New Toilet?

While preparing for my colonoscopy. I had a lot of time to sit and think. One of the things that came into mind was "I'm 6'2, fat, and old. Why am I sitting on an 18 year old toilet designed for a child?". I have three in the house that I'd like to replace but I'm going to just start with one and had some questions.

  1. Do they come with everything I need. Like gaskets and such. If not, what do I need?
  2. I'm going to go with the chair height ones. I'd like to keep each one under $300. I plan on going with traditional flush instead of the two flush thing on top like those weird Europeans use.
  3. One Piece or Two?
  4. Glacier Bay, Kohler, or American Standard?
  5. What do I do with the old toilet? How do I get rid of it?
  6. Anything else I need to know about the install?
One Piece Glacier Bay
white-glacier-bay-one-piece-toilets-n2451e-64_300.jpg


Kohler 2 piece
kohler-3999-0.jpg
Want to read Consumer Reports? PM me and I'll send it to you!
 
While preparing for my colonoscopy. I had a lot of time to sit and think. One of the things that came into mind was "I'm 6'2, fat, and old. Why am I sitting on an 18 year old toilet designed for a child?". I have three in the house that I'd like to replace but I'm going to just start with one and had some questions.

  1. Do they come with everything I need. Like gaskets and such. If not, what do I need?
  2. I'm going to go with the chair height ones. I'd like to keep each one under $300. I plan on going with traditional flush instead of the two flush thing on top like those weird Europeans use.
  3. One Piece or Two?
  4. Glacier Bay, Kohler, or American Standard?
  5. What do I do with the old toilet? How do I get rid of it?
  6. Anything else I need to know about the install?
One Piece Glacier Bay
white-glacier-bay-one-piece-toilets-n2451e-64_300.jpg


Kohler 2 piece
kohler-3999-0.jpg
I'm no plumber, but I've installed quite a few toilets. Measure distance from bolts to rear wall. Most toilets should fit. I'd get a one piece Glacier Bay from HD (never have to worry about gasket between tank and base/bowl). I paid $150 several years ago. Happy with them. If it has the push button on top, don't put chem tabs in the water, seeping chlorine gas will corrode the push button. Shut water valve to toilet. Flush. Disconnect water line/valve. Undo bolts holding toilet down. Put the old toilet at the curb, someone will take it. Or Habitat for Humanity still takes 'em I think. If it is a colored mid-century job (manu. date is stamped in lid and in inside of tank) in nice shape it could be worth maybe $300-$500 for the right one. Install not that tough (strong guy can handle toilet up/down stairs alone) if floor and plumbing under toilet not messed up. Maybe buy an extra wax ring. Maybe buy fresh water line for fresh look, same length as old line. Use wood shims to stabilize toilet so no movement (of the wrong kind) when you plop down. Be sure to not overtighten bolts that hold toilet down, can easily crack toilet (toilets are made of porcelain/vitreous china). Use white sealer around base for clean look. Watch a youtube vid if not sure on details of removing/installing.
 
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While preparing for my colonoscopy. I had a lot of time to sit and think. One of the things that came into mind was "I'm 6'2, fat, and old. Why am I sitting on an 18 year old toilet designed for a child?". I have three in the house that I'd like to replace but I'm going to just start with one and had some questions.

  1. Do they come with everything I need. Like gaskets and such. If not, what do I need?
  2. I'm going to go with the chair height ones. I'd like to keep each one under $300. I plan on going with traditional flush instead of the two flush thing on top like those weird Europeans use.
  3. One Piece or Two?
  4. Glacier Bay, Kohler, or American Standard?
  5. What do I do with the old toilet? How do I get rid of it?
  6. Anything else I need to know about the install?
One Piece Glacier Bay
white-glacier-bay-one-piece-toilets-n2451e-64_300.jpg


Kohler 2 piece
kohler-3999-0.jpg
Didn't the government intervene in toilet manufacturing at one point, and mandated reducing the amount of water that a flush uses by a third in an effort to conserve water? I think I recall that happening. So what ended up happening is there wasn't enough water to do the job, so people started flushing twice instead of once, thereby defeating the purpose of the reduced water flow and creating just the opposite problem of the one they tried to fix. Are they still manufacturing toilets to those specifications? Or have I dreamed up this whole scenario in my head?
 
Measure distance from bolts to rear wall.
This is the part I'm a little worried about. In 2/3 bathrooms there is a little space but on one of them it's right up against the wall.

I just measured it and it looks to be 10 3/4.....

The two upstairs seem to be 12"
 
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I'm no plumber, but I've installed quite a few toilets. Measure distance from bolts to rear wall. Most toilets should fit. I'd get a one piece Glacier Bay from HD (never have to worry about gasket between tank and base/bowl). I paid $150 several years ago. Happy with them. If it has the push button on top, don't put chem tabs in the water, seeping chlorine gas will corrode the push button. Shut water valve to toilet. Flush. Disconnect water line/valve. Undo bolts holding toilet down. Put the old toilet at the curb, someone will take it. Or Habitat for Humanity still takes 'em I think. If it is a colored mid-century job (manu. date is stamped in lid and in inside of tank) in nice shape it could be worth maybe $300-$500 for the right one. Install not that tough (strong guy can handle toilet up/down stairs alone) if floor and plumbing under toilet not messed up. Maybe buy an extra wax ring. Maybe buy fresh water line for fresh look, same length as old line. Use wood shims to stabilize toilet so no movement (of the wrong kind) when you plop down. Be sure to not overtighten bolts that hold toilet down, can easily crack toilet (toilets are made of porcelain/vitreous china). Use white sealer around base for clean look. Watch a youtube vid if not sure on details of removing/installing.

Don't do this. If you do have a leak you won't know until its rotted away your floor. I'd also use synthetic shims.
 
***As long as your subfloor is even and not rotten. Also that you have no issues with the pipe connecting to the toilet. Only then is it easy to replace.
 
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I'm no plumber, but I've installed quite a few toilets. Measure distance from bolts to rear wall. Most toilets should fit. I'd get a one piece Glacier Bay from HD (never have to worry about gasket between tank and base/bowl). I paid $150 several years ago. Happy with them. If it has the push button on top, don't put chem tabs in the water, seeping chlorine gas will corrode the push button. Shut water valve to toilet. Flush. Disconnect water line/valve. Undo bolts holding toilet down. Put the old toilet at the curb, someone will take it. Or Habitat for Humanity still takes 'em I think. If it is a colored mid-century job (manu. date is stamped in lid and in inside of tank) in nice shape it could be worth maybe $300-$500 for the right one. Install not that tough (strong guy can handle toilet up/down stairs alone) if floor and plumbing under toilet not messed up. Maybe buy an extra wax ring. Maybe buy fresh water line for fresh look, same length as old line. Use wood shims to stabilize toilet so no movement (of the wrong kind) when you plop down. Be sure to not overtighten bolts that hold toilet down, can easily crack toilet (toilets are made of porcelain/vitreous china). Use white sealer around base for clean look. Watch a youtube vid if not sure on details of removing/installing.
Second the one piece. Easier install and a nice look.
 
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Toilet replacement is super easy. The hardest part is lifting the damn thing.

Consider just buying all the accessories - wax seal, flange bolts, etc - then you'll have them. If they come with the toilet, you can return them ones you bought separately. And they're only like $10.
 
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We just replaced 2 of the 3 in our house. We got the elongated bowls and they are also a couple of inches taller than standard stools, what a difference on the knees!
Hardware was included with the stools except for the wax ring. We had plumbers do the install. After the water was shut off they used a large sponge to remove the remaining water. They squeezed the sponge into a bucket.
 
We had a wobbly toilet in my basement on suite (8 yr old house settled a bit and I'm fat). Due to my inability to do a lot of anything right now, I thought I'd like to switch out from a round toilet to an elongated so called Golden Rule.

Cost me $1,400 for their premium toilet/install (Gerber with compressor in it for extra pressure):explode: I'm guessing I could have done it for 1/3rd of that when my health was good as I changed out a number of toilets at our various houses over the years. Having a commercial toilet makes me worry a lot less about possible issues as it's a basement toilet on the far opposite corner of the house from the main drain outlet to the sewer.
 
We had a wobbly toilet in my basement on suite (8 yr old house settled a bit and I'm fat). Due to my inability to do a lot of anything right now, I thought I'd like to switch out from a round toilet to an elongated so called Golden Rule.

Cost me $1,400 for their premium toilet/install (Gerber with compressor in it for extra pressure):explode: I'm guessing I could have done it for 1/3rd of that when my health was good as I changed out a number of toilets at our various houses over the years. Having a commercial toilet makes me worry a lot less about possible issues as it's a basement toilet on the far opposite corner of the house from the main drain outlet to the sewer.
Don't want to be sitting on that sucker when you flush...we may not hear from you again.
 

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