A Guide to Wilmette Toilet Replacement Costs and Options

Across the country the average cost of a DIY toilet replacement ranges from $300 to $800 for basic models. If you have a plumber install it for you, the average cost is typically $400 to $1,000 to account for the 1-3 hours of labor needed to do the job.

In the Chicagoland area, these figures are usually slightly higher than the national average due to differences in materials costs and labor rates. So, in our area, the average cost of basic toilet replacement is more like $350 to $1,000 if you’re doing it yourself and $450 to $1,250 for a professional toilet installation.

Toilet Replacement Costs

When replacing a toilet, there are several costs to be aware of, including:

• The Toilet Itself

Basic toilets can be as little as $100-250, while mid-range models are typically in the $250-600 price range. If you choose a more premium toilet model, the cost of the job will increase significantly because smart toilets and luxury toilets with added comfort features can cost $1,000-3,000 for just the unit alone. This is often the biggest variable in the overall cost of a toilet replacement project. We’ll get into that more later when we talk about replacement toilet options.

• Labor

Installing your own toilet means you don’t need to pay a plumbing company to do it for you, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it will be cheaper in the long run because an improperly installed toilet can leak, causing costly home damage. Similarly, hiring a handyman to install a toilet may help to reduce your labor costs, but again if the job is done improperly, it can lead to big problems later and end up costing far more than you saved!

• Wax Ring

Replacing the wax ring under your toilet is a relatively inexpensive thing to do, but you should be aware that you will need to replace this when you replace a toilet. Wax rings are single-use pieces so when your old toilet goes, so does the old wax ring. A new wax ring will cost you typically $25 or so.

• Disposal

A plumbing company will cover the cost of disposing of an old toilet in the price that they charge you. However, if you need to dispose of it on your own, you should budget $25-150 for the toilet disposal cost (depending on where you live).

• Additional Plumbing Repairs

When replacing your toilet you may discover that your flange is broken or your supply line is in poor condition. You’ll want to fix any of these other plumbing issues while the toilet is off to save time and money later.  Additional plumbing repairs will add to the upfront cost but will be a good investment down the road to ensure your toilet doesn’t leak.

Replacement Toilet Options

When you need to replace your toilet, you have lots of options to choose from depending on your budget and style preferences!

• Two-Piece vs Two-Piece

With two-piece toilets the tank bolts to the bowl. These are the most common and most affordable types of toilets. Chances are, this is what your home already has. But that doesn’t mean you have to stick with that style. You can always choose to upgrade your bathroom with a higher quality toilet.

Like the name would imply, one-piece toilets are one single molded unit, which makes them more costly. They are easier to clean and look sleek in your bathroom, but they are much heavier, so they are harder to install. These are typically better for smaller bathrooms because they are available in more space-saving designs.

• Round vs Elongated

Toilets come in two different bowl shape options – round (sometimes referred to as “standard”) and elongated.

Toilets with round bowls are often found in smaller bathrooms because this compact shape allows the overall toilet unit to be smaller. They are also a popular choice for bathrooms that kids often use.

Toilets with elongated bowls are more comfortable for adults to use, so they’re typically the go-to choice for master bathrooms. Round toilet bowls are slightly cheaper than elongated bowls but there’s not usually a huge difference in cost.

• Height

Toilets come in a standard height, comfort height, and ADA height.

Standard height is the basic toilet model type that is good for users of all sizes, whereas comfort height is slightly taller to make the toilet more comfortable for adults to use. As such, comfort height toilets are a popular choice for master bathrooms.

ADA height toilets are even taller than comfort height toilets to reduce the need to get down as far to use the toilet and improve the ease of getting back up afterwards. For homes with elderly or mobility-challenged residents, ADA height toilets are necessary to provide independence.

• Luxury

There are a variety of luxury toilet models that homeowners and business owners with big budgets can choose to have installed in their bathrooms.

Wall-mounted (aka wall-hung toilets are installed directly on the wall to create an elegant look in your bathroom. Not only do these toilets require plumbing lines to be rerouted, but sometimes the wall itself needs to be reinforced.

European-style toilets with bidet options are becoming more popular here these days, but they require some added plumbing to work as intended. A professional plumber will have the experience needed to modify your bathroom water supply lines to get this kind of toilet installed.

More smart toilets are being manufactured than ever before, offering all kinds of special features from auto flushing and heated seats to motion-activated lights and self-cleaning capabilities. These luxury toilets often have plumbing needs as well as electrical needs to consider. 

We replace toilets every day in Wilmette homes and businesses. Give us a call at 1 (800) 674-9130 to have one of our experienced plumbers replace your old toilet. Whether it’s routine residential or commercial plumbing work or 24/7 emergency plumbing services, we’ve got you covered!

Additional resources:
Should You Replace Your Toilet Now or Later?
Toilet Replacement Costs
Wilmette Toilet Installation Costs
Can a Plumber Fix Your Broken Toilet?
When to Replace a Toilet Tank
How Much is a New Toilet Installed?
DIY Toilet Replacement
Wilmette Toilet Installation Costs
Toilet Installation Companies in Wilmette
Wilmette Plumbers that do Toilet Repair
DIY Toilet Repair Guide
How to Fix Common Toilet Problems