Elongated versus regular

[edbreyer]

Looking at TOTO toilets for our new masterbath - and noticed that many people seem to prefer elongated. I've always thought standard size toilets looked better - because they don't protrude into the room so much.

In this case though we have a toilet alcove so visually it shouldn't matter. Are elongated toliets fundimentally better for some design reason or is it pure esthetics that should make the call?

I also noticed that some toilets seem to be taller than others. Since this is the masterbath it'll be used mainly by us parents. Should we look for a high toilet from a comfort perspective - like we chose the higher vanity height - since it was for us not the kids? I'm thinking ADA toilets might look a bit unusual - do they make a happy medium in terms of height?

Thanks in advance for replies

[Terry]

Elongated versis regular(round)?

In the 1-piece Ultramax/Ultimate series, I sell 80% elongated and 20% round.
In the 2-piece Drake series, I sell 78% elongated and 22% round.
Of the elongated Drakes, 21% are ADA height.

In the beginning I was rather sneaky. When a woman would call for a toilet, I would quote the same price for both the elongated bowl and the round bowl. I suggested that her husband would prefer it. (I knew he would!)
Days later the husband would call himself and order two more elongated toilets.
Even though I was making less money on the firstsale, I wound up selling many more toilets because of it.
The toilets were selling themselves after that.
The guys would call up saying things like,
"I didn't know I could get those for my home"
"I didn't know I wanted it until I tried it."
"Why don't they make all toilets like that?"
"I like not having to tuck it in."

How much more space does elongated take?
1-1/2"
You sit in the same location, it's just that you have more room up front where it matters.

The reason your builder installs round front, is not to be nice, they're cheaper!
The reason they were round in the first place was:
Hey, at least it's not an outhouse anymore!
The idea of having plumbing inside the house was strange.
Heck! Now the house seemed smaller with all those fancy pots and tubs in there.
But consider, if you have a standard tub in a bathroom, you have plenty of space next to it for an elongated bowl. The new ones are pretty compact anyway with the smaller tanks.
An alcove give more than enough space except in the rare instance.

[hj]

Terry;
How did you convince the husband to pay more for the additional toilets than you charged his wife? Did you tell him she was better looking, or something like that?

[Terry]

hj,

It was the same price for everybody.
At the time, I had the same pricing either way, round or elongated. I was willing to makes less selling the elongated, knowing that the product would sell itself in the long run. Currently I have dropped the round front even more, but I still sell far more of the elongated because of the comfort factor.

Everything was really new at the time. A lot of women were shopping for the household, so they would be more informed in many cases than their husbands.
The husbands didn't see why the wife would be paying more for something as simple as a toilet.

I've always asked the husbands:

"So........Are you the one that gets handed the plunger when you get home from work wearing your business suit?"

The answer would be something like,

"Well........Sure! I mean of course it's me!"

Then I would ask how much it would be worth to "not be handed that plunger at the door".

That's when they "get it".

The fact that their plunger was going to be retired to the garage was the first thing they noticed, and then that comfort thing. Yeah, the comfort thing comes up a lot.

By the way hj, most wives I talk to are very into choosing products that make their partners lifes better. It's the way it should be.

[hj]

As long as you do not get like the Jewish suit salesman. When asked how business was he replied, "Not too good. I lose money every day." Then when he was asked how he stays in business he replied, "I stay closed on Sunday".

[edbreyer]

Thanks Terry!

I'll definitely go with the elongated.

I mentioned via seperate email that I've had great luck with my two Briggs Vacuity toilets - but will switch to a Toto based on the comments on your site.

Thanks for the feedback.