Replacing a toilet or seat

There are really just 3 main reasons you'd want to replace your toilet. Update the look (more modern), save water, or it's just plain broken.

A leaking toilet may only need a slight repair, such as replacing the handle so it doesn't leak inside the tank. But a crack in the porcelain would require a full replacement. Or perhaps your house has a once fashionable pink or green toilet and you'd like to bring it up to decorative standards and make it white.

The best reason is to save water. Older toilets used a lot of water, between 5-7 gallons per flush. Newer toilets use 3.5 gallons or less. It's hard to buy a new toilet today that isn't water saving, but be sure to look for that feature anyway, you don't want to lose out on those cost saving benefits. Buying a new toilet is not a glamorous task, but it's an essential item for any bathroom today.

You can replace the seat with even less effort, just a screwdriver, pair of pliers and about half an hour. The seats can crack can be ugly, replacing it could give a simple facelift to a fading bathroom. Be sure to match the shape though as not all toilets are the same. I once saw a round seat on an oblong toilet. Needless to say it was a disaster.

If you aren't handy with tools or plumbing then call a professional for replacing the entire toilet, otherwise do it yourself in a single afternoon.