Replacing a Toilet: How to Choose One and What the Install Involves

A toilet replacement is about the most routine fixture job there is, and it still goes wrong in the same three ways every time: the new toilet does not fit the rough-in, the flange under the old one is broken, or the floor under the flange is soft. Measure first, plan for the flange, and the rest is straightforward.

Measure the rough-in before you buy

The rough-in is the distance from the finished wall behind the toilet to the centre of the closet bolts on the floor. 12 inches is standard. Some older homes and some tight bathrooms have 10-inch or 14-inch rough-ins, and a 12-inch toilet will either not fit against the wall or will leave a gap you did not want.

Measure to the bolts, not to the baseboard, and measure with the old toilet still in place. Also check the side clearance: code wants at least 15 inches from the centreline to any wall or fixture on each side, and a vanity that was squeezed in later sometimes eats that.

Choosing the toilet

• Bowl height. Standard bowls sit around 15 inches; comfort-height or right-height bowls sit around 17 inches, similar to a chair. Taller is easier for most adults and better for anyone with knee or hip issues. Small children find it harder.
• Bowl shape. Elongated is more comfortable and is the default in most new installs. Round-front saves a couple of inches in a small powder room.
• One-piece vs two-piece. One-piece is easier to clean and has no tank-to-bowl seal to fail. It is heavier and costs more. Two-piece is the workhorse and is fine.
• Flush performance. Look at the flush rating rather than the marketing. A well-designed 1.28 gallon toilet clears better than a poorly designed older 1.6.
• Trapway. A fully glazed, larger trapway clogs less. This matters more than any other feature in a house that has had drain trouble.
• Skirted vs exposed trapway. Skirted looks cleaner and wipes down easily but can complicate the supply connection and the bolt access.

If the toilet is going into a bathroom that is about to be remodeled, hold off and choose it as part of the bathroom plan so the floor and the flange get done in the right order.

The flange is where the surprises live

The closet flange is the ring that connects the toilet to the drain and anchors it to the floor. When the old toilet comes up, we look at three things:

• Is the flange broken? Cracked plastic flanges and rusted-through cast iron flanges are common. A broken flange means the toilet was never really anchored, which is why it rocked.
• Is the flange at the right height? It should sit on top of the finished floor. If someone added tile or LVP over the old floor without raising the flange, it is now recessed, and the wax ring may not seal. Spacers or an extender kit fix this.
• Is the subfloor solid? A toilet that leaked at the seal for years soaks the subfloor around the flange. If the floor is soft, the new toilet cannot be anchored until that section is cut out and replaced.

What the install involves

1. 1Shut the stop, flush, and sponge out the tank and bowl.
2. 2Disconnect the supply, pull the old toilet, and scrape the old wax off the flange.
3. 3Inspect and, if needed, repair or raise the flange. Replace the closet bolts.
4. 4Set the wax ring or a waxless seal, lower the toilet straight down, and tighten the bolts evenly without cracking the base.
5. 5Fit the tank if it is a two-piece, connect a new supply line, fill, and check for leaks at the base and at every connection.
6. 6Caulk the base, leaving a gap at the back so a future leak shows itself.

We replace the shutoff valve and supply line at the same time if they are the original parts. It is a small addition and the old ones are usually the next thing to fail.

Questions we get

Should I fix my old toilet instead?

If it is a running toilet or a weak flush, usually yes. Our post on why toilets run covers the cheap fixes. Replace when the bowl or tank is cracked, when it clogs constantly, or when it is an early low-flow model that never flushed well.

Can I put a comfort-height toilet in a small bathroom?

Yes. Height does not change the footprint. Choose a round-front bowl if front clearance is tight.

Do I need a permit to replace a toilet?

A like-for-like replacement does not typically require one. Moving the toilet to a new location does, because it changes the drain. Our permit guide covers the local picture.

One call, done today

Wright Way Services installs toilets and repairs flanges across Newnan, Sharpsburg, Senoia, Peachtree City, Tyrone and Fayetteville. Call (770) 301-4638 or see our plumbing services.