Maintenance is vital to ensure the optimal performance of a toilet. While toilets are used every day in every household, they often don’t get much attention until something stops working. Fixing a toilet can become a challenge, especially if you keep delaying its maintenance for too long. One day, if faced with a costly repair, you’ll discover why it is crucial to take care of your toilet through regular maintenance.
Plumber Toilet Repair Cost
A toilet that isn’t functioning correctly or stops working altogether can become an enormous headache if it’s not dealt with properly. As the topic of toilet repair comes up, you start thinking about how much it’ll cost to fix your toilet.
It is not easy to figure out the exact cost of toilet maintenance because a toilet could be facing a number of problems. Additionally, if you are looking for a plumber to fix your toilet, the cost of repair will also depend on how much a plumber charges for his services.
According to a rough estimate, professional toilet plumbers charge between $130 to $310 for a repair; however, the price may vary according to the condition of your toilet and individual plumber rates. Furthermore, in some cases, if you need an emergency appointment or a weekend visit, it could also cost you even more.
The cost will also depend on which parts you need to replace. The minimum call-out charge for a professional plumber is $50. Combine that with around $110 to replace the tank float ball and float rod. If you need to replace the seat, the cost will be between $60 and $200. Resealing the toilet and adding a new seal and bolts averages over $200. As you can see, costs add up quickly, particularly if you need to replace multiple parts.
What are some other cost estimates depending on the broken part or repair needed?
Valves & Flapper Replacement
Replacement of a toilet valve usually costs between $60 and $150. However, if you need a complete rebuild of the tank, which includes flush valve, handle, ballcock, flapper, and bolts repairs can cost around $280.
Toilet Wax Ring and Seal Replacement
Usually, this replacement costs around $225. The plumber will need to remove the toilet, replace the wax ring, and reinstall the toilet. If the wax ring gets damaged, you will need to replace it immediately. If you don’t, the toilet will start to leak and may even damage the floor below.
Tank Replacement
If the toilet tank is leaking, you can simply repair or replace it without buying a complete toilet. However, the cost is a bit high, so be ready to pay $300-350 for a new tank.
Bowl Replacement
If the bowl is cracked and you need to replace the whole toilet, you will need to pay around $180 for the plumber alone. For a new standard-quality toilet, be prepared to pay around $450 for both new unit and labor. The plumber will need to remove the old toilet, remove the wax ring, install the new ring, and attach a new toilet.
Replacing the Pipes
To replace the pipes, you will need to call a plumber. The cost differs depending on where the pipes are located and on the problem itself. On average, it will cost between $100 and $400 per hour, but some plumbers offer a fixed price which is $220 on average.
Replacing the Flange
Let’s say that your flange is broken and the toilet started to leak. If you are a skilled DIY person, the parts cost only between $5 and $30. However, if you have to call a professional, it will cost around $200 to fix everything.
Reseating the Toilet
If you’ve removed the toilet and can’t put it back, or if you’ve purchased a new one, you will need to reseat it. Usually, a plumber will charge you around $200, which also includes replacing the wax ring, bolts, and supply line.
Cost of Fixing a Leaking Toilet
Toilets can leak for many reasons. If the problem is with the flapper, it will cost you less than $30. But, if the problem is still not solved with a replacement flapper, hiring a professional is a must. The service call can cost up to $100, and you will need to buy parts. It might seem like a big expense now, but calling in a professional early can save you lots of money in the future. Some minor leaks can cost you $800-1000 a year or even up to $2000 if not fixed quickly..
Cost of Replacing a Toilet
On average, it will cost you between $100 and $200 in labor to replace a toilet, considering the average installation time is between 3-4 hours and a plumber’s rate is around $60 per hour. If you already have a toilet installed, you will also need to pay up to $50 to remove it. These rates don’t include the cost for the new toilet itself, which can be another few hundred dollars as discussed above.
How Much Does a Plumber Charge?
The cost of having a plumber fix your toilet varies between countries. However, in the United States, it costs an average of $120-300 to have your toilet fixed. Typically, a working hour costs $60-140, although some repairs have a fixed price. For example, unclogging a toilet costs around $200 on average. Some plumbers might also charge you to take a look at the problem, but they will deduct the cost if you hire them to fix the issue. Also, note that if you call a plumber during holidays or after hours, you will likely need to pay more.
DIY vs. Calling a Plumber
The fact is, most problems with the toilet are simple to fix and require no special tools. Replacement parts are widely available. If you do need tools, a drill, a hacksaw, and locking pliers are commonly required.
Calling a handyman is also a good solution, but you cannot always be sure of their plumbing skills or that they have the required specialized tools that are needed for the repair. However, especially for something simple, you can save a lot of money by fixing the part yourself or with the help of a handyman instead of calling in a plumber.
Additional Details to Consider
Fixing the toilet is usually simple, but there are some details that can interfere and directly increase the final cost.
- Accessibility – If the toilet is in an area that’s hard to reach, or if the space behind the tank is limited, it will increase the repair time. Make sure everything is as accessible as possible before the repair begins as you will pay the plumber hourly.
- Pipes – If pipes need to be located, especially if they are hard to reach, it will also increase the cost. For example, pipes may be located under tree roots, or they may be rusty and corroded, which would require replacement. Pipework alone can cost between $100 and $400, depending on your country, while adding to the plumbing cost by increasing overall repair time.
- Additional workers – Depending on the size and severity of the job to be done, you may need to hire and pay additional workers
DIY Toilet Maintenance
If you prefer to fix your problems by yourself, here is what you need to know to repair your toilet.
- An overall awareness of basic plumbing knowledge because it would help you identify and understand many common problems your toilet may face
- Most toilets face leakage due to two common reasons: the inlet valve or the flapper. You’ll be able to fix the flapper fairly easily on your own, but you’ll want to call in a professional for a valve repair
If the flapper is faulty, you can remove it as soon as you drain the tank. You may notice a few cracks or a loose fit of the flapper because these are the reason why the problem exists. Replace the old flapper with a new one and seal it tightly. Now, turn on the water supply and flush the toilet; a single flush would tell you if you succeeded in your attempt to repair the toilet.
However, if the problem is with the inlet valve, you will have to take apart the whole assembly of the toilet, which can be more complicated to fix. Furthermore, this problem requires advanced knowledge of plumbing and a lot of plumbing tools, which is why it would be a good idea to ask for a professional plumber’s services.
Ultimately, fixing a leaking toilet isn’t very complicated, and you can easily replace the flapper without any professional assistance. The only thing you will have to spend your money on is a new flapper, and you’re good to go.
Our Final Opinion
We hope this list helped you understand how much it may cost to repair your toilet, depending on the issue. You can use these estimates to budget out your repairs and even decide if the issue is something you can complete on your own. Ultimately, investing in regular maintenance will prevent costly future issues in the long run.