Need very specific help with replacing a low-level toilet

[OnTheBall]

Hello everyone,

My downstairs toilet is broken. The cistern is leaking and the bowl has a longstanding crack that is beginning to look less than great. I've been wanting to redecorate for ages and in the process of doing up the bathroom recently I've ended up with a nice new spare sink. So I thought I'd do the whole lot in one go - and then I realised my problem.

I'd like to install a close-coupled toilet, but the location of the waste pipe makes this impossible - it goes into a concrete floor about 17cm (at the pipe's closest point) from the wall. I got a quote about relocating the pipe (I'm a competent DIYer, but that's way beyond me) from someone on Rated People who said it'd be £700 or so and therefore not worth it (he didn't need to tell me that!). This therefore limits the toilets I can replace it with. I'd like something smarter/more modern-looking than the traditional low-level cistern - are there any out there for me?

My Googling hasn't been particularly successful, other than the reveal a toilet that coincidentally I've just seen next door, where I'm letting in a builder every day. I can't ask my neighbour where the toilet is from as she's not there (and has Alzheimers), but I'm attaching a picture. Our houses are identical but I think her waste is only about 10cm from the wall.

Can anyone suggest anything? I'll be very grateful for any advice or suggestions.

The picture of the bottom of a toilet with the parquet floor is mine (and isnt really that dirty!), the whole toilet is my neighbour's.

Untitled

• OnTheBall
• 30 Oct 2013
• 1

Untitled

• OnTheBall
• 30 Oct 2013
• 1

 

[mcmoby69]

you could fit a back to wall pan far enough out to give you room to use a couple of multikwiks at the back inside the unit to avoid moving the waste pipe. would the room allow for this.?

 

[Charnwood]

Multikwiks which might do the job:

MKBAR90. Both ends adjustable (cut with saw).

MKC2B90. Bent flexi.

 

[OnTheBall]

*stupid question alert*

Would I be able to bed the flexi pipe further away from the wall, ie. further back on itself? I'm sure I could, but would it still work if it wasn’t too far? For obvious reasons I can’t cause the pipe to be too narrow! What I mean is, could I potentially find a toilet where the waste starts 12cm from the wall, but use the flexi pipe to bend it back to the 17cm hole?

 

[OnTheBall]

Right, having been inspired by these replies, I've been to B&Q and bought a long flexi waste pipe to see how far I can bend it back. To get it to fit the hole I have now, I need a toilet where the waste pipe begins around 25cm from the wall.

In all my searching I've only found a few toilets where that distance is quoted - does anyone know of anything like that?

Oh, and to allow for the bend, the waste pipe would have to come out of the toilet 25cm above the ground. I've got no chance, have I?

 

[Newboy]

You are more than likely to end up with the foot of the pan hitting the floor waste. Would it not be simpler to stud out the wall to allow for any pan to fit?

 

[Madrab]

I suppose the other way to look at it is....£700 to move a soil pipe say 150mm? Hmmm..not sure about that. You are going to have to cut that pan spigot out as it is, given it's mortared in.
Cut the existing clay flush to the floor and cut a 110mm U into the side of it. cut a channel back to the wall, get a 110mm 90 degree connector and lay it flat into the u in the clay pipe, cement bed and seal to clay and then cap it. You now have a 110mm waste outlet in the floor, up against the wall that any flexi/P bend will fit that won't need mortar to seal.

 

[OnTheBall]

Madrab - I must say, doing that interests me. How would I cut such a small channel? And to sound even more stupid - I'm with you up to the point you say "and seal to clay and then cap it" - would you mind elaborating for a novice? Also, the 90 degree connector that I'd put into the clay pipe would be a standard 90 degree connector just with a rubber seal?

newboy - it would be easier, but it's a small room so I'm loathe to. But you did give me the idea of using a back-to-wall unit which may give me the space I need without losing the whole wall. If I can't work out the above, this is what I'll go for.

Thanks for the advice chaps.

 

[Madrab]

I will say that you need to be handy at working with tools before undertaking this, if at all nervous about tackling it then I would avoid it.
If it's a concrete floor then all you would be doing is using an angle grinder with a diamond masonry blade and water to cool and cut say 150mm wide and as deep as you need it to fit the new pipe to the height you want & accommodating the bend.
Chop that out with a cold chisel/bolster and hammer or a breaker if you can get one.
That gives you the channel for the pipe to sit in.
Clear a 30mm channel around the top of the clay pipe and then cut down the side of the clay pipe - carefully - to fit the new waste pipe - 115mm wide and the same deep as the channel - make several vertical cuts every 20mm, you can then just snap it out.
Make up some mortar and bed the new pipe into that, run it right up to the clay pipe so it seals the new pipe in underneath then just fill over the pipe until your flush with your floor again and it's sealed to the top and sides of the clay too.
Then just use a square piece of slate or stone that fits the 30mm channel you have already cut around the top of the clay to cap the pipe. The cut away channel around the top of the clay pipe can be filled with mortar and then the stone cap beds onto that, put some silicone around the top edge of the clay when you put the capping stone on just to make it airtight. Mind make it nice and level with the floor
Just a standard 90 Degree underground connector would do fine.