Your kitchen faucet has been dripping since March. Your garbage disposal sounds like it’s eating gravel. You’ve had backsplash tile in your Lowe’s cart since February. None of it is a big job — but somehow none of it has happened yet.
Summer is actually a reasonable time to stop waiting. You’re home more. Guests are coming through. And starting July 1, 2026, Florida HB 803 makes single-family home repair projects under $7,500 permit-exempt at the state level — which applies to everything on this list. Not that these fixes required permits before, but it’s good to know the state just confirmed it.
Here’s what each of the three actually costs and how long each one takes.
Fix #1: The Dripping Kitchen Faucet
A slow drip is annoying. A low-flow faucet — one that sputters and threads instead of streams — is worse, because it makes every kitchen task take longer.
Sarasota’s tap water runs hard. The distribution system delivers water at roughly 15 to 25 grains per gallon, which is on the harder end of the national range. That mineral load clogs aerators, pits finishes, and wears out internal cartridges faster than homeowners in softer-water states would expect. A faucet that might last 12 years in Chicago might start causing trouble after 6 or 7 here.
The fix is a swap, not a repair. For most kitchens, a new faucet looks better, flows better, and costs less than people assume.
A solid mid-range option: the Moen Adler pull-down kitchen faucet in matte black (Model 87233BL) runs about $184 at Home Depot. Spot-resist stainless is also available in a similar price range. If you want a step up, the Delta Essa pull-down (Model 9113-BL-DST) runs $240–$280 and comes with MagnaTite docking that keeps the spray head from drooping over time.
A standard faucet swap takes 45 to 90 minutes. HANDYS handles the fixture swap; no re-plumbing involved. Total installed cost for a mid-range faucet: roughly $260–$400, depending on which faucet you choose and how tight the space is under the sink.
Fix #2: The Disposal That Sounds Like It’s Eating Gravel
If your garbage disposal is rattling, grinding, or humming and not spinning, it’s not going to get better. The motor is wearing out, or something hard got through that shouldn’t have. Disposal repair is rarely worth it — replacement is a better use of money.
The most common replacement unit is the InSinkErator Badger 5: a half-horsepower unit with a power cord included (Model 79883A-ISE), available for $138 at Home Depot. It comes with a five-year warranty and handles normal household food waste without drama. It’s not quiet, but it’s reliable.
If noise is a concern — and in open-plan Sarasota kitchens it often is — the InSinkErator Evolution Compact runs quieter with SoundSeal technology and offers three-quarter horsepower. It runs around $419, though stock has been limited; check before you commit.
The installation takes 45 to 90 minutes. HANDYS swaps the disposal to your existing wiring knockout — no new electrical work. Total installed cost for a Badger 5: roughly $210–$325 (unit plus labor).
Fix #3: The Backsplash Tile in Your Cart Since February
This one is the most satisfying of the three to finally get done. A backsplash is visible every time you’re in the kitchen. It’s also, frankly, not that expensive for what it changes about the room.
Material costs vary by tile type. White subway tile (3×6 ceramic) runs about $0.80–$1.50 per square foot — it’s the most available option locally, and Floor and Decor on Fruitville Road in Sarasota carries a good selection if you want to see options in person. Penny round tile (white or neutral) runs $2.50–$4.50 per square foot. Patterned tile with a Mediterranean or encaustic look runs $2.50–$6.00 per square foot.
For a typical kitchen backsplash — 15 square feet is a common coverage area — grout and thinset adhesive adds about $40–$60 in materials. Labor runs $8–$15 per square foot in Sarasota, or $120–$225 for the 15-square-foot area.
Total all-in for a 15-square-foot subway tile backsplash: roughly $180–$320. Patterned tile will push toward the top of that range and beyond, depending on material costs.
A Quick Note on HB 803
Florida HB 803 takes effect July 1, 2026. It exempts single-family home repair and replacement projects under $7,500 from state building permit requirements. Faucet swaps, disposal replacements, and tile installs were already handyman-scope work — no permit needed under existing guidelines. But the new rule formalizes it, and if you’ve been waiting on something because permitting felt like a hurdle, it’s worth knowing that hurdle doesn’t apply to any of these three fixes.
Ready to Cross These Off?
HANDYS serves Sarasota, Bradenton, Lakewood Ranch, Siesta Key, Lido Key, Longboat Key, Anna Maria Island, and the surrounding coastal communities. Background-checked and insured technicians. Free quotes within 24 hours.
Call 941-207-6969 or request a quote at handys.now. These are small jobs. They don’t need to stay on the list.
