Close coupled WC Allignment

[Archie]

The in-laws have just had a new bathroom installed. The WC and cistern arrived already assembled and when installed, there is a gap of around half an inch at the top of the cistern. They were told that this is how they arrive from the manufacturer and if they try to adjust the cistern, it may cause leaks. This is not a cheap WC from one of the sheds but a well known expensive manufacturer. I can't believe that a reputable bathroom fitter would think it is acceptable to leave it in this state but the inlaws don't want to make too much of a fuss.

When I installed my own bathroom several years ago, the cisten and WC arrived as separate parts and I had to join them in situ with no problems. There are a couple of pictures here.

http://92.236.100.215/bathroom/index.htmlOpinions please

[Lobster]

Looks like a right dog's breakfast, doesn't it?

I'm not familiar with the innards of this system (ie how the cistern outflow mates up with the loo inlet) but you can see there'e a rebate around the top of the loo which is clearly supposed to mate up with a lip on the cistern.

And the gap at the back of the cistern...!!! Is the wall way off vertical? Even if it is, and it's not possible to mount it any other way, there's no excuse for that unsupported gap.

David

[The Medway Handyman]

Not right. Not only is the gap unsightly, the angle of the cistern means it can't be seating properly and may be stressing the joint. Thats likely to cause a leak, not any adjustment.

[Archie]

The wall is slightly off but helping to reduce the gap. The floor is level.

Archie

[Archie]

When I did my own bathroom, there was a big do'nut shaped rubber washer to provide a seal between the two parts. I can only guess that since this came assembled, the washer may have compressed somewhat and may leak if any adjustment is made. I suspect a new washer should fix it though.

Archie

[Bruce]

I think it's pretty clear from picture 0221 that the WC pan hasn't been installed level. It appears to slope downwards away from the wall.

If the WC pan isn't level, the cistern cannot ever be installed vertical, and it will always have a gap to the wall at the top.

If what I surmised is right, the remedy is to get the fitter to refit the WC pan so it is level and the back of the cistern will be vertical, with only a small clearance gap to the wall at the top.

[Cicero]

========================================= It would appear that you might not have a matched pair. Judging by the pictures any attempt to close the gap against the wall would appear to increase the gap at the front of the cistern with potential to leak.

I would suggest that you dismantle and do a dry run with a level against the back of the cistern and move the whole thing back until it meets the wall. Depending on the result you might be able to correct with a new washer but a check with the supplier should tell you if you've got the correct matching pieces.

Cic.

[John]

Because it wasn't cheap or from a "shed" doesn't imply it is good - just a larger profit mark up for the retailer and plumber!

Have you tried a spirit level on the bowl? Perhaps this is causing some of the problem. A good plumber would not have left it like that.

[Ed Sirett]

The fit at the bottom of the cistern looks good. I guess it's a compromise with the angle at the back and the angle underneath.

If I was doing this I would have gone for mostly getting the back right and allowing a bit of error below. It is possible that if you slacken the fixing bolts below the cistern will be movable to upright. It might also leak and then you would have to start again with a new doughnut.

[Mark]

But judging by the gap between the cistern and pan in the second picture it's either the floor / wall not being square with each other that's causing the problem, or the WC casting is wonky crap.

-

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. I remember "Archie" saying something like:

Eh? That's a new one on me. Whatever the truth of it, it should be possible to dismantle it and carefully straighten the cistern/bogpan interface to a proper angle with judicious use of a new collapsible foam washer.

That means nothing. The quality of Italian bogware fittings is utterly s**te in fit. It's not uncommon to have to adjust things quite severely to make them fit as they should.

He couldn't be arsed to do it right and made up any old bollocks as an excuse.

Exactly.

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. I remember "Mark" saying something like:

Which is why I simply don't believe the story the OP's rellies were spun about it being supplied like that. When even the worst maker makes them they know the wall/floor is unlikely to be dead square and the pair of them will have a deal of leeway for adjustment.

Apart from that - anyone who's ever tried to move an assembled one will know they are almost unmanageable and if they were being transported their would be breakages left, right and centre.

Very, very good chance of that, too.

[Mike Clarke]

I wonder if it's an ex display model shipped straight out of the showroom without dismantling?

[ARWadsworth]

It looks like the tiler has reduced the gap between the wall and the waste pipe that drops through the floor to allow the toilet to fit. How much adjustment can be made on the washer?

Adam

[The Medway Handyman]

Good point that. I've never come across one already assembled. Usually in two boxes to keep the weight of each down.

[Archie]

Yes it was and ex display model but that doesn't excuse leaving it in that state. There is a fitter coming back to look at it on Monday so we'll see what happens.

Archie

[A.Lee]

Get them back in to fit it correctly. If need be,they may need a different foam/rubber doughnut at the pan/cistern join. Alan.

[John]

Conversation should go something like this (presuming it is a different fitter to the original one).

Fitter: "Good morning Sir, I have come to look at your toilet".

You: "Hi, do come in.......there it is"

Fitter: "F**k me that's sh**e, where did he park his horse? I will sort it for you"

You: "Thanks, would you like a cuppa?"

HTH

John

P.S. As others have said, WC's are despatched in two pieces to avoid LOTS of returns for breakages. So the (ex display) WC should have been dismantled prior to shipping from the store. The line about thats how they come from the manufacturers is total tosh and the original fitter knows it!!

[Mike Clarke]

No "if" about it, I'd insist on a new one. It shouldn't cost more than a couple of quid. Compared to the cost and hassle of a return visit to fix a leak it's just not worth skimping on, especially since the guy who installed it told them it would leak if the cistern was re-aligned,

[A.Lee]

I've fitted 2 toilets recently that would not seal with the supplied foam washer. Luckily I carry around a variety of doughnuts in both rubber and foam (rubber are far better IMO) so could get them fitted and leak free, if a DIYer had attempted the fitting, they would probably not realise that the fitting was poor until the flushed water came through the gap. One was a B+Q supplied pan/cistern that was a very poor fit, so much so that the foam doughnut only touched on 1 edge. Alan.