Hey everyone! My toilet's been acting weird lately, making this strange "beeping" sound for days. Adjusting the fill valve seemed to help until it started leaking from the fill tube. I tried turning off the shut-off valve behind the toilet, but the water keeps running. The only way to stop it was to shut off the main water supply. I had a plumber come over, and they quoted me $225 just to replace the shut-off valve, with much higher prices for a toilet rebuild or a whole new toilet. Do you think I could tackle the shut-off replacement myself? Is it safe, or am I risking a disaster?
3 Answers
Just replaced three toilets in my place, and I can tell you that $900 for a new one plus install is way overpriced unless it's a luxury model. It shouldn't take more than an hour to swap a toilet or a shut-off valve. That said, I'd say replacing the shut-off valve is doable for most DIYers but might be a little more challenging if you're new to plumbing.
You might just need to swap out the fill valve for the beeping issue to go away. While you're at it, definitely replace that shut-off valve too. You can find a 1/4-turn shut-off for about $5, and a universal fill valve should be around $15-25. Just follow the directions, and the whole job should take about an hour. But remember, all DIY projects usually involve at least a couple of trips to the hardware store, so plan accordingly—it's best to not leave the main water off overnight!
Absolutely, you can handle this yourself! YouTube has loads of tutorials that'll guide you step by step. Replacing just the shut-off valve and the fill kit should be your focus, and you might not even need to replace the whole toilet if the drain pipe is okay. You're definitely not getting the best deal with those plumber quotes; it sounds like you're getting charged a premium for what’s a pretty straightforward job.