A dripping faucet looks like a five-minute fix, and sometimes it is. The trouble is the second trip to the hardware counter, the part that turns out to be the wrong size, and the text that says the drip is back. Before anyone agrees to a plan, count the whole job, not just the part that drips.
Local option: New Plan Care gives families in the St. Louis area in-home help so a parent can stay home: companionship, help with bathing and dressing, meals, and overnight care. Call (314) 405-0887.
Count the Trips First
Write down every trip. One to identify the cartridge or valve type, one to buy the parts, one to return the wrong size, and one to do the actual work. If you are the one driving, those are your hours. If a sibling is covering them, those are their hours. Put a number next to each trip so the total is visible before anyone decides who does what.
Then check the shutoff valves under the sink. If they do not close fully, the job now includes a valve replacement or a plumber visit just to stop the water. That is a separate line item, and it changes the math.
Check the Part Before You Buy It
Take the old cartridge or washer to the store, or photograph it along with the brand name and any markings on the faucet body. Faucets come in many models, and a part that looks identical can fit the wrong body. Ask whether the store takes back an unopened part and what it does with an opened one. Keep the receipt in the same folder as the rest of the paperwork for Mom's house.
If You Hire It Out, Ask Three Things
Ask whether the quote covers the parts or only the visit. Ask whether the work carries a warranty, how long it lasts, and whether it covers a return visit for the same drip. Ask what happens if the first visit turns up a worn valve, and who approves that charge before the work is done. Get the answers in writing. A quote that leaves those three points open has not been priced yet.
Ask whether the company will also look at the shutoff valves while they are there. A worn valve left alone can turn a small drip into a bigger repair later.
Split the Line Items Fairly
Once the trips and parts are counted, the fair split becomes easier to see. The person who does the driving, the lifting, and the phone calls is doing labor, and that labor belongs on the ledger next to the cost of the parts. If one sibling pays for the part and another does the repair, write both down. If the repair fails and has to be done again, the second round goes on the same sheet, not into a fresh argument.
Mom does not need to sit in on the parts talk, but she should know who is coming into the house and when. Ask her before anyone opens the cabinet under her sink.
When to Stop Doing It Yourself
Stop the do-it-yourself attempt and call a licensed plumber when the shutoff valve fails, when water shows under the cabinet after the fix, or when the drip returns within days. Those are the points where the next visit starts costing more than the first one would have. For people to call in the St. Louis area, see Local help. For how this site keeps its line items straight, see About this ledger.