Moving a toilet’s location is usually such a complicated task that it is best left to the professionals. Unless you’re exceptionally skilled or experienced, the extensive steps required can easily lead you to mess up the project, which may result in additional repair fees.
Then, how much does it cost to move a toilet? Unfortunately, the budget required for this kind of renovation is not cheap. At the very least, you’ll need to prepare $1000-$3000. For more extensive projects, the expected cost can easily skyrocket up to $6500.
Table of Contents
Cost to Relocate Toilet
1. Depending on the toilet location
The toilet’s initial location and where you move it can have a major impact on the overall price. Moving toilets installed in concrete slabs, for example, will require another service provider to repair the sub-flooring and flooring, as it involves tearing down the material.
The complication of moving a toilet location on concrete slabs doesn’t stop there. Even if you just relocate the fixture 6 inches or fewer, you’re bound also to relocate toilet plumbing. Such challenges will drive up the overall cost to over $6000. Even in the best-case scenario, the entire renovation will set you back two grand.
Note that the distance of relocation affects the final figure—moving the toilet 5 feet away will be more expensive than 3 feet due to the increased complexity. That’s not even the end of the story—the expense depends on whether a new plumbing setup is necessary as well.
- To elaborate, if the previous setup is still usable, the matter is as simple as extending the toilet drain pipe and water supply, resulting in a lower price.
- The new location may mean the plumber can’t extend the drain pipe and ensure a code-compliant slope with proper drainage. When such problems arise, the plumber may have no choice but to move the toilet drain.
- Installing one line of new drain pipe will set you back $690 on average, including the fee for both labor and materials. Similarly, the cost to move plumbing will be $730 for one line.
2. Types of costs
- Labor cost
The expected price for labor can vary drastically, depending on where you live and how experienced the plumber is. Whether the service provider is a residential or commercial plumber also impacts the cost, with the former charging at least $80/hour and the latter $100/hour.
Realistically speaking, however, the most likely price range for an experienced plumber’s hourly rate is $175 to $480. This includes the actual wage itself, traveling expenses, and union fees.
Another factor that will increase the labor rate is the urgency of the job and/or whether the task takes place outside the plumber’s usual working hours. If you expect to move a toilet location during holidays, you’re looking at triple the usual amount.
As you’re expected to pay the plumber by the hour, the expense will vary based on how long it’ll take to complete the job. Again, how complex the project is will determine this, as explained above.
- Supplies
When planning to have the toilet move elsewhere, you’ll also need to pay for the supplies. For instance, you’ll have to cover the drain pipe. PVC is the most common material for toilet drain lines, costing roughly $0.5 to $5 per foot.
If you choose more luxurious options, such as cast iron for its noise insulation properties, each foot will set you back $10-$20. So you can add $20-$40 to the overall cost to move a toilet 2 feet away, for example.
Your toilet also requires a vent pipe to work properly. If moving the toilet a few feet away means re-routing the plumbing vent, prepare an additional $165 for your budget.
In some cases, the project may call for the use of an offset flange, which you can get for $15 or less.
3. Other costs
When you move the toilet drain and the toilet itself, you’re bound to do some damage to the floor. This means aside from the cost to relocate the water closet, you’re also supposed to pay for the repair – around $2 to $30/square foot for floor covering and $2-$10 for sub-flooring.
WCs on the second floor may also be more expensive to move, considering that it’s essential to take into account the integrity of the ceiling. And let’s not forget that this may demand a layout change in the floor below to accommodate the new drainpipe location.
There’s also the wall to worry about. If the renovation involves damaging the wall, patching one square foot of wall will require $60-$80. Not to mention that you may need to repaint the surface as well.
A part of doing bathroom renovation is to be prepared for unexpected costs. One example is that the plumber may notice your toilet has an excessive amount of mineral deposits, making a new replacement necessary.
When such an occurrence arises, you can either go for a one- or two-piece toilet. The former is usually more expensive – costing $250 to $500, whereas the latter only arrives at around $100 to $300.
Why is It So Expensive to Move a Toilet?
One primary reason behind the high cost of moving a toilet is the complexity of the job. It involves tampering with the existing toilet drain lines. There’s also the water supply system and the vent line to worry about.
With relocating toilets being such a complicated task, one can only imagine the complete project will be quite long. Suppose it takes an experienced plumber with an hourly rate of $175 around 6 hours to finish; then you’re looking at a charge of $1050 for just labor alone.
Aside from the budget for buying supplies, there’s also the unexpected cost. At the very least, repairing the floor is always a given.
Money-saving Tips When Moving Toilets
Follow the tips below to cut down on the cost of moving a toilet:
- Take your time to find a plumber. Once you do, choose a time and date that coincides with their usual working time. As explained above, the price can triple if you call them on short notice or during their days off.
- Opt for more affordable drain pipe materials. In this case, PVC would be the best choice, as it only costs around $0.5 to $5 for every foot.
- Refrain from re-locating the toilet too far away or somewhere that will require re-routing the entire drain system. Remember: the more adjustment to the drain lines the project demands, the higher the overall cost will be.
- If there’s little to no damage on your old toilet, re-use it. If yours is too old to be reusable, pick one that is more affordable, such as a two-piece model.
- If you’re confident in your DIY skills and/or have some basic knowledge of toilets and their plumbing system, carry out the project yourself. This DIY project requires about $300-$600. Make sure to do research and plan out everything carefully beforehand.
Frequently Asked Questions
How difficult is it to relocate a toilet?
Relocating a toilet is not an easy task at all, unless all the pipes are in the correct positions for the new location, which obviously isn’t always the case.
If the odds are not in your favor, there are lots of things to deal with when moving a toilet. Plumbing and pipelines aside, there’s also flooring that should not be overlooked. Toilets on second floors also pose a challenge as they can impact the ceiling.
As toilet relocation is a complicated job and includes a lot of precise planning, and most people aren’t suitable to take on the project themselves.
How long does it take to move a toilet?
The entire process of moving a toilet can take up to 6 hours, give or take. In addition, this does not involve re-installing the vent pipe—a separate task that requires an additional 3 hours. The good thing is that this doesn’t always happen.
The most time-consuming part of this remodeling project is not removing and installing the toilet. If anything, it’ll account for less than ⅙ of the entire process. As you may have guessed, it’s the planning and dealing with the plumbing system that takes the longest, with more adjustments calling for more time.
Conclusion
In short, to answer the question of how much does it cost to move a toilet, it’s important to take into account the complexity of the task, the materials involved, and the rate of the plumber. Unexpected costs may occur, which further drives up the average $1000-$3000 range.
Does learning the cost of relocating toilet put you off? If so, consider moving other elements in the bathroom instead. The sink, for instance, is easier to move compared to the toilet. You can also check to see if relocating the entry door works for you.
As moving the toilet is a big project, consider consulting a remodeling expert first. They can offer pieces of advice that will drive down the overall renovation cost.
Read more about the article about standard toilet room size here.
Hi, I am Roseanne Jones, an aspiring home designer that wants to make you feel more at home with your new house.With nearly five years of redecorating old residents and arranging new ones, I am confident that I can give you the best advice on your lovely place.
