I'm hoping someone can give me an answer since the floor installer says one thing and the plumber that will be picking up the toilet and installing it says another. The rough in is 11 1/4 by the floor installer measurment, but the plumber said it is 10 1/2 which he would have to order and would cost more. My measurements come out 11 1/4 so assuming that 11 1/4 is right will a 12 in rough in toilet, which most are it seems, fit this? Thanks for any help, it's driving me crazy trying to figure it all out.
Measuring to the center which the plumber said he did, and the floor installer did while I watched him, then my husband did, and I did. 3 come out with 11 1/4. Plumber comes out with 10 1/2.
Didn't anyone ask the plumber how he's measuring it and why he says it's 10 1/2 while you're measuring 11 1/4? It's 3/4" difference, which sounds about the thickness of moldings.
Well, I sort of think so too, but will a 12 inch rough in toilet fit the 11
1/4 rough in space. The floor installer said he thought it would do with no problem, so I'm confused since the plumber said he would have to special order it for 10 1/2, which will cost more.
Here's what happened with the other bathroom, 2 weeks ago. I picked out the Kohler Cimmaron toilet which came complete with seat etc., except supply line. Plumber told me that he couldn't sell it to me for the same price as Lowe's which was 219.00, so he would have to add another 50.00 to it, I said fine since I was tired of dealing with it. When he came to install it, it didn't have the seat like it was supposed to, so he put another seat on it. I told him that I wanted the slow close seat that came with it, so he did order it (why since it was included) came out and replaced the other seat. The installation of the toilet took an hour which he said he charges 90.00 per hour. OK, total cost was 500.00 for the toilet and installed. I feel that it was excessive, so am a little shell shocked to have him bringing the
10 1/2 toilet. Sorry for the long story, but if I order the toilet myself, I need to know what size rough in I need for 11 1/4 rough in.
He measured it first after he had finished the other bathroom, so he hasn't been back since then, just told us to give him a few days notice when the floor is installed because it would have to be a special order, but we have decided to go with a different plumbing company now. I just want to know if a 12 inch rough in toilet will fit there or if I really need a special order toilet.
OK, thanks for the answers. I guess there is no standard answer for toilets having some leeway in rough in size, so will have another plumber come and measure and have them buy the toilet instead of me ordering it myself.
Roughin is off the finished wall. If 12" or more, a 12" rough is fine. If 11 3/4" then a 10 1/2" rough would be required so a measure of 11
1/4" down to 10 1/2" will require a 10 1/2" rough. Some designs will "fudge" a bit but if you have to guarantee a fit then the measure is needed to be for the spec'd rough range or the tank may hit the wall causing problems or mis-align the floor flange causing leaks and stoppages.
The rough-in measurement is supposed to be from the center of the sewer drain to the finished wall behind the toilet. I assume that is what you are measuring -- to the finished wall, not to the edge of the wall base trim. And, of course, if the wall is not yet a finished wall (maybe just studs at this point), you have to be sure that you include the thickness of any sheetrock and/or tile etc. that will be on the wall behind the toilet. But, again, I assume that you and your husband already did all of that and that is how you came up with the 11 1/4 inch rough-in.
Now, here's where it may get a little tricky. The rough-in allows for a small space between the back of the toilet tank lid and the wall. So, a
12-inch rough-in toilet, when placed on an exactly 12-inch rough-in sewer line center line will not go back the full 12 inches to the wall -- it will leave a little space behind the toilet tank lid and the finished wall.
I just went online and picked a Kohler toilet at random and I looked at the specs sheets. The one that I picked is a 12-inch rough-in toilet, and the spec sheets for that toilet show that if it is placed over a 12 inch rough-in sewer line, there will be a 1/2 inch space left between the toilet tank top and the finished wall. Or, to put it another way, if you put that toilet on an 11 1/2 inch rough-in sewer line, the back of the toilet tank top would end up flush against the finished wall with no gap at all.
But, you said you have an 11 1/4 inch rough-in right now. I think that means that if the same Kohler toilet were placed on your 11 1/4 inch rough-in, the toilet would not fit because the toilet tank top would have to intrude into your finished wall by 1/4 inch.
Here is the link to the specs for the sample Kohler toilet that I picked. Scroll down and look at the dimensions from the back of the toilet tank lid to the finished wall (which is 1/2 inch) -- if the rough-in were 12 inches.
formatting link
If you know the exact toilet model that you will be putting in, maybe you could look that up online and see the spec sheet with the dimensions. It should show how far back the back of the toilet tank goes and what the gap would be to the finished wall with a 12 inch rough-in. Then, you would have to figure out whether it will still fit if the rough-in is 11 1/4 inches instead of 12 inches.
I installed roughed in toilet twice in the basement. Always concern was tank hitting the wall. Having some leeway is good idea. Let the plumber do every thing. You'll have peace of mind. If he screws up, he will have to fix it.
I just randomly picked another toilet model (a Gerber toilet), and that one shows that it would have a 1-inch gap between the toilet and the wall with a
12-inch rough-in. So, with your 11 1/4 inch rough-in, I think that means that toilet model would still leave you a 1/4 inch gap between the toilet and the wall. In other words, that model of 12-inch rough-in toilet would fit in your 11 1/4 rough-in space. So, you may want to check various other toilet models of your choice and see what they show for the gap with a
12-inch rough-in, and compare that to what it would mean with your 11 1/4 inch rough-in.
I'm thinking much depends upon the individual toilet; i.e, the tank. They do vary in thickness. If the rough in is less than 12" and you use a toilet designed for a 12" rough in, all may be fine OR the tank may hit the wall OR it (tank) might not fit at all.
Are you going to use the same brand/model of toilet you used two weeks ago? Was the rough in the same as the one of concern? If yes, you are good to go. If not, measuring from the back of he tank to the wall on the installed one will help IF you know the rough in for it and size of toilet used.
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here.
All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.