<p>We have a circa 1964 one-piece Case toilet in our master bath that needs repair. The innards need to be replaced but the repair kit costs over $200. The plumber recommended just replacing the toilet but the problem is that we have a 60’s era bathroom with blue fixtures. If we replace the toilet with white, it will look odd with the blue tub and sink. The bathroom needs remodeling but we plan to sell in 2 years so don’t want to invest that much money at this time.</p>
<p>The only review I could find was one that said that it takes about 3 flushes to empty the bowl - the owner was very dissatisfied. </p>
<p>The innards of the Peerless are cheap but easily repaired, unlike our Case. I can buy it for about $200, almost the same as the repair kit for the Case.</p>
<p>Our plumber says to go for the Peerless because it’s easier and cheaper to fix if things go wrong, though he’s not familiar with the brand. I’d feel better about it if I could read more reviews online but I can’t find anything. CC people know everything so I’m hoping somebody here will offer some advice.</p>
<p>Don’t get a low-flush toilet that doesn’t work well. There’s nothing more frustrating. I speak from experience. Ours would plug up even when we flushed twice - once before using toilet paper, once after (there goes the water savings). We used to keep a plunger next to our toilets at all times - yuck. We eventually replaced them with Totos. YMMV, but I would much rather have a mismatched bathroom than have to do plunger duty several times a month.</p>
<p>That’s what I’m thinking, too. I just wish I could find more reviews of that particular brand. Hate to base my decision on one guy’s experience but I’ve got to wonder if the reason no one posts about them is because no one buys them.</p>
<p>We also replaced a old toilet with a new Toto. It is low volume flush and very efficient. Just like patsmom we kept a plunger next to the toilet; with the Toto, the plunger is unnecessary. If you plan to sell in a couple of years you could re-glaze the bath tub white.</p>
<p>I replaced toilets with low flush versions by Kohler, American Standard, and Toto and all these work as well or better than the original 5 gallon ones. If one gets a well designed low flush toilet the work fine.</p>
<p>I don’t know about Peerless but I wouldn’t buy a toilet without researching it enough to be convinced it would work well. Some designs don’t work well and you’d hate that experience. You’re better off spending an extra hundred bucks to get a decent one you can live with.</p>
<p>Kohler makes blue toilets - don’t know if it’s in your shade though.</p>
<p>I’d be leery about how well the color matches unless you put the actual toilet in your bathroom. Especially if you are gauging a match based on a print or screen sample of the color.</p>
<p>I think it would look worse to have two noticeably different shades of blue, than it would to have white and blue.</p>
<p>Although - if you are only going to be there for two more years, I wouldn’t worry too much about future repair issues - you will be gone by then. It is probably better to have everything match, so I would repair it.</p>
<p>Matching the outdated color of the tub/sink won’t accomplish much at resale time, since buyers will want to oust the blue stuff and could keep the white toilet for a bit of remodel cost savings.</p>
<p>IDK the cost of re-glazing the tub and sink, but I have seen it done more than once and have both friends and clients (when I was an active real estate broker) who had it done long enough ago to know that it does last. Can be done by a top-quality painter (one of the ones who has this expertise) or a specialist. </p>
<p>All-white fixtures will be a plus at resale.</p>
<p>For your own aesthetic enjoyment, lol… if you decide not to spend for the re-glazing… just layer towels (or roll extra towels in a nice basket) - some white, some blue and it will help coordinate the look of your bathroom.</p>
<p>The blue color is almost an exact match – 99% anyway, and close enough that you really can’t tell, especially since the 3 fixtures are kind of far apart, so that’s not an issue.</p>
<p>I’ve heard some horror stories about peeling reglazing,too, so that concerns me.</p>
<p>I’m leaning toward going with white, just trying to convince DH. I’ve never heard of Toto toilets until this thread. What’s special about them as opposed to Kohler or American Standard?</p>
<p>not rich enough is right. Unless the toilet is cracked, I would just repair the one you have. Although the repair kit is $200 and it might cost another $200 to have it put in ( I am guesstimating here based on having done a lot of plumbing repairs) to replace the toilet is going to be even more money and you will wind up with an inferior product. </p>
<p>A new toilet will run you $150- $200. Then the plumber has to pull the old one and install the new one. I am guessing that’s close to $500. Then add in all the money if you reglaze, etc, etc, etc. Your going to end up spending $700 - $1500 to save $200.</p>
<p>The reason the new toilet insides are easier to repair is cause they are plastic and NEED to be repaired more often.</p>
<p>We had American Standard low flow toilets (from the builder) and they stuffed up constantly. We replaced with Kohler and they stuffed up constantly. Went to the toilet store (hah - plumbing supply house) and asked for the best possible toilet. They recommended Toto. We also had never heard of those, but did put them in and hey presto, no more suffing up. Plus, the toilet seat lowers slowly on a special hinge. Magic! They are expensive - a few hundred instead of a couple hundred - but worth it if you want a low flow that really works.</p>
<p>Kohler and American Standard low flow toilets can work well also. The main things is to get one with a large trapway and one that gets good ratings. The same manufacturer makes lots of different models so it’s possible some will work better than others.</p>
<p>I’ve only heard good things about Toto toilets. I don’t have one in my house but I installed one in my mother’s house and it works fine. I thinks it was the Toto Drake model.</p>
<p>Also, keep in mind that the low-flush toilets have come a long way since when they were new. When they first came out they didn’t work well at all and required multiple flushes (defeating the purpose) etc. The new ones are much better.</p>
<p>Check on the prices at the hardware stores but if you’ll have a plumber install it then have the plumber give you a price as well. They can sometimes get plumbing items for way less than the homeowner.</p>
<p>My go to place for any plumbing related questions is “terry love’s plumbing forum.” Google it. Lots of plumbers post there and they are very helpful. A lot of them are Toto fans, but with patsmom planning to move in two years she might want something less expensive.</p>
<p>You can buy replacement toilet seats with those slow closing hinges. We got one at Lowe’s and it is really nice. Finally, something that will get my son to put the seat down!</p>
<p>My brother-in-law is a plumber and he was the one who recommended and installed our Toto toilet. He recommends them to all his clients. He has Toto toilets in his own home.</p>
<p>Our church always had stuffed toilet problems (always happened during inconvenient times like the annual church bazaar). We replaced the problem toilet with a Toto and no more problems.</p>
<p>Since you may be replacing the toilet, you might consider getting a ADA (sp?) certified toilet - one that stands higher than an average toilet. That is what we did and having those extra few inches helps the old knees!</p>
<p>Before you buy, be sure to check the installation details (tank setback from the wall, etc). </p>
<p>^^ The setback of the drain from the wall is a really important check to make. The standard is 12" but you have an old house so it may be different. Not all toilets meet the standard and may require more setback (less is okay - you just end up with a bit more space behind the tank). Since you probably don’t want to change the location of the toilet drain/flange, get a toilet that will work with what you have. Just measure from the wall to the center of the flange. the hold down screws on either side of the toilet are usually the centerline of the drain.</p>
<p>Our old toilet had about 1/2 inch clearance from the wall. It was so tight we couldn’t paint the space behind the toilet tank. With the Toto, there is now 2.5 inches of clearance. The low flow Toto toilet tank is slimmer than the old one. The only downside is that the magazines/catalogs that family members sometimes leave on top of the toilet tank can slip off the back because of the wider space clearance.</p>
<p>We had a low-flush toilet installed about 15 years ago and it was awful. For years, I resisted remodeling our other bathrooms because I figured all low-flush toilets were terrible. We had a major leak into one of our bathrooms and had to redo the whole thing. The contractor recommended American Standard Champion 4. It works great. Never have to re-flush. We also got the self-closing seats. And…we opted for the “comfort height” toilet. We have since replaced all of our toilets. Who would have thought the right toilet could make such a difference??</p>