Hi, I own a duplex in Tucson, Arizona, which has an increasingly expensive old toilet I'm getting tired of repairing, especially since that usually involves hiring a handyman because I live in another state.
Since the water company currently offers a rebate (75% per toilet for multi-family properties) for toilet replacement with WaterSense certified toilets, I am thinking of replacing all three.
The considerations I'm aware of are:
All three bathrooms are on the narrow side.
Tile floors.
Bottom flush toilets (drain hole in floor).
The water is terribly hard, with the 'innards' regularly needing replacement, so it would be good to get alll the replacement parts 'off the shelf' at the nearby Home Depot or Lowe's.
I'm looking at putting round standard height toilets (apx. 15" high toilet bowls @ rim) in two of the bathrooms and an elongated bowl toilet, either the same height or chair height, in the back unit's master bath.
I'm also hoping to get 'all in one' toilets, since the rebate doesn't cover installation, toilet seat, extra parts, etc.
Duplex has one line to sewer / shared by both units.
Water pressure unknown.
Even with the rebate, I need affordable toilets, both in price and in the cost of installation. So I would prefer to avoid toilets that are inherently tricky or otherwise time-consuming to install, since my contractor will be charging by the hour, and even at his affordable rate, costs can add up fast. Also, the Tucson Water Company rebate only covers the toilet - not the installation, additional parts needed, or anything else.
In that vein, I'm also looking for something that performs well, so I won't be yanking it out next year because it doesn't flush (or whatever), and won't be calling in the handyman all the time to make repairs or do maintenance. (I have good renters, but they're not handy.)
Also, how well do chair height or ADA compliant height toilets work for short people? I'm short, most of my tenants are close to my five feet, and at least one person who'd be using the toilets is my height and has a medical issue that requires both feet flat on the ground. On the other hand, my boyfriend and I might move back into the duplex one day, and he's six feet and wants a taller toilet with an elongated bowl (not to mention I'm cruising into senior citizen territory and he's already there).
Dual flush would be nice (esp. in the master bath), but not essential.
I've noticed Lowe's has a very affordable Power Source toilet ($88) and some affordable Aqua Source toilets (including an elongated bowl at $88), but I fear that they may be =too= affordable, so that I'm forever after regretting the purchase - or having to replace them in a few years, or weeks. Are my fears justified?
The landlord (i.e., me) pays the water bill for the duplex.
I definitely want dependable, affordable, high efficiency, WaterSense, non-lemon, preferably locally-purchased toilets capable of lasting decades, if such a goal is reasonable.
(If you have experience purchasing toilets by mail order / internet, how has that worked out for you? Where would be the best place to buy, if I need to have a toilet shipped [affordable or free shipping, affordable or free returns, reasonable return times, good customer service, good prices, good and affordable parts catalog, knowledgeable help line, etc.]?)
Thank you in advance for helping this landlord find reasonable WaterSense HETs!
Best,
cynward
Since the water company currently offers a rebate (75% per toilet for multi-family properties) for toilet replacement with WaterSense certified toilets, I am thinking of replacing all three.
The considerations I'm aware of are:
All three bathrooms are on the narrow side.
Tile floors.
Bottom flush toilets (drain hole in floor).
The water is terribly hard, with the 'innards' regularly needing replacement, so it would be good to get alll the replacement parts 'off the shelf' at the nearby Home Depot or Lowe's.
I'm looking at putting round standard height toilets (apx. 15" high toilet bowls @ rim) in two of the bathrooms and an elongated bowl toilet, either the same height or chair height, in the back unit's master bath.
I'm also hoping to get 'all in one' toilets, since the rebate doesn't cover installation, toilet seat, extra parts, etc.
Duplex has one line to sewer / shared by both units.
Water pressure unknown.
Even with the rebate, I need affordable toilets, both in price and in the cost of installation. So I would prefer to avoid toilets that are inherently tricky or otherwise time-consuming to install, since my contractor will be charging by the hour, and even at his affordable rate, costs can add up fast. Also, the Tucson Water Company rebate only covers the toilet - not the installation, additional parts needed, or anything else.
In that vein, I'm also looking for something that performs well, so I won't be yanking it out next year because it doesn't flush (or whatever), and won't be calling in the handyman all the time to make repairs or do maintenance. (I have good renters, but they're not handy.)
Also, how well do chair height or ADA compliant height toilets work for short people? I'm short, most of my tenants are close to my five feet, and at least one person who'd be using the toilets is my height and has a medical issue that requires both feet flat on the ground. On the other hand, my boyfriend and I might move back into the duplex one day, and he's six feet and wants a taller toilet with an elongated bowl (not to mention I'm cruising into senior citizen territory and he's already there).
Dual flush would be nice (esp. in the master bath), but not essential.
I've noticed Lowe's has a very affordable Power Source toilet ($88) and some affordable Aqua Source toilets (including an elongated bowl at $88), but I fear that they may be =too= affordable, so that I'm forever after regretting the purchase - or having to replace them in a few years, or weeks. Are my fears justified?
The landlord (i.e., me) pays the water bill for the duplex.
I definitely want dependable, affordable, high efficiency, WaterSense, non-lemon, preferably locally-purchased toilets capable of lasting decades, if such a goal is reasonable.
(If you have experience purchasing toilets by mail order / internet, how has that worked out for you? Where would be the best place to buy, if I need to have a toilet shipped [affordable or free shipping, affordable or free returns, reasonable return times, good customer service, good prices, good and affordable parts catalog, knowledgeable help line, etc.]?)
Thank you in advance for helping this landlord find reasonable WaterSense HETs!
Best,
cynward
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