Help & advice
Why moving a toilet is a big decision
If you're replacing your toilet, look for highly efficient (HET) or ultra-low flush (ULF) toilets to minimise water use. Or to save on your budget, buy a cistern displacement / water saving device.
Moving a toilet involves more than just rearranging the furniture. It could be worth it in order to make the most of your space or increase privacy, however it will add to the overall time required to complete the project, which, in turn, increases the cost.
Still keen? The key question is - how would the soil pipe get to the new position?
The soil pipe - the wide pipe that carries the waste water and solids away from the toilet - is usually located under or behind your toilet.
Moving where the toilet is will mean either relocating the soil pipe to enter the room from a different part of the wall / floor or routing inside the room, built into a false wall or unit or just disguised with simple boxing in.
How to work out your options:
- Work out where the soil pipe is- Can you easily work out where the current soil pipe joins the main waste stack (the large pipe, sometimes referred to as the vented soil stack, that carries waste water and solids away from the house)? You can normally see the waste stack attached to an outside wall, or you might want to look at plans for your building.
- Hidden means complicated which means expensive - Is the connection point obstructed or hidden? The more hidden it is, the more complicated it's going to be to do anything with.
- Sanity check gravity will run in your favour Can the soil pipe connection run downhill from the new toilet location to connect with the waste stack? Gravity plays a role in taking the wastewater away, and toilets are mostly a standard height!
- Have an idea as to how this would effect your floors and walls Would moving the toilet require modifications to the floor or walls? Structural changes are time consuming and involve additional materials so will increase cost.
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