So I had originally intended to replace the seals in my bathroom faucet because it was dripping, but I also noticed that I was getting barely any hot water pressure, so I decided to just go ahead and replace the faucet, shutoff valves and supply lines. I went to Lowe's and purchased new shutoff valves, new supply lines, and a new faucet to fit the 8-inch spread on my sink.
I also figured out I needed a basin wrench because there is no other way I could have loosened the lock nuts from underneath. No big deal, just $15 for one of those. I got the old faucet out and saw that the new one came with a new popup assembly. So I decided to take out the old one. Unfortunately the old one was very corroded and the only way to get it out was to cut above the T-junction that houses the ballcock (I laughed too) assembly.
Halfway through I realized my hacksaw blade was dull and I didn't have a replacement. That stopped the project for a week because I had an insane deadline at work for a big client. So I was brushing my teeth in the kitchen sink for a little while.
Once I got back to the store and got rolling again, I finished cutting through and was able to put a wooden block underneath the drain flange and knock it out with a mallet. It popped out with a shower of rust flakes everywhere and I realized that the sink itself was badly corroded. Might as well replace the entire sink. Back to Lowe's.
They had a big selection of sinks, but unfortunately they don't make bathroom sinks with a 4-inch spread anymore. You can get them, but they have to be special ordered and the're a bit more expensive. So I just decided to buy a 4-inch spread faucet while I was there and return the 8-inch faucet later. The good news is the 4-inch faucet was a lot cheaper ($85 compared to $150).
After cutting the seal around the old sink I lifted it out. Being made of cast iron, that thing was HEAVY. I applied a new bead of plumber's putty around the rim of the counter hole and installed the new sink with the faucet already attached. Then it was just a matter of installing the new shutoff valves and supply lines, and applying a bead of silicone caulk around the edges of the sink and faucet. Done! I am officially a plumber. You can check out the complete photo gallery here: http://picasaweb.google.com/petersen1973/BathroomSinkInstallation#
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