Toilet Rough In Question

Hi,

It's been some time since I've posted a question and need some help. I just underwent a house remodel and addition. I have a 12 inch rough in Toto toilet and we are reusing it. When the plumbing in the hall bathroom was moved to accomodate the larger bathroom, my toilet was installed and now sits two inches away from the wall. The tank is slightly concave and on the outside edge of the tank it is two-and-a-half inches from the wall.

We have a wet wall since the location of the plumbing is on an outside wall. I live in Virginia. What would be the minimum distance for rough in for the toilet?

The plumber is hesitant (to say the least) about coming back to move the plumbing and I am wondering if he did the right thing the first time and there is a code that says the toilet will sit two plus inches from the wall.

Thanks in advance!!
Kim

Toilets come in 3 rough dimenstion, 10" 12" and 14" the flange for a 12" rough toilet should be 12" to center off the finished wall.

Thanks for the response. That's what I thought. I have my spec sheet and it definetly doesn't show it installed with two inches off the finished wall.

I guess it's time to get the company I hired for the remodel to step up and make some corrections. I did give them several choices to fix but haven't heard anything in a week now and like I said the plumber won't come back. I did suggest them picking up a 14 inch rough in toilet so the tiled floor and plumbing wouldn't have to get ripped up.

I'll just have to wait and see what they come up with.

Thanks again,
Kim

Many toilets although claiming to be a particular rough-in actually will fit on a much smaller rough-in. That means that if the toilet is rated as say a 12" rough-in, it might fit on as little as a 10" rough-in. This can be good or bad depending on the individual situation. Good if you have a short rough-in and want to use a 12" toilet of which the choices are much greater that other sizes, bad if you have a 12" rough-in and don't want the extra space between the tank and wall. I believe this occurs with many brands, but not all models of any particular brand. In my own case, my Toto Dartmouth is rated as a 12", my flange is an exact 12" rough-in, and the toilet has 2" between the wall and tank. It doesn't really hurt anything, although I would have preferred the clearance to be less. Your are fortunate that your flange was roughed-in so as to allow a wider choice of toilet models, and I would not worry about that extra clearance.

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There is no code requirement as to the measurement. I, and many plumbers, use a 13" dimension so that when the customer, or builder, decides to change the wall it does not come out too short. The distance from the wall is also not fixed because every manufacturer gives a different allowance. Even though the nominal dimension is 12" NONE of the manufacturers make their toilets in such a way that the tank is against the wall at 12". I had had one customer who wanted 8" behind the tank.

Some of the Toto toilets utilize an adapter that makes the seal to the flange (Uni-fit adapter). If yours is one of them, a different adapter could be used (i.e., a 14" one would move it back two inches compared with the 12" adapter that comes with the toilet).

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The 12" measurement is a "suggestion" not a requirement. And even if the plumber were to try to make it exactly 12", which I would NEVER do, the carpenter could move the wall while installing it, or you, the customer, could decide that the room would look better with a slate tile on the wall, which could also make the toilet not fit.

the customer, could decide that the room would look better with a slate tile on the wall, which could also make the toilet not fit.

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hj is right on that. Can't tell you how many times you go back and the builder or the home owner has put wainscoating or tlle/stone/moldings behind the toilet.
I rough in at 12.5" for that reason too. It "future proofs" the rough-in.
It doesn't prevent you from using any toilet.