4" gap behind toilet in bathroom remodel

last year

last modified: last year

We’re having a contractor remodel our master bathroom. In the original bathroom, the wall behind the vanity and toilet were not even. The vanity was further back than the toilet. As part of the remodeling plan, we had them make the wall straight by moving the wall behind the toilet back about 3-4” to be flush with the other wall. However, it looks like they goofed and did not reposition the toilet drain, so now that they’ve installed the new toilet, it’s sitting almost 4” off the wall. I never measured the distance from the wall to the drain pipe, but it looks to be about 14” from wall to center based on where it looks like the toilet connects to the drain. We did have the plumbing inspection done for the permit and no one said anything, but not sure if they checked it. Is this something I can reasonably ask my contractor to fix, or are they going to tell me tough luck? Is this a code violation (house is in MA) or is there anything I can ask to get them to fix this? It’s going to be a pretty big repair as they’ll have to tear up the floor they just installed to get access to the pipe.

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Comments (6)

rainyseason
last year
Without a clearer sense of the layout, it’s hard to say, but extending the vanity countertop over the back of the toilet, a floating shelf, or adding a freestanding over the toilet storage unit could work.
bpath
last year
Imagine when you next paint the bathroom, how easy it will be to get behind the tank.
klem1
last year
Verbo

Was the drain relocating part of the scope of work? Sounds like not. Just the wall relocation.

Just buy a 14” rough in toilet. $400 or so. Still cheaper than paying a plumber to move the drain and then redo all the floors. Problem solved. Or ignore the non issue. Zero cost.

bpath

Imagine when you next paint the bathroom, how easy it will be to get behind the tank.

I like the way y'all think. (:
kudzu9
last year
It's not a code violation. Perhaps a more competent contractor would have asked if you wanted to spend the extra money to move the drain or buy a toilet with a different rough-in distance before completing the project....
PRO
JAN MOYER
last year
last modified: last year
The contractor is never your designer, Ever. You are , so you can not assume a darn thing.

Replace the loo with 14" rough in.......or mount a nice thick white float shelf just above the toilet top. Cost nearly zero on that option..

Moving the soil pipe probably would have been a lot more than any new 14" loo. : )
ci_lantro
last year
last modified: last year
However, it looks like they goofed and did not reposition the toilet drain, so now that they’ve installed the new toilet, it’s sitting almost 4” off the wall.

If the new toilet was provided by the contractor, they owe you a 14" rough-in toilet, installed.

If you provided the toilet, the contractor should have informed you that you had bought the wrong one. At that point, it could have been returned & exchanged. But that didn't happen. You will then be out of pocket for a new one & the installation.