How Much Does Toilet Replacement Cost?

Cost Range for Toilet Installation or Replacement

The cost range for an installed toilet is $280 for a basic toilet replacement, to $1,110 for higher quality toilets with added features installed by a local plumber.

Average Cost

Overview of Bathroom Toilets

Replacing a toilet bowl in your bathroom a generation ago was a simple project. Remove the old one and install a toilet very much like the one it replaced. Sure, you could update the color and upgrade the seat, or maybe choose an elongated rather than round bowl, but your options were few.

Today, you have a wide spectrum of options and there are more than 500 toilets to choose from at Lowes alone! While a “traditional” round or elongated toilet are still most common, you can select features like heated seats or double-cyclone flushing. Models are made in several height. Water-saving dual-flush toilets are becoming very popular, meaning that you can decide whether to use the low-water flush or full-water flush.

Price varies with features, as you’d expect. Retail costs for toilets and supplies are included along with factors related to installation. We’ve also gathered other toilet installation costs from leading resources on the web and homeowners like yourself, to share the scope and cost of their project.

Replacement Toilet Cost Factors

The factors below will have an impact on your toilet installation cost. Outside of the features on the toilet itself, you also have to consider the factors which affect installation. All of these toilet cost factors are outlined below. Note: It does not matter if you are connected to city sewer or have a septic tank and leach field, there are no differences in the type of toilet you can install.

• Quality – Like most home fixtures, toilets come in basic, better and best quality regardless of features. Kohler is considered better than average. American Standard makes toilets in basic, better and best lines. TOTO is a higher-end toilet brand. Project Source is a cheap toilet brand.
• Features – The more performance features built into the unit, the higher the cost. See the retail cost list below for toilet price ranges.
• Color – It’s common for an almond, gray or other color model to cost 20% to 40% more than the same model in white. Shop toilets online, and this will immediately become clear.
• Whether a Seat is Included – Some mid-range and expensive toilets do not include a seat, so you can customize it with the seat of your choice.
• Height – Comfort height and Chair height is 2” taller without the seat than standard height – 16.5” to 14.5”. This raises cost by 10% to 20% for comparable toilets.
• Water Supply – You can save a few dollars by using the old supply, but this is a good time to replace it and prevent an unexpected leak from an old supply line.
• Upgrading the Seat or Handle– Homeowners often choose a nicer seat or handle to replace the one that comes with the unit, especially on cheaper toilet models.
• Other Bathroom Upgrades – If you’re hiring a contractor for other upgrades including a complete bathroom remodel, then you’ll get a competitive cost for the toilet. Other common projects done along with toilet replacement include installing bathroom floor tile such as porcelain tile, replacing the tub or shower and adding a bathroom heater or towel warmer.

Installation Factors that affect Cost

• Who Installs the Toilet – If you hire a licensed plumber, it’s probably going to cost you a bit more than a handyman cost to install a toilet.
• Flange Repair/Replacement – When the old closet flange is bad, cost will rise based on the style of the new flange and the work involved in replacing it.
• Height Adjustment – If bathroom flooring has been replaced, and the new floor height is different, the flange height will have to be changed. A flange that is too high will cause the toilet to rock. And it might eventually leak. One that is too low is also susceptible to leaks.
• Disposal of the Old Toilet – There’s a small upcharge for disposing an old unit.
• Floor Repair beneath the Toilet if it was Leaking – A very common unplanned expense during a bathroom reno, the floor under your toilet is prone to wood rot. If the toilet is pulled off and you see black flooring, it’s time to explore further, which will quickly increase the cost. This is another one of those hidden costs you encounter when replacing the tub and shower.

Cost of Toilets and Installation Supplies

Let’s start with common toilet types and their prices and then list additional supplies and their cost.

• $90 – $650 | Best-selling round ($100-$575) and elongated ($200-$650) toilets with traditional flush. Cost is based on bowl shape, stylistic points, quality and color. High-end models in this category exceed $1,200. Many models from about $100 and up are ADA compliant.
• $140 – $780 | Best-selling Dual-flush toilets. These models have two gallons-per-flush (GPF) rates, usually .6 to .8 GPF for liquids and 1.28 to 1.6 GPF for solid waste. Many of these are WaterSense toilets certified by the EPA for toilets using the lower 1.28 gallons to achieve the same flush performance as 1.6 GPF toilets.
• $375 – $1,400 | Touchless toilets with motion sensor. Most are activated by holding your hand over the sensor for a few seconds.
• $600 – $1,200 | Models with Bidet function.
• $600 – $1,000 | Toilets with Heated Seats. Many of these also have Bidet functionality.
• $225 – $700 | Wall-hung models.
• $1,200 – $8,000 | Super-premium Toilets with All High-end Features.

Other features often found on mid-range to high-end toilets are night lights, remotes and slow-close lids.

• $7 – $20 | Water Supply Line
• $5 – $25 | Toilet Flange (most common styles)
• $4 – $12 | Wax or Synthetic Ring and Bolts Kit (Universal – fit most brands)
• $12 – $18 | Flange Spacer Kit for raising flange to floor height (optional)

Permits, Inspection, Related Costs and Toilet Installation Time

Permits and Inspection Cost

• $0-$150 | Unless new plumbing or electrical circuit and wiring for heat or a sensor is installed, no permit is needed to install or replace a toilet

Related Costs and Installation Time

Replacing a toilet takes 1 to 2 hours depending on whether the flange requires replacing too.

• 3-8 Hours | Make plumbing or electrical changes, if needed
• Up to 15 Minutes | Remove existing toilet
• Up to 1 Hour | Repair/replace Flange
• Up to 1 Hour | Set, secure and test new toilet

Handyman services cost less than licensed plumbers, and either should be able to do this job. Hourly rates start at about $50 for an experienced and insured handyman and about $75 for a licensed plumber. Rates can be as high as $75 or more than $100 per hour respectively.

The labor cost of toilet installation is factored into the costs quoted in this Costimate.

Related Projects

Toilets are definitely an essential part of any home, along with many other plumbing and mechanical systems. Explore these related projects below.

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DIY or Hire a Pro?

Replacing a toilet is usually straightforward. It’s even easier in a newly built or remodeled bathroom. When I’m asked if this is a DIY project or best left to a plumber, the answer generally depends on these factors:

• If the toilet isn’t leaking from beneath, rocking or doing something else it shouldn’t do, then give it a shot. If you have basic skills, you will probably be successful in replacing your toilet.
• If it is leaking, take the toilet off and inspect the flange. The leak might be caused by a bad wax ring, which you’ll replace. An easy DIY solution.
• If the flange is broken, then it’s your call whether you want to try to repair it or not.

With a broken flange, the main concern is that you might damage the waste pipe below the flange while trying to remove it, which is possible with a glue-in flange, then you might be looking at a major repair bill.

If there is no issue with the flange, basic toilet replacement/installation steps are:

1. Shut off the water.
2. Flush and drain the toilet.
3. Unbolt, lift off and remove it.
4. Remove and replace the wax or synthetic seal.
5. Before placing the fresh seal, inspect the flange to ensure it isn’t cracked or chipped, which will potentially allow for leaks beneath the floor. If not…
6. Place the new seal and bolts. The set often includes plastic keepers to keep the bolts upright. Align the toilet over the flange and bolts, and push it down firmly. Add washers, and tighten the bolts – snug without overtightening to avoid cracking the flange or toilet.

If the flange is damaged, which is most common on older plumbing, consider calling a plumber. Toilet flange repair requires moderate skill and techniques. This video from a pro plumber covers a range of flange types and might help you decide to DIY or call a pro.

There are plenty of how-to videos about flange replacement, but the problem is that there are many types of flange, so you’ll have to determine which type you have before learning how to replace it.

Overall, replacing your own toilet is not as dirty or hard as you may think, though it does take a few handyman and basic plumbing skills to get it done.