OK, we’re not retail experts here. We’re just licensed plumbers in New York City – you know, that city that buys so much stuff from Amazon that they’ve made same-day delivery possible here. You can get practically anything on Amazon – including toilets and plumbing fixtures. We’re not here to harsh your online shopping squee, but before you buy a toilet online, here are some things you want to know:
Not All Toilets Are The Same.
A toilet is a toilet is a toilet, right? Wrong. Toilets may seem to be fairly standard, but the truth is there’s some significant variation in style and sizes. Unless you’re doing a major bathroom remodel, you want to make sure that your new toilet is the right size to fit where your old toilet is. To do this, measure from the wall to the center of the drain pipe – this will be equidistant between the bolts that hold the toilet down. For many toilets, this will be 12″, but it is possible that you’ll encounter 10″ or 14″. Choosing a toilet that’s the right size will make installation a much faster and affordable process.
Other factors to consider when shopping for a toilet include seat height – taller toilets, sometimes called comfort height toilets, are ideal for anyone who has back pain or mobility issues – and bowl shape.
Have an Installation Plan.
You know how it goes when you order something from Amazon: that box shows up and then you’re on your own. There won’t be a licensed NYC plumber in that box – but in order to keep the DOB and property managers happy, you’re going to need one to handle the new toilet installation. Toilet installation is the type of plumbing job you can schedule ahead of time. Most homeowners do so at about the same time they’re shopping for a new toilet to minimize how long it will take to get the new toilet installed.
