Fitting a replacement toilet in the same spot, with a standard close coupled pan and cistern, is normally a morning's job. The time goes up when the new toilet is a different style from the old one: back to wall pans need a unit or boxing built around a hidden cistern, wall hung toilets need a steel frame fixed to the structure, and moving the toilet means moving the soil pipe. Below is what each version involves so you can judge the size of your job before you ask for a price.
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The straight swap, step by step
The water to the cistern is isolated and the cistern drained. The old pan is unscrewed from the floor, the connector is pulled from the soil pipe, and the whole unit is lifted out. At that point the fitter looks at three things: the condition of the floor where the pan sat, the soil pipe opening, and the isolation valve on the supply.
The new pan is offered up, its outlet lined up with the soil pipe using the correct connector, and fixed to the floor so it cannot rock. The cistern is bolted on, the flush mechanism set up, and the supply connected. It is then filled and flushed several times while the fitter checks every joint for weeps. Finally the base is sealed to the floor. A careful job includes a flush test with paper, because a pan that looks fine with clear water can still block if the fall to the soil pipe is poor.
What turns a quick job into a longer one
- A different outlet position. Older toilets may have a floor outlet where modern pans expect a horizontal one, or the other way round. Adapters solve some cases; others need pipe changes.
- Damaged flooring. A slow leak at the old pan often softens the boards or lifts the vinyl. That has to be put right before the new pan is fixed down.
- No isolation valve. If the cistern feed has no valve, one should be fitted so the toilet can be worked on in future without turning off the house.
- Tiles cut around the old pan. If the floor tiles were laid around the old footprint, a smaller new pan can leave a gap. Choosing a pan with a similar or larger base avoids that.
Back to wall and wall hung toilets
These are popular because they hide the cistern and pipework and make the room easier to clean. The trade off is time. For a back to wall pan the cistern sits inside a vanity unit run or a boxed in stud wall, so that structure is built, the cistern connected inside it, and an access panel left for later servicing. A wall hung toilet goes further: a steel frame is fixed to the floor and wall, then boarded and tiled, and the pan bolts through the finished wall. That is realistically part of a wider refit because tiling is involved.
If you are thinking about either option in a small room, our small bathroom ideas and layout guide show where concealed cisterns save the most space.
Signs the old toilet needs replacing, not repairing
Plenty of toilet faults are repairs: a new flush valve, fill valve or seal fixes most running or weak flushes, which our guide to a toilet not flushing properly covers. Replacement makes sense when the pan itself is cracked, when it leaks from the base even after the seal is renewed, when parts for an old cistern are no longer made, or when the toilet rocks because the floor fixings have failed repeatedly. Our wobbly toilet guide explains that last one.
Moving the toilet
The toilet is the hardest fitting in a bathroom to move because the soil pipe is large and needs a steady fall. Moving it a short distance along the same wall is often possible. Moving it across the room usually means lifting the floor. Where a gravity connection is not practical, for example in a cellar or under stairs, a macerator toilet can be an option.
Getting a toilet replaced by us
Toilet replacements are part of our bathroom fitting service, and smaller fixes fall under bathroom repairs. Our own team handles the plumbing, and the work carries our written workmanship guarantee. Tell us about the toilet you want changed or call 01782 901390 for a fixed quote.
Common questions
How long does it take to fit a toilet?
A straight swap of a close coupled toilet in the same position is usually a morning's work for an experienced fitter. Back to wall pans with a concealed cistern, wall hung frames or a change of position take longer because a unit or frame has to be built and boxed in.
Can a new toilet go in exactly where the old one was?
Usually, yes. The main thing to check is the distance from the wall to the centre of the soil pipe. If the new pan's outlet does not line up, a different connector or a small pipe change is needed.
Is a back to wall toilet harder to fit?
It involves more work. The cistern sits inside a furniture unit or a boxed in stud wall, so the fitter builds that first, then connects the pan through it. Access panels are left so the cistern can be serviced later.
Should I replace the toilet on its own or with the rest of the bathroom?
If the tiles, basin and flooring are in good order, a toilet on its own is fine. If the floor around the pan is damaged or you plan to redo the room within a year or two, it is often better to do it all at once.