Toilet too close to wall?

[mrbob]

New construction. Drains are in a concrete slab. Mansfield toilet with #173 tank. I haven't found the bowl model yet.
The plumber installed an offset in each drain flange. See image below from December. I'm not sure why.
Then they installed the toilets. The tank of the toilet touches the back wall, so the tank lid sits awkwardly on the tank, pushed forward by the wall. the wall.

1) Is this technicall wrong or just tacky? I'm concerned that someone will lean on the toilet and break the lid.
2) Can the plumber fix this by repositioning the toilet, or is this a major reword situation?
3) Should I complain or just accept it?

Sorry if this is a stupid question. Thank you for your advice.

 

[breplum]

Repositioning WC not likely to help. Replacing with different WC likely what you should ask for.
That looks like a messed up underslab rough in. They f'd up.
We anchor flanges with brass "L" bolts embedded in the concrete (actually upside down brass closet bolts with a bend).
Offset Flanges like that: Some are UPC approved, some not, Metal flange is good but we only use the products with Stainless Steel rings these days.
Complain for SURE, and likely you have not much recourse.
In a perfect world they would come out and redo the rough in by digging up the bathroom.
Or, ask them for a toilet that will fit in that bad situation.

 

[mrbob]

BREPLUM: Thank you!
I've read about 10" setback toilets, and what I read is that they are not desirable: poor flushing, sweating, less comfortable. Is that the alternative you suggest? If so, would I be better off to accept the poor job and 12" toilet?

 

[hdtvkeith]

Me personally would complain and make them fix it. Why start out with something new that is already wrong and you will fester for years knowing it. Fromt he fact you mention December it sounds like it is harder to fix now that if addressed before walls and floors when in.

 

[havasu]

I agree. I would not accept an offset flange, nor a 10" setback toilet.

 

[Riickk]

Builder scrwed up.
They should fix it, all at their cost.

?? Does that immediate offset meet Code?? If not, that's the lever you use to force the issue.

However....On one apartment renovation, we had to use a 10” rough-in toilet. Lived in that unit for several years, never had a problem with toilet. Mansfield iirc.
BTW..if you do end up with 10" toilet, I'd build out, behind it, to support the tank, my worry was always someone would lean back and break the seal between tank & bowl

 

[Twowaxhack]

10” toilets flush fine they just cost more. Some brands the bowls are the same and the 2” difference is the tank is smaller.

I wouldn’t accept an offset flange on new construction. They’re illegal here unless you get permission.

 

[havasu]

I'm just wondering....

Is that a 2" offset, which now needs a 10" toilet to get it to seal correctly? If so, that is a 4" mistake, right?

 

[Twowaxhack]

I'm just wondering....

Is that a 2" offset, which now needs a 10" toilet to get it to seal correctly? If so, that is a 4" mistake, right?

The 12” toilets tank lid won’t fit proper. If they now put a 10” toilet in there would be roughly a 2.5” gap behind the tank, maybe more.

Most 12” toilets will sit in a 11-11.5” space.

I’m more opposed to the offset flange than I am the 10” toilet.

 

[mrbob]

The building code around here allows offset flanges. The particular one they used may not be the best and may be the worst, but I'm stuck accepting anything that has the right approvals.

The house has three toilets. After putting in offset flanges for each, only one has the issue. On that one, I measure 11.4" from bolt to wall.

I wonder if they can buy a different offset flange with a larger offset distance. Does anyone here know what is available and recommended? Would that require a deeper hole in the slab or a higher lift of the bowl?

Would they dare to shift the bowl, keep the bolts loose, use the wax ring to take up the slop, and call it done? Now I'm really worried.

 

[Twowaxhack]

They might can cheat the bolts forward a .25” and reset the toilet. The outlet of the toilet is smaller than the I.D. Of the flange.
They may have already done that.....

 

[TomFOhio]

You can use offset flanges around here to but usually when you do its because of an ERROR.

 

[mrbob]

Quick update: They were able to nudge it back another 1/4" away from the wall, so I guess we're OK.

 

[Jeff Handy]

Your flange is sitting over open air and gravel, not screwed into concrete.
Over time, the flange and wax seal might fail, as the flange is not anchored at all, just attached to the pvc drain.