How much does it cost to install a new toilet?

Toilet prices confuse people because two different jobs hide under one name. Supply and install means the plumber provides the toilet and fits it; install-only means you have already bought one and just need it plumbed in. In Sydney, supply and install typically runs $550 to $1,100, while install-only labour sits around $250 to $450.

Why the range is so wide

The suite itself drives most of it. A budget close-coupled suite costs a few hundred dollars, while a premium back-to-wall unit with a soft-close seat and better ceramics can be double or triple that before labour even enters the picture. Labour stays fairly consistent from job to job; the porcelain does not.

Other things that move the price:

• A set-out, meaning the distance from the wall to the waste pipe, that does not match the new suite
• Moving or adapting the water inlet position
• A corroded or damaged floor flange that needs replacing
• Removal and disposal of the old suite
• Older homes with cast iron pipework or unusual waste configurations

Back-to-wall vs link suites

A link suite, also called a close-coupled or connector suite, has the cistern joined to the pan with a visible connection. It forgives imperfect set-outs, which makes it the safe pick for older bathrooms. A back-to-wall suite sits flush against the wall with the pipework concealed, looks cleaner and is easier to mop around, but it is far less tolerant: measure the set-out before buying one, because the wrong unit simply will not fit without pipework changes.

Buying the toilet yourself

Install-only can save money if you buy well. The trap is buying on looks alone: a bargain suite with the wrong set-out or a non-standard inlet can cost more in alterations than it saved at the checkout. If you want to supply your own, measure from the finished wall to the centre of the waste outlet first, or send Terry a side-on photo of the existing toilet. He can tell you what will fit before you spend anything.

When replacement beats repair

A new washer, flush valve or inlet valve is a cheap repair and usually worth doing. Replacement starts making sense when:

• The pan or cistern is cracked, which is a replacement every time, since cracks in porcelain only spread
• The same toilet has needed several repairs within a couple of years
• It is an old single-flush unit, because a modern dual-flush suite uses a fraction of the water and quietly pays for itself on the water bill
• Parts for the old suite are discontinued and each fix becomes an improvisation

How the price is agreed

Every toilet job is priced up front. For supply and install, the figure covers the suite, removal and disposal of the old one, new seals and connections, and testing. For install-only, it covers the labour and fittings. Either way, the number is agreed before the old toilet comes off the floor, so the decision to go ahead is made with the real cost in hand.