building or renovating a kitchen, pot filler installation costs can add value without significantly increasing your overall budget. However, it's important to consider the overall design and layout of your kitchen before deciding to install a pot filler. Unlike other parts of the stove, a pot filler may not be used every day. Pot fillers are most appreciated in larger kitchens with a large distance between the sink and stove. In a smaller kitchen with a sink located close to the stove, a pot filler may seem like an unnecessary feature to some potential buyers.
