Believe me, there are NO plumbing issues involved. What MAY be an issue is finding a hardware store--or other source--for the parts you need to do a changeover. The best thing you can do for yourself is get down and climb under your present sink, the neighbor's sink, your family member's sinks, and familiarize yourself with the plumbing that's under there !! While you're down there, check for leaks, and use a ruler/tape measure to get an idea of sizes. Bathroom sinks are usually 1 1/4" diameter thinwall pipe; the tub/shower and the kitchen sink are, or should be, 1 1/2". One thing to remember: the 1 1/2" thinwall pipe hooked directly to the bottom of your sink, and tied into the "S" or "P" traps under there, is NOT NOT NOT the same as the 1 1/2" drain piping; HOWEVER--there are adapters to mate the thinwall to the heavier piping. By the way, you ARE gonna go to the store and find out what a "P" or "S" trap is, aincha?? Dont be afraid to ask Q's, and do realize many of the guys you ask are about as ignorant as you are when it comes to plumbing....many--not all of 'em. THEN: when you find somebody who sounds like (s)he can help you do this project, and they put down on paper the parts you need, the best thing you can do is repeat the process--go find somebody else at another store who can do likewise, and then compare the parts recommended, &c. Maybe this soundz like plumbing 101--you're right, it is. Anything else spellz disaster in the making, not to mention the resultant feeling you bin ripped off and jerked around, and that you coulda done a better job yourself.... if only.... you'd taken to heart the suggestion of: kenn 1RmSchlHse millersport oHIo -- there's a time and place for spontaneity....

I picked the Shaw but I think the Franke looks just as nice. Our marble installer cracked the sink during the install. This whole sad saga is described in other threads. But the point here is that Rohl replaced it, even though I told them exactly what happened. They still called it a "thermal crack" and replaced it. I was totally surprised at this decision on Rohl's part. Another little factotum about the Shaw's sink (the 30 --this might not apply to you if you get the 36) -- the sink's drain has a left hand offset. At least most of them do. About one or two in ten have a right hand offset and these are sent out "randomly." Don't ask me how I know. The sink now installed in our kitchen is not the second, but the third sink that has been sent to us. Now, the downside is that the Shaw sinks do vary a bit and so the new sink did not exactly match the first sink, the one upon which the marble was templated. I'm thrilled that we -- I should say DH, who has pulled many a miracle in this kitchen -- was able to get the old one out and the new one in without perturbing cabinets or marble that were now firmly in place. The margins around the sink are not exactly even. I've decided it will just be a reminder about the hubris of desiring perfection and have moved on. Just a couple of things to know about Rohl and Shaw's sinks, the good and the, well, idiosyncratic.

We got the double vessel cast iron sink. It had this illustration about how it becomse a single vessel sink for cleaning larger items if you just fill up both sides enough. We hate it and it's been 6 years, we wish that we had gotten the single vessel one it would have a lot more versatile. It is NOT easy to clean anything big, it's a huge pain, there's really no benefit to having the two smaller sides at all. Soaking things is impossible. I can't really pinpoint all the reasons why we hate it at this moment, but we both hate it enough so that someday I'll spend the money to get the single vessel one I'm sure.

Kohler makes cast iron farmhouse sinks. They are more durable than fireclay. There are also stainless steel and copper farmhouse sinks. Or soapstone. Any of the web based stores like efaucets or faucetsdirect will have the cast iron, fireclay or stainless farmhouse sinks. Even amazon and overstock likely have some. For copper you might have to hunt more--just google. Soapstone is usually made custom by a stone fabricator, though you can buy them off the self too from a couple of places. IKEA sells a fireclay one which is a great deal price wise. They used have both a single and a double, but I think the single may have had some supply chain problems and I'm not sure if it is still available.