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Laundry Conversion

If you think of installing an extra toilet in your house, you should consider installing it in your laundry room. Installing a toilet in the laundry room is a very clever move as it makes it possible to have another bathroom on your property. This decision could prove to be more cost-efficient than doing a home extension. However, costs can play a significant role while doing such a renovation.

Therefore, knowing the overall toilet installation cost and planning your budget are crucial for this renovation. This article will assist you in all you need to know regarding installing an extra toilet in your laundry room, including the costs involved.

Can You Install A Toilet In Your Laundry Room?

Before getting into costs, it is essential to know whether it's possible to put a toilet in a laundry room. It is possible to turn an existing laundry into another bathroom. You can install a toilet in the laundry room if you create more space by removing the sink, washer, and dryer. Such a renovation is a great way to create more space in your house and add more functionality.

How Much Does Toilet Installation Cost?

The cost to install a toilet is dependent on various factors, such as the location, bathroom space, preferred toilet, and more. Usually, toilet installation costs vary from around $300 to $2000, depending on the toilet suites and labour involved. Your choice of toilet and installation services can also affect how much you will be charged.

Looking over a few places and comparing their prices could be the best way to get the more efficient deals. So, first, you need to list down your requirements and then get a statement from two to three plumbers to know the estimated cost of installing your new toilet.

Factors That Affect Installation Costs Of A Toilet

Now that we have gone through the price ranges and what you need to do to estimate the cost, let's look into the factors that can affect the cost of installing a toilet.

Toilet replacement

If you already have an existing toilet in your laundry, replacing the toilet will be a factor that will affect the cost. Pre-installation works like replacing and disposing of an old toilet require extra labour, making it costlier. You should add a labour rate of around $55 per hour in such cases.

You should also speak to the plumber about the estimated hours the job will take to give you a rough idea of the labour cost. However, some plumbers will provide you with fixed rates. So, to ensure that you manage your expenses better, confirm the prices for toilet replacement services from your plumber of choice.

Type of toilet

As previously mentioned, the model, type, and style of a toilet will drastically affect the installation and the overall cost. Therefore, keep in mind that your preferred toilet type will generally influence the price. Below is a list of four of the most common types of toilets that residential owners install:

  • Wall-hung toilets
  • Wall-faced toilets
  • Back-to-wall toilets
  • Close-coupled toilets

Among the aforementioned types, wall-hung toilets are the most expensive as they offer great space-saving solutions. They tend to be trickier to install, which results in higher installation prices. On the other hand, close-coupled toilets require less intensive labour as they are easy to install and secure, making them the cheapest option.

Depending on the type of toilet you settle for, ask a plumber how long the installation process will take to determine the expected labour cost. Apart from the type of toilet you choose, the total cost of installation can still vary. Why, you may ask? Below are some of the likely causes why this might be the case:

Installing dual-flush toilets

These toilets are on the expensive side as they come with two flushing options that help in the conservation of water. The first flushing option is low-flush, which is used for flushing liquid waste. The second flushing option is high-flow, which is used for flushing solid waste. Installing a dual-flush toilet in your space requires more labour which in turn means that it might cost more to install.

Installing one or two-piece toilets

As the name suggests, one-piece toilets come as one unit, while two-piece toilets have the bowl and the cistern separate. Based on this, their installation cost varies, but two-piece toilets are usually cheaper to install.

Adding unique features

Adding modern features such as a hot water line, a heated toilet seat, or a bidet will also increase your toilet's installation and overall service cost.

The location

The location of the toilet will impact how complex the installation process will be. So, let the plumber go through your laundry room to get an idea of the time and labour needed. From that, they can give you an estimated amount for the cost of installing a toilet in your laundry room.

Installation difficulties

The available space in your laundry room also plays a role in the cost of installing a new toilet. If your laundry room is tiny, working in a tight space might require more labour. In addition, your plumber will have to deal with other complexities that might occur during the installation process. All of these will result in more charges on labour.

Your plumber knows better, so it is best to listen to their opinions regarding the installation procedure. Let them go through the location to develop the best plan for the installation. Not listening to your plumber and forcing a shortcut just to reduce the cost can cause more complications in the future, costing you more in the long run.

What Plumbers Charge For Toilet Installation

Plumbing costs complete the total cost of the installation. Plumbing charges depend on the services and the amount of labour required to fully install a toilet in your laundry room. The process of installing a toilet typically involves the following:

  • Turning the main water supply off. In some instances, if you have an existing toilet in your space, your plumber needs to drain and remove the old toilet from its location.
  • Replacing the existing wax ring.
  • Inspect to determine whether your current flange is damaged or has any issues.
  • Installing the new toilet and checking to ensure that the entire plumbing works correctly to prevent instances of a blocked drain.

There are some issues that the plumber might come across which could influence the final price, including:

  • The occurrence of leaks in the toilet system.
  • Having a broken flange that might call for a replacement or repairs.
  • Replacement of the existing wax ring if it is old.
  • If the present caulking is poor or broken.

All of the factors above will affect the labour costs. To give you an idea of the cost, it can range from around $80 to $135 per hour for plumbing works. Apart from the service and labour charges, your geographical location also plays a part in the cost determination.

The average hourly cost of plumbers based on the location

  • Sydney: Approximately $99 to $135
  • Perth: Approximately $95 to $100
  • Brisbane: Approximately $88 to $92
  • Adelaide: Approximately $81 to 89
  • Melbourne: Approximately $80 to $87

It usually takes typically between two to four hours to complete the installation process for a much clearer estimation. However, this can also vary based on the plumber's experience, the difficulty level of the installation, and the type of toilet. Therefore, it is advisable to work with licensed plumbers.

You can reach out to several trustworthy plumbing companies in your locality to get an idea of their hourly rates and settle for the one with the best costs. To determine the expected cost for labour, multiply the number of hours spent on installing the toilet in your laundry by the hourly rate of a plumber.

Pick The Toilet To Install In Your Laundry Room

Now that we have covered the plumbing costs, it's time to go through the expected expenses depending on the toilet you choose to have installed in your laundry. This is important as these factors will play a role in the total cost.

Round or elongated toilet bowl

There are mainly two types of toilets that are usually installed. Understanding the difference between these two is vital to know how the bowl you choose will affect the costs. The following are the two types of toilets that you can choose from:

  • Round toilet bowls: These bowls are more suitable for smaller toilets as they are generally less expensive. In addition, they are more convenient for children to use because of their height and shape.
  • Elongated toilet bowls: These bowls are perfect for larger toilets and are more expensive. They are also more suitable for adults, so this should be your go-to option if you do not have kids in your household. They come in more unique designs, giving them a more aesthetic appeal. Another thing to note is that they are more comfortable to sit on as well.

Water efficiency

Water efficiency is an essential factor to consider when choosing a toilet. A water-efficient toilet can reduce your water bills by around 20% compared to a regular one. This type of toilet is environmentally friendly as it uses about 4.8 litres of water only, whereas a traditional toilet uses about 6 litres per flush. Therefore, if you want to successfully contribute to the conservation of the environment, a water-efficient toilet should be your go-to.

Flush performance

Do you know how the flush system in your toilet functions? Toilet flush systems usually either use gravity or pressure to function. Among the two, gravity flush toilets are the most commonly used in homes. When you press its flush handle, water flows downwards and removes the waste.

On the other hand, a pressure-assisted flush uses a mechanically operated tank that forcefully releases water. It is more efficient as it clears the waste while conserving water. However, pressure-assisted flush toilets are not easy to install. For this specific reason, it is usually advisable to employ a licensed plumber to install it for you in your laundry. It will likely cost you more, but it is definitely worth it.

Additional modern features

Nowadays, many additional features are available to make toilets more comfortable and convenient to use. Some of those features are:

  • An easy to clean glaze
  • Bidet technology
  • Quick-release and quiet-close toilet seats

Can You Convert Your Laundry Into A Bathroom?

As long as you can afford the renovation, then converting a laundry into a bathroom is definitely possible. However, you have to remember that your possibilities might be limited by what you can afford. The first step is to make a thorough plan on how to convert your laundry into a bathroom.

Design the new space-based on all the requirements and preferences that you might have. You need to draw a floor plan of the room and decide where you want to place the sink, toilet, shower, or tub. Then, plan the cabinet and storage space to properly utilise space.

Finally, remove the washing machine and dryer from the space and leave the rest up to the renovators. You can hire a bathroom designer to draw the bathroom layout for you and ensure that the space is utilised well for the best results.

There is no specific one against turning a laundry room into a bathroom as far as bathroom codes are concerned. However, after your room is renovated, it will have to abide by all the specific building regulations placed on bathrooms.

Total Cost Of Turning A Laundry Into A Toilet

A full laundry conversion costs quite a lot. The price changes from place to place, but if you live in a major city, it usually costs from around $20,000 to $30,000 for a complete conversion.

Is It Profitable To Convert A Laundry To A Toilet?

Whether the conversion will be worth it or not totally depends on how you utilise your laundry room. The whole process will definitely be worth it as long as you have space to put your washer and dryer in your house. If you find the space and move your washing equipment, adding a bathroom to your home will increase your property's resale value.

However, you need to remember that even though you will have an additional washroom, there is no place for the dryer and washer, which might take away some of the benefits of having an additional bathroom. But the main con is that a new air duct and a water line for your washer and dryer have to be created in their new space.

This could lead to an increase in the overall expenses. If you can't find space for your dryer and washing machine, you might have to spend extra bucks on a laundromat. Another thing to consider is that your home will turn into a construction site during the renovation. Therefore, you will need to be ready for the installation process.

Contact A Professional Plumbing Company

Before converting your laundry into a toilet, you need to keep in mind all the details regarding the installation and the overall cost. This ensures that the renovation project is successful and does not cost you a leg and arm. If you are ready to convert your laundry into a toilet, contact a professional plumbing company and let them do it for you.