How to flange with protruding pipe?

[katirana]

My husband was trying to replace one of our toilets. In the process of removing the toilet, we discovered the flange was all nasty, cracked, and in general unusable. So he pried it off somehow - the screws were all rusty, the flange was rusty... it was gross. Anyways, our problem came about after the flange was removed... our pipe protrudes above the ground by an inch. Thus we didn't think we could use a flange that would fit on the interior of the pipe... because then the flange wouldn't be hooked to the ground. However the pipe has a 5" outer diameter... which we weren't able to find a 5" flange at lowe's, and weren't even sure if getting a flange to go on the outside of the pipe was the right way to go. plumbers want like 150 bucks just to put the stupid flange on... if the flange were perfect, my husband could easily get our new toilet in... we have a crawlspace (one of the plumbers i called asked that and seemed surprised we didn't have a slab). our floor is not rotten... the pipe is cast iron. what is the best and cheapest way to get a flange onto our pipe? my husband said that the old flange looked like it'd been cracked and put on to get around the lip problem before, but it was hard to tell since it was so rusty... i'd love it if there was a cheap solution in the 20 dollar or less range! if not i'd like to know that we have no other option than the 150 plumber... i'm not wanting to do that because we have two toilets we're replacing and we're guessing that the other flange is the same way - i don't think those toilets have been replaced since the house was built 50 years ago.. (we couldn't even find "standard" replacement parts for the toilets, hence the whole getting new toilets thing).

any help would be most appreciated!

[hj]

If you had called a plumber in the first place he might have been able to fix those toilets, since there are only a couple that used such specific parts that they can no longer be repaired. But if it is cast iron, then a plumber can remove and install the new flange in a matter of 15-30 minutes with no damage to the pipe or floor. You would still have to pay the minimum charge plus parts, of course. You do not have the tools and experience to make a new lead joint to attach the flange to your pipe.

[katirana]

thanks. we actually had called a plumber... twice... to fix the toilet. neither time worked. in fact the last time the plumber actually cracked the tank... so....

[jadnashua]

Are you saying that the cast iron pipe sits approximately 1" above the existing finished flooring? If so, it must have been a weird toilet, since most won't handle that much height!

There must be a compression type flange that connects to cast iron from either the outside or the inside without going to a leaded in one. My guess is, though, that the pipe would have to be ground down to approximately finished floor height or maybe even a little below. If you have a digital camera, take a picture and go to a plumbing supply store and ask.

Someone else will probably have additional ideas. Hope this is not the only toilet in the house! Good luck.

[LonnythePlumber]

Sounds like you have a four inch pipe. In plumbing we go by interior measurements. Measure the ones at Lowe's. They should fit. It is unfortunate that your plumber was not knowledgeable enough to repair your existing toilets. They will/would probably provide a better flush than the new 1.6 gallon per flush toilets.
The flange is a important connection and you may not be able to save money. You can cut the height of the pipe down with a grinder, sawsall or even chip away with a crescent wrench. I saw an internal cast iron flange today at a new Lowe's next to the external compression flanges.
Another alternative is to cut off the cast iron pipe in the crawl space and run a 3" plastic line with a new flange.
I wish hj would not say other plumbers can do things as fast as he can. You might get me and setting a cast iron flange and toilet is going to take me an hour or hour and a half with travel.

[katirana]

thanks, that's an idea. will pass that on to my husband.