Toilet prices have a very broad range. You can buy a toilet for as little as $200 if you’re looking for a cheap toilet. On the other hand, some toilets can cost well over $1,000.
When asking how much does a toilet cost we have to be aware that there are three (or four) different costs when it comes to buying a new toilet:
- Price of the toilet itself.
- Cost of toilet installation (could very well be higher than the cost of the toilet).
- Water costs over the years (choose a low GPF toilet to significantly reduce water costs).
The Price Of The Toilet
The most apparent cost is the price of the toilet itself. You can check the prices of the best toilets here.
When choosing a budget toilet, you’re probably looking at traditional two-piece toilets with at least 1.6 GPF and a standard look. With increasing toilet budget, you’ll notice that more toilets are one-piece toilets, have a lower GPF (if they are WaterSense, that means 1.28 GPF or lower) and maybe even a dual flush.
The important thing to remember when looking for a toilet on a budget is the GPF number that substantially affects water consumption. According to EPA and explained by RanShaw, the difference in cost between a toilet with 1.6 GPF and 1.28 GPF can be $110 per year in water prices. In 20 years that is more than $2,000 difference. Choosing a 1.28 GPF toilet is not only friendly to the environment, it gives you some huge savings down the line.
What really separates luxury toilets from high-end toilets is the design and electronic integration. Especially the electronic integration such as auto open/close lid, auto flush and remote control operation can bring the cost of the toilet well over $1,000.
Add bowl heating, warm air dryer and maybe even warm water washer with adjusted pressure control and you’re looking at a high-tech toilet masterpiece but the price of the toilet will rise substantially.
How Much Does It Cost To Install A Toilet?
Installation costs associated with anything that requires a plumber can be quite high. When trying to find out how much does it cost to install a toilet in your area you have some options. You can go through the yellow pages, simply google it or even ask the toilet producer like KOHLER or American Standard if they offer a toilet package with installation and ask how much the toilet+installation costs.
The range of how much you’re looking to spend for toilet information is quite wide. You’re looking for anything between $100 to $1,000, depending on where you live, what kind of toilet you choose and if you want a plumber to remove the old toilet as well. Homeadvisor quotes a national average for toilet installation of $370, with a typical range from $318 to $523.
On the other hand, a very well-written site Angielist who did their own research with experienced plumbers, found the cost of toilet installation to be in the $125-$260. This is considerably below the Homeadvisor’s quoted prices for toilet installation cost but it at least gives you an idea how much is a reasonable quote for a toilet installation. The range can help you a bit when talking to a plumber and he or she quotes you an unreasonable price for the installation.
Can You Install The Toilet By Yourself As A DIY Project?
Well, nobody is stopping you to install the toilet by yourself. The good this is that the supplies are relatively cheap. A toilet siphon or two will cost you $10 or so.
You’ll also need a wax seal to prevent leaking which costs less than $10. If you decide to DIY toilet installation, you’re looking at about $30 in costs and you can check out the DIY Network for some instruction.
Toilet installation can be a bit complex but if you’re the technical guy, it can be quite an interesting project. However, it’s important that your toilet DIY project doesn’t damage the floor or cause unnecessary leaks. You’ll probably need to call in a plumber to fix such toilet problems and the point of doing a DIY toilet installation is to avoid paying the plumber in the first place.
Here are the 3 most common mistakes you should avoid when installing a toilet:
- Wax seal not being compressed enough (have to compress it thoroughly to prevent leaking).
- Caulking is very important. Insufficient caulking will cause leaks.
- Not changing a damaged flange. If you install a new toilet on an old damaged flange, you’ll have problems down the road.