Should i go with a pot filler over my stove in a New Brunswick kitchen or is it just a waste of money and plumbing?

A pot filler is a luxury convenience feature that most New Brunswick homeowners find unnecessary — especially given our practical, no-nonsense approach to kitchen design and the additional plumbing costs involved.

Cost Reality in New Brunswick
You're looking at $800-$1,500 for a quality pot filler unit, plus $400-$800 in plumbing installation costs (assuming your kitchen already has accessible water lines nearby). A licensed plumber must install it since it connects to your home's water supply, requiring a plumbing permit from TIS (Technical Inspection Services). Total investment: $1,200-$2,300 for something that saves you maybe 30 seconds of walking to the sink.

Practical Considerations for NB Homes
Most New Brunswick kitchens — especially in our common post-war bungalows and 1970s-90s split-levels — weren't designed with pot fillers in mind. Adding one often means opening walls to run new supply lines, which increases costs significantly. If your stove is on an exterior wall (common in older homes), you'll also need to consider freeze protection since pot fillers can be vulnerable to freezing if not properly installed and drained.

The Water Quality Factor
Many rural New Brunswick homes rely on private wells, and water quality varies significantly across the province. If you're dealing with hard water, iron staining, or sulfur odors — common issues in areas like the Saint John River valley — you probably don't want to cook with untreated water anyway. Most homeowners end up using filtered water from their kitchen sink regardless.

When It Might Make Sense
Pot fillers work best in high-end kitchen renovations where convenience trumps cost, you're already doing major plumbing work, and your water lines are easily accessible. They're popular in large kitchens where the sink is genuinely far from the cooktop. If you're building new or doing a complete kitchen gut, the installation cost drops significantly.

Better Investment Options
For most New Brunswick kitchens, that $1,500-$2,000 is better spent on a quality range hood (crucial for our long heating season when windows stay closed), upgraded countertops, or improved storage solutions. A good pull-out faucet at your main sink often provides better functionality for filling large pots.

Next Step: Honestly assess how often you actually fill large pots and whether the convenience justifies the cost in your specific kitchen layout.