Honestly, I’ve wrestled with the same thing in my own place. Those mismatched handles are such a weird quirk—sometimes it feels like the house is just messing with you. Swapping out stems or cartridges can help, but it’s not always a quick fix. Sometimes the old plumbing just doesn’t want to cooperate, and you end up chasing leaks or realizing the parts aren’t standard.
If you’re comfortable turning off the water and taking things apart, it’s not too tough to try. Just be ready for surprises—like finding out your faucet is older than you thought or that nothing lines up quite right. I’ve had luck with budget replacement kits from hardware stores, but sometimes it’s just easier (and cheaper) to live with the weirdness unless something’s actually leaking.
It’s definitely doable on a budget if you’re patient, but yeah... sometimes those “quirks” win out.
- Totally get where you’re coming from.
- Those “quirks” are half the charm and half the headache of older homes, right?
- I’ve tried to swap out handles to match, but sometimes you end up wasting more time and money than it’s worth.
- Honestly, unless it’s leaking or wasting water, I just leave it.
- On the bright side, mismatched handles don’t use any extra resources, so there’s that small eco-win.
- If you do decide to tackle it, just keep expectations realistic—sometimes the best fix is just learning to live with a little weirdness.
