A new mixer tap is usually a short visit from a plumber. Sometimes it means a tiled wall coming open. The tap you choose has little to do with which. What decides it is where the tap’s working parts sit: on the bench, where they’re easy to reach, or inside the wall behind your tiles.
This guide covers who does the job, which swaps leave the tiles alone, how to choose a replacement that fits, and what to have ready. It doesn’t give step-by-step instructions, because connecting a tap is licensed plumbing work.
Updated 20 October 2026 · Written by Ella James, InVogue Mirrors & Bathware
Why Trust InVogue Mirrors & Bathware? InVogue is a mirror and bathware brand trusted in over 20,000 homes, specialising in LED bathroom mirrors, mirror cabinets and tapware across every major finish. The guidance in this article reflects genuine design and maintenance considerations, not finish trends.
Quick Answer
Use a licensed plumber to replace a mixer tap. It’s a condition of our warranty, and the work has to meet the Building Code (G12). Basin and kitchen mixers on the bench swap without touching a tile. Wall and shower mixers depend on the valve body in the wall: same model, new trim; different model, the wall usually opens.
- Basin and kitchen mixers on the bench: a straight swap. Everything that connects them is under the bench, so no tiles are touched.
- Wall and shower mixers: it depends on the valve body inside the wall. On our wall mixers, the in-wall body is the same across all six finishes of a model, so a new finish of the same model is a trim change. A different model or brand usually means a new body, and that means opening the wall.
- Towel rails, hooks and roll holders: unscrew and refit, as long as the new fixing points work with the old holes.
- Paint and wraps: decorative only. They wear on a tap that's handled wet every day, and painting ends the finish warranty.
- What to buy: match the tap to your basin and the hole in the bench, or, on a wall, to the body already there. Have the make and model of what you have now before you order.
Do You Need a Plumber to Replace a Mixer Tap?
Use a licensed plumber. Our tapware is installed by a licensed plumber to the New Zealand Building Code (G12), and that’s also a condition of our warranty. The Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board explains what homeowners may and may not do on its consumer advice page. If you’re not sure where your job sits, ask the plumber before you start.
What a plumber does depends on where the tap is. On the bench, the old tap comes off its hoses and fixing under the bench and the new one goes on. In the wall, it depends on the valve body behind the tiles, which the next sections explain.
What You Can Swap Without Retiling
Most of it. The only pieces that can force a wall open are the ones with a valve body buried in it: wall basin mixers, wall spouts and shower mixers. Everything on the bench, and everything that just screws to the wall, can change on its own.
Swap difficulty by fitting. "Wall opened?" assumes the tiles go back on, which is where the cost sits.
| Fitting | What changes | Wall opened? | Who | Check first |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basin mixer on the bench | The whole tap | No | Licensed plumber | Tap-hole size, and that the new spout reaches over the basin |
| Kitchen mixer | The whole tap | No | Licensed plumber | Clearance under the spout, and anything above the sink |
| Wall or shower mixer: same model, new finish | The visible trim (cover plate and lever) | No | Licensed plumber | That the body in the wall really is the same model. Ask us about parts first |
| Wall or shower mixer: different model or brand | In-wall body and trim | Usually | Licensed plumber, then waterproofing and a tiler | Trims aren't standard between brands, and often not between models |
| Shower head, rail or hand shower | The outlet fitting | No, if the outlet stays put | Licensed plumber | Our showers connect to a ½″ BSP outlet. A ceiling arm needs a ceiling outlet |
| Basin waste and bottle trap | Waste, plug and trap | No | Licensed plumber | Whether the basin has an overflow |
| Towel rails, hooks, roll holders | The whole piece | No | You or a handyperson | Where the new fixing points land on the tiles |
Basin and Kitchen Mixers: The Easy Swap
A basin or kitchen mixer that stands on the bench is the simplest change in the house. It's held by a fixing under the bench and fed by two flexible hoses from stop valves inside the vanity or cupboard, so a licensed plumber can take the old one off and fit the new one without going near the wall. Our tapware connects with G ½″ (½″ BSP) fittings.
The finish is the easy part. The things that catch people out are shape and size:
- The tap hole. Our Vienna Short and Vienna Tall basin mixers suit a Ø35–38 mm hole, and the Como and Porto kitchen mixers a Ø35 mm hole. Measure yours before you order.
- Height and reach. A different tap puts the water somewhere else. The Vienna Short is 175 mm tall with a 140 mm reach and 75 mm under the spout. The Vienna Tall is 305 mm tall with a 180 mm reach and 200 mm under the spout, the height a vessel basin needs. Swap one for the other without checking the basin and you can get splashing, or a spout that won't clear the rim.
- The benchtop. We don't publish a maximum benchtop thickness. If your bench is unusually thick, send us your model and a photo and we'll confirm before you buy.
If you're not sure the new shape suits your basin, our which tap fits my basin tool checks it in a minute.
Chrome · Vienna Tall
Antique Brass · Vienna TallDesigner Insight: if you're swapping like for like, a short mixer for our short mixer or a tall one for our tall one, the job is usually quick. Change the height class and you're really changing the basin relationship, so check the reach and the gap under the spout first.
Wall and Shower Mixers: Why the In-Wall Body Decides Everything
Whether you can change a wall mixer without removing tiles comes down to one part you can't see. A wall mixer is two pieces: a brass valve body fixed in the wall cavity before lining and tiling, and the trim you see, which is the cover plate and lever (plus the spout on a wall basin set). The body is plumbed in, pressure tested and tiled over. The trim goes on at the end.
So the question is never really "can I change the colour?" It's "will the new trim fit the body that's already there?" If it will, the tiles stay. If it won't, the body has to come out, and that means opening the wall, disturbing the waterproofing behind it and retiling at least that patch.
Here's the trap. Trims aren't standard. On Bunnings Workshop, moderators point out that fittings can change between models within the same brand, so only the exact make and model is certain to fit. One homeowner there only wanted a new colour on a five-year-old wall mixer and was told the new mixer's parts wouldn't fit the body in the wall, so the wall had to come open. That's the situation to plan around.
How our wall mixers handle it
Every Invogue wall mixer uses the same in-wall body across all six finishes for a given model. A Milano Wall Mixer in Chrome and a Milano Wall Mixer in Antique Brass share the body, so changing that model's finish later is a trim change, not a wall rebuild. Before you plan it, send us your model and a photo and we'll confirm the parts you need.
Different models are different bodies, though. Our two wall mixers aren't interchangeable:
Valve depth from each product's specifications. It's measured from the finished tile face.
| Model | Valve | Valve depth in wall | What it runs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milano Wall Mixer | 3-port valve | 45–70 mm | One outlet: a wall spout or a single shower |
| Cannes Diverter Mixer | 4-port diverter valve | 55–85 mm | Two outlets, such as an overhead shower and a hand shower |
You can't turn a Milano into a Cannes by changing the trim; that's a body change. And we don't claim our trims fit any other brand's body. If the wall mixer you have now is another brand, plan on a new body, and plan the job for when that wall is being opened anyway. Our wall-mounted vs basin mixer guide covers rough-in depth and tile thickness in detail.
Designer Insight: when you're building or renovating, buy the body and the trim from the same range at the same time. Keep the box label and the installation guide, and take a photo of the body in the wall before it's tiled over. Those three things are what make the next finish change a trim swap instead of a rebuild.
How to Identify the Tap You Have Now
Find the make and model before you buy anything. "What brand is this wall mixer?" is one of the most asked questions on renovation forums, and it's asked for a reason: it decides whether a trim swap is even possible.
Five ways to find out what's in your wall
- Look for a mark. Check the lever, the cover plate, the spout and the underside of the lever for a logo or code.
- Check the paperwork. A builder's selections schedule, a handover manual or the original invoice often names the model.
- Photograph it. Front and side of the trim, plus under the bench for a deck tap. Good photos let a supplier or plumber narrow it down.
- Ask your plumber to look behind the trim. With the lever and plate off, the body itself can carry a brand mark. If the plumber can't identify it, ask whether the body can be reached from the other side of the wall rather than through the tiles.
- If it's one of ours, send us your order number or a photo and we'll confirm the model and the parts.
Can You Paint or Wrap Tapware?
Not in a way that lasts. Paint, touch-up pens and vinyl wraps sit on top of the original finish, and a tap is handled wet, cleaned and turned many times a day. In a Bunnings Workshop thread about spray-painting chrome taps a brushed copper colour, the moderator's view was that metallic sprays are decorative and likely to rub or peel with use. Wraps have the same problem at the edges, where water gets underneath.
There's a warranty cost too. Our 3-year finish warranty covers the original surface, so a painted tap is no longer covered for its finish. If a tap works and you just want a different colour, changing the tap, or on a wall mixer of the same model the trim, is the fix that lasts. Once it's on, our tapware care guide keeps the new finish (and its warranty) intact.
Converting Two Taps to One Mixer
On the bench it depends on the holes. In the wall it means opening the wall.
- Two or three tap holes in a basin or bench. A single-hole mixer leaves the other holes open. If the holes are in the basin, the usual fix is a new basin; if they're in the benchtop, a new top, or a wall set if that wall is being opened anyway.
- Two separate wall taps to one wall mixer. That's a different body and different pipework in the wall, so the tiles in that area come off.
- Shower taps to a mixer with a diverter. Same again. A diverter mixer such as the Cannes has its own 4-port body. It's a renovation job, so time it with one.
If a conversion is part of a bigger refresh, our order of trades guide shows when each choice needs to be made, and our bathroom heights and rough-in guide gives the outlet heights your licensed plumber will ask for.
What to Buy: Matching the New Tap to What You Have
Buy for the basin and the hole you already have, or the body already in the wall. Every model below comes in all six finishes, so pick the tap first and the colour second.
Swipe the table sideways to see every column →
| Our model | Replaces | Check before you buy |
|---|---|---|
| Vienna Short | Basin on or in the bench | Ø35–38 mm hole · 175 mm tall · 140 mm reach · 75 mm under the spout |
| Vienna Tall | Vessel basin on top of the bench | Ø35–38 mm hole · 305 mm tall · 180 mm reach · 200 mm under the spout |
| Milano Wall Spout Plus Wall Mixer | Basin with taps on the wall | Valve depth in wall 45–70 mm · spout projects 192 mm |
| Como | Kitchen | Ø35 mm hole · 340 mm tall · spout swivels 360° |
| Porto | Kitchen, pull-out spray | Ø35 mm hole · 436 mm tall · works on 150–500 kPa |
| Milano Wall Mixer | Shower or bath, one outlet | 3-port valve · depth in wall 45–70 mm |
| Cannes Diverter Mixer | Shower with two outlets | 4-port diverter valve · depth in wall 55–85 mm |
| Corsica, Bordeaux, Lyon, Versailles | Shower outlets | ½″ BSP connection |
| Lisbon pop-up waste | Basin waste | Ø45 mm basin hole · basins without an overflow |
Two checks catch most people out. Measure the hole in your basin or bench before you order. And if you change from a short mixer to a tall one, check the spout still reaches the basin and clears its rim. Which tap fits my basin? works it out in a minute.
Each product page has the spec sheet and installation guide to download. Send both to your plumber before the visit.
How Much Does It Cost to Have a Mixer Tap Replaced?
We don’t quote plumbers’ prices, because the job varies too much. A like-for-like swap on the bench is the small end. A wall or shower mixer that needs a new body is the big end, because the wall opens and then needs waterproofing and a tiler before the trim goes on. Ask for a quote with the model number of the new tap and photos of the old one.
Finish the Room: Wastes, Accessories and Shower Hardware
Change the taps and the chrome waste, towel rail and shower screen hinges will suddenly stand out. Every model in our tapware and hardware range, 24 of them, comes in the same six finishes, so you can carry one finish from the basin to the door handle.
The six finishes: Antique Brass, Brushed Brass, Brushed Nickel, Brushed Gunmetal, Matte Black and Chrome.
| Room zone | Our products | Finishes |
|---|---|---|
| Basin | Vienna Short and Vienna Tall basin mixers, Milano wall spout and mixer | All six |
| Basin waste | Lisbon pop-up waste, Firenze bottle trap | All six |
| Shower | Cannes diverter mixer, Milano wall mixer, Corsica twin shower, Bordeaux wall shower, Lyon ceiling shower, Versailles hand shower | All six |
| Floor | Granada tile-insert floor waste | All six |
| Kitchen | Como kitchen mixer, Porto pull-out mixer | All six |
| Walls | Provence towel rail, Lille roll holder, Copenhagen robe hook | All six |
| Shower screen | Rennes and Geneva hinges, Rhodes clamp, Corfu door knobs | All six |
| Doors | Santorini handle, Prague lock, Venezia hinge | All six |
A few practical notes. A basin waste is plumbing, so it's part of the plumber's visit; our Lisbon pop-up suits basins without an overflow (our basin waste guide explains why that matters). A floor waste is set into the floor, so change it when the floor is being redone. Shower screen hinges and clamps are fitted to toughened glass, which is a glazier's job. Towel rails and hooks are the easy wins: new screws, and some care drilling tile.
Designer Insight: buy the pieces that sit side by side at the same time and in the same finish name. And look at them under your own bathroom light before deciding: a warm mirror light makes brass richer and gunmetal closer to charcoal. Our tapware finishes guide compares all six.
What Your Plumber Needs From You
Our tapware is installed by a licensed plumber to the New Zealand Building Code (G12), and our warranty covers tapware installed that way, following our installation guide. If the body in the wall is being replaced, our installation guides say to test it fully before tiling.
Have this ready for the plumber
- The new tap, still boxed, with its installation guide and spec sheet
- Photos of the existing tap: front, side and under the bench
- The make and model of what’s in the wall, if you found it
- For a wall mixer that’s changing body: your tile choice, because the valve depth is set from the finished tile face
- If the wall opens: waterproofing and then a tiler booked, after the body is tested
Common Mistakes
- Buying the new wall mixer first. Find out what body is in the wall before you choose a trim.
- Assuming any trim fits. Trims aren't standard between brands, and sometimes not between models of one brand.
- Spray-painting chrome. It looks fine for a while, then wears where hands go. It also ends the finish warranty.
- Changing a short mixer for a tall one without checking the basin. The reach and the gap under the spout change with it.
- Forgetting the waste and the towel rail. One chrome piece left behind is the first thing you notice.
- Throwing away the box and the guide. They're how you (or the next owner) identify the body later.
- Tiling over a new body before it's tested. Our guides say test first. Fixing a leak after tiling means opening the wall again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need a plumber to replace a mixer tap?
Use a licensed plumber. Our tapware is installed by a licensed plumber to the New Zealand Building Code (G12), and that’s a condition of our warranty. The PGDB website explains what homeowners may and may not do.
Can I change bathroom taps myself?
Check the PGDB’s consumer advice first, and if you’re unsure, use a licensed plumber. Our warranty covers tapware installed by a licensed plumber.
Is it easy to replace a mixer tap?
On the bench, it’s usually a straightforward job for a plumber: the tap connects with flexible hoses under the bench and nothing in the wall is touched. A wall or shower mixer is only easy if the new trim fits the body already in the wall.
How much would a plumber charge to change a mixer tap?
It depends on the job, so we don’t quote a figure. A like-for-like bench swap is the small end; a wall mixer that needs a new body means opening the wall, then waterproofing and tiling. Ask for a quote with the new model number and photos.
Is it easy to replace a shower tap?
Only if the new trim fits the valve body in the wall, which usually means the same make and model. Going from two shower taps to one mixer, or to a diverter, is a new body, so the wall opens.
Can you replace a shower valve yourself?
Use a licensed plumber. The valve body is connected to the supply pipes in the wall, and our warranty requires a licensed plumber.
Can you replace a wall mixer without removing tiles?
Only if the new trim fits the body already in the wall. That usually means the same make and model. On our wall mixers the in-wall body is shared across all six finishes of a model, so a finish change is a trim change. A different model or brand usually needs a new body, which means opening the wall.
Can you change the colour of tapware?
Yes, by changing the tap or its trim. Benchtop basin and kitchen mixers are a straight swap with no tiles touched. Wall and shower mixers depend on the valve body in the wall: same model, new finish is a trim change; a different model usually means opening the wall. Paint and wraps don't last.
Can you spray paint chrome taps black?
You can, but it won't last. A tap is handled wet every day, and metallic or coloured sprays tend to rub through or peel. Painting also ends the finish warranty on our tapware, because the surface is no longer the original one. Changing the tap, or the trim on a wall mixer, is the lasting fix.
How do I find out what brand my wall mixer is?
Check the lever, cover plate and spout for a logo, then look for paperwork such as a builder's selections schedule or invoice. Take clear photos of the trim. A plumber can remove the lever and plate to look for marks on the body. If it's one of ours, send us a photo or your order number.
Can I change a shower mixer to one with a diverter without retiling?
Usually not. A diverter mixer runs two outlets and has a different valve body from a single-outlet mixer. Our Cannes diverter mixer uses a 4-port valve and the Milano wall mixer a 3-port valve, so moving from one to the other is a body change, and that means opening the wall.
How do I convert two taps to one mixer tap?
On a benchtop, it depends on the holes: a single-hole mixer leaves the others open, which usually means a new basin or benchtop. In a wall, two taps to one mixer is a new valve body and new pipework, so the tiles in that area come off. Either way it's work for your plumber.
Designer's Cheat Sheet
Designer's Cheat Sheet
- ✔ Bench mixers → swap at the bench, no tiles
- ✔ Wall and shower mixers → the in-wall body decides
- ✔ Our wall mixers → one body across all six finishes of a model
- ✔ Milano and Cannes → different bodies (3-port vs 4-port)
- ✔ Other brands → assume a new body unless proven otherwise
- ✔ Paint and wraps → decorative only; ends the finish warranty
- ✔ Every tap change → a licensed plumber
Where To Next?
- Choosing the colour first: What’s the Best Tapware Colour?
- Lead-free and water ratings: WELS, WaterMark and Lead-Free Tapware Explained
- The two brasses: Antique Brass vs Brushed Brass
- Warranty: Tapware warranty
- Fixing rather than changing: Leaking Tap or Weak Flow? Cartridges, Aerators and WELS
- Wall or bench: Wall-Mounted vs Basin Mixers
- Choosing the finish: Bathroom Tapware Finishes Explained
- Looking after it: How to Clean and Care for Tapware Finishes
- Start here: the Bathroom Tapware Buying Guide
- Matching the mirror: Matching Your Mirror Frame to Your Tapware
- Shop by finish: Antique Brass, Brushed Brass, Brushed Nickel, Brushed Gunmetal, Matte Black and Chrome, or the full tapware range
Need help? Ask us with a photo. Send us a photo of your current tap through our contact page, or email info@invoguemirrors.co.nz, and we'll tell you what a finish change involves.
