Small Toilet Advice

[JustinMarando]

Howdy, new here, love this site, bloody tonnes of tips to pick up from you lot.

Anyway, doing an ensuite reno, its rather narrow but long. 1100x3600.

I'm using the exisiting plumbing and replacing the toilet (amongst another million things). To get to the shower you need to walk past the toilet. My problem is most toilets are around 660mm wide (wall to lid), leaving me only 440mm of walking space. While is isnt the tightest gap, I would like to get as much space as possible.

I know there are cavity toilets out there, but I dont want to rip down the wall, move wall studs and change the plumbing.

Anyone had similiar toilet size problems or could suggest some brands that make a narrower toilet? Thanks in advance!

[Gra]

I have a similar issue, so :ninja:

[silentC]

What's on the other side of the wall?

[JustinMarando]

As in behind the toilet? Its the exterior wall. the wall you face when you are sitting down is the bedroom wall.

[silentC]

OK, well you can get remote cisterns which go on the other side of the wall, so what about something like that? Then you only need room for the pan in the bathroom.

[JustinMarando]

I'll look into it, but this would no doubt still involve replumbing the cistern filler (sorry don't know the techincal name) and not to mention the rest of the toilet plumbing. As in life, I was looking for a quick easy fix, a toilet that was narrower than the standard ones. A slimline Cistern would be brilliant if there is one that doesnt have to be jammed in the wall...

[silentC]

As in life, I was looking for a quick easy fix
And look at where quick and easy fixes can get you :)

Sometimes the best way is not the easiest...

I suggest you start visiting plumbing supply places with a tape measure. There are some very slimline toilets around these days. The only problem is you might have trouble getting one to fit your existing floor plumbing, which is probably set up for a standard pan.

[JustinMarando]

Thanks SilentC. I planned on doing that anyway, I just thought someone out there had already travelled the path. Surely I cant be the only one with this little problem. :toiletjump:

[silentC]

Well, 1100 is a bit on the narrow side, but I've been in bathrooms smaller than that in Sydney terraces. Best of luck with it.

[flynnsart]

Is there any way you can change the door entrance to be in between the toilet and shower? I have seen a toilet in Mitre 10 which didnt seem to protrude as far out from the wall as the others, will have a look when i am in next. I also saw on one reno show (english i think) where their toilet was actually a corner toilet, very different!

Donna

[JustinMarando]

Nah, then we'd be entering through the built in cupboard. Could look good though, kinda like a secret room - straight out of a superhero movie!!

Ill check out Bunnings this weekend too. If I am not home or at work I can usually be found there. sad i know.

[flynnsart]

http://www.abltilecentre.com.au/images/glry_image029.jpg

A corner loo, found on this site http://www.abltilecentre.com.au/gallery.html

Donna

[Ruddigar]

Nah, then we'd be entering through the built in cupboard.

Do it! Do you know how much a walk-in wardrobe adds to the value of your house? Much better than a built-in cupboard. :D

[silentC]

That's how we get into ours. But our 'built in cupboard' is a 2m square room!

Justin, something you need to be aware of is that the pan connectors on those modern close-coupled toilets are often closer to the wall than they are on a standard pan. That means that you might find that even if you can get a compact toilet, you'll still need to change the plumbing because the hole in the floor will be in the wrong place. It's not necessarily going to be a drop in replacement.

[JustinMarando]

1: Flyn - seen those already. they are an awesome idea. problem is our dunny is in the middle of the room. Vanity is it the corner.

2: Walk in wardrobe: use to have one, we ripped it out to turn out 1.5m ensuite into a 3.5m ensuite with nice big shower. So that idea is certainly out. If I suggested putting it back in, strewf Ill be living there on my own as she will definately leave me... now theres a tho... no stop thinking like that....

3: Aware of the different sewer placements. mines at least pretty common. 180mm from the wall to centre of trap. Alot toilets out there that are adjustable 140-230mm - so at least I fit in the middle of that.

4: Yep, alot of hope so's, whatifs and maybe's but hey thats why I am here picking all your brains.

:fingerscrossed:

[journeyman Mick]

Is there enough room to turn the pan 90deg so it's parallel to the wall? You can get skew pans (side outlet) Might look odd but may possibly solve the problem. Like Silent said, there's a good chance you'll need to move the pipe in the floor anyway.

Mick

[Barry_White]

What about how the old back yard loo's used to work. Have the cistern overhead. You could build it into a box up at the ceiling height and just have the flush pipe running down the wall. One way of getting a real good flush as well. Just run the overflow pipe into the flush pipe below the cistern

[JustinMarando]

Thought of side on. but by the time you creat a bit of leg room to the wall side, then build in a new hob to support the cistern I might as well install an internal wall unit.

As for the old school public toilet sistern, it will require pulling down the wall to replumb water pipes, oh yeah and not to mention moving the window thats directly above the toilet. Theres a new thing called mainsflush system, which is similiar to the old school high cistern, but no cistern, the water comes from the ceiling through the wall cavity. Flush is powered by water straight from the mains. But once again the bloody window.

I can live with the 440mm as mentioned its not the worst case scenario, but as I mentioned in my orginal post, was only wondering if anyone else had this problem and solved it easily and cheaply... Ill just have to lay off the beers in my older years to stay thinnger than 440. haha!

Cheers

[pawnhead]

It doesn't help in this situation, but here is an idea for space/water saving for a tiny closet ensuite:
Toilet Suite With Integrated Hand Basin (http://www.caroma.com.au/products/data/tsu/profile/main.html)

[JustinMarando]

Great too bowls to aim for when I come home hammered.
How could I possibly miss!!

[Ruddigar]

Ill just have to lay off the beers in my older years to stay thinnger than 440.

NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

:gaah:

Keep looking! There must be a way!

[Bloss]

We had similar issue and have just installed this one from Parisi which has an adjustable set-out for the waste and is just 600mm to the front from the wall.

It is a good quality ceramic and all solid fittings and is a 4star - 4.5/3L flush.

http://www.parisi.com.au/Bath_05/Bath_New2005/BathNew05_itemframes/EncyMKII_suite.html

We paid $509 in Canberra at a discount place.

On advice from plumber mate and sales people we decided against the in-wall cistern design which would have gained about 150-180mm more space.

If anything goes wrong it is hell to fix - even washer changes are problematic. Leaks that occur might not be discovered until external damage is evident - a potentially costly result.

[peter_sm]

In Asian countries they have squats. Maybe not what you are after, but save heaps of room.

[JustinMarando]

Cheers Bloss. I will look into that unit - exactly the help and response i was looking for. off on a dunny hunt with tape measure in hand this weekend. Its good to have a few brands to look out for. Nice looking unit too. I agree with you on the in-wall units. everything breaks/wears out eventually, and replacing a few washers or pieces is a hell of alot better that replacing a wall full of tiles to get to those washers.

squat toilet you say. hmm, been there, done that, not in my house... but thanks for the helpfull comment.... :no:

[Barry_White]

In Asian countries they have squats. Maybe not what you are after, but save heaps of room.

Just got to make sure you don't trip over the hole.