Where Can I Find Closet Bolts For This Toilet

[lookingforaquiettoilet]

I have a guy coming over in a couple days to install this new Toilet from Amazon



At the bottom it says "Recommended tools & materials"

I just want to make sure I got the closet bolts

Where can I get those from?

 

[havasu]

Many wax rings include the new closet bolts, but if not, wherever place sells wax rings will also sell closet bolts. As far as the sealant, just get a tube is siliconized caulking to seal the void between the toilet base and the floor. Most important is let it dry for 24 hours before using the toilet. Lastly, only seal the left, right and front of the toilet base with caulking, leaving the back side to give you an indication that you have a blown out wax ring.

 

[breplum]

I have one of those toilets. Depending on the eating habits of the users, be sure to have a good toilet plunger on hand...or better yet, buy a toilet auger.
A guy coming over doesn't portend well unless it is a plumber or otherwise well-experienced installer.

 

[lookingforaquiettoilet]

I have one of those toilets. Depending on the eating habits of the users, be sure to have a good toilet plunger on hand...or better yet, buy a toilet auger.
A guy coming over doesn't portend well unless it is a plumber or otherwise well-experienced installer.

lol. He's an experienced handyman. Toilets are simple jobs.



Most people do it in 30 - 60 mins



Some of you guys love making this stuff sound hard eh?

I get it if you do it as a professional, don't want the handyman to take away the job

 

[Twowaxhack]

lol. He's an experienced handyman. Toilets are simple jobs.



Most people do it in 30 - 60 mins

View attachment 42051

Some of you guys love making this stuff sound hard eh?

I get it if you do it as a professional, don't want the handyman to take away the job

Honestly a lot people who DIY and handymen create bigger jobs out of what would’ve been a small job.
They just kick the can down the road a lot of times and the problem gets worse.

Bad wax seal turns into a subfloor being ripped out 2-3 years after the handyman installs it. Very common.

Another good one is tile showers. I can’t tell you how many DIY and handyman showers I’ve torn out.

And I’m grateful for all the extra work they make.

 

[havasu]

I use to be a handyman, now I just help friends. Toilets are pretty straight forward. I've installed I'm guessing over 100 of them. My neighbor just had two faucets installed. Although he bought the faucets himself, the licensed plumber charged him $745. He is pissed, and will never use that crook again, and I'm pissed because he didn't want to ask me for help.

 

[Twowaxhack]

I use to be a handyman, now I just help friends. Toilets are pretty straight forward. I've installed I'm guessing over 100 of them. My neighbor just had two faucets installed. Although he bought the faucets himself, the licensed plumber charged him $745. He is pissed, and will never use that crook again, and I'm pissed because he didn't want to ask me for help.

If you flood your neighbors house do you pay for the damages ? Probably not.

If the plumber floods the house the plumbers insurance covers the bill.

True or false ?

We don’t get to keep all the money. It’s not all profit. A lot of people don’t consider that.

 

[havasu]

Homeowners insurance would cover it since I am just an extension of the homeowner

 

[havasu]

But seriously, you think $375 an hour for a plumber can be justified?

 

[breplum]

But seriously, you think $375 an hour for a plumber can be justified?

As a business person, I can justify (never need to) a range of hourly rates based on the actual costs of doing business. Then adding in P & O to justify even being in business.
Salary level
FICA matching
UI & Disability Ins
Workers comp ins
liability ins
health ins
401K
Labor and overhead of office person (in some cases dispacher, shop person) and accounting costs and tax prep
Attributable tasks time that are not billed to customer/hour is a list of extensive items
You get the point...when we put actual numbers to this and taken that the only reason business exists is to make a profit.
Knowing how to run a profitable business is different than guessing at what the right price is.

 

[Ludington]

It just makes a normal DIYer gasp and gag when he hears that number. I do all of my own work, but some things I can't (or won't do) I know it's not plumbing, but my truck needs an oil sensor put in. A 100 $ part, and 15 minutes work. But it's located in the back of the engine hidden where your working in the blind, plus leaning way over the engine to even get to it. Now with a bad back, I probably could accomplish this, but I don't want to, and since I've never done it before, I'm going to say my skill level for this is pretty small. Do I gasp and gag at the 650 price to get it done.. of course I do. But in the end, if they do it correctly. I'm glad it's done with no pain to my back, and no cussing .
The price is all relative.

 

[JeffreyWisc]

I am a pretty good and a handy DIY guy. I can do a lot of things well. Not to brag, I was just raised that way. On the current house we are remodeling, I hired a master plumber to do things that I initially was going to do myself. I felt guilty spending the money at first, but in the end, when I look at the workmanship, I am thrilled to have had him do what he did. I could have done most of it, but his end result in all cases is better than what I would have done, and I sleep well at night instead of worrying about plumbing.

 

[Mitchell-DIY-Guy]

There’s been a few photos I’ve posted in the past of new or relatively new construction plumbing things. (From home inspection things etc.) In these cases the pros have rightfully commented here on what’s wrong with that picture. Among the issues have been wrong drain pipe hanging, insufficient spacing between drain fittings and more. Sad to say all the work was done under the license of master plumbers…so not everyone does everything exactly the same.

I’m a handyman too. Just the other day, in deference to the laws on licensed electricians doing electrical work here, I was hired to install an overhead light in a laundry room. No problem. Except no power. Took off the switch plate, discovered that a wire was off. Turned off the power, pulled the switch out, discovered that the licensed professional had BACKWIRED the switch, all to save a few minutes of time. The wires came off. A fire hazard.

I made it right at a fraction of the hourly rate of the licensed professional that created the fire hazard in the first place.

Not every licensed pro does it right. As important not every homeowner can afford a pro. Not every pro wants small jobs either. The other day at one home I fixed two electrical problems, mounted two lights, cleaned a bathroom drain and repaired a fence in 2.5 hours. My client was a single mom with a kid in college that cannot afford the pros.

 

[Twowaxhack]

So that means we should cancel all trade licenses because some don’t do it right ?

But having a trade license doesn’t mean the person doesn’t make mistakes.

Having a trade license isn’t good enough. You need insurance to cover mistakes if you’re charging the person.

Even if you’re just doing a favor and flood a neighbors house most homeowners insurance has a deductible to meet before the insurance starts paying. Some of these deductibles are $5k plus.

So someone is going to have to come up with that deductible.

I’m sure that wouldn’t make for a healthy relationship with most people nowadays.

“ Fred installed a toilet because I couldn’t afford $500 install and now since Fred didn’t do XYZ correctly now I have a flooded house with a big insurance deductible to pay “

A lot of times the handyman or neighbor doesn’t even know their work failed. The neighbor or friend doesn’t want them to know and surely won’t ever call them back. So they call a professional in to correct the work.

I’ve even had women call when their husband was out for the day to correct things he “ fixed “.

It’s more common than you think……


When I make a mistake people usually call back right away because “ wow, I paid XYZ and it needs to be perfect “

I get held to a higher standard than Jimmy next door…….

 

[Twowaxhack]

But seriously, you think $375 an hour for a plumber can be justified?

Depends on the area. Some places it’s expensive to do business.

A 16 oz beer sells for $8.99 at an Alabama college football game.

I paid $7 for bottle beer in Vegas 15 years ago. Took $30 to catch a good beer buzz and that didn’t include the tip !

 

[Ludington]

So that means we should cancel all trade licenses because some don’t do it right ?

But having a trade license doesn’t mean the person doesn’t make mistakes.

Having a trade license isn’t good enough. You need insurance to cover mistakes if you’re charging the person.

Even if you’re just doing a favor and flood a neighbors house most homeowners insurance has a deductible to meet before the insurance starts paying. Some of these deductibles are $5k plus.

So someone is going to have to come up with that deductible.

I’m sure that wouldn’t make for a healthy relationship with most people nowadays.

“ Fred installed a toilet because I couldn’t afford $500 install and now since Fred didn’t do XYZ correctly now I have a flooded house with a big insurance deductible to pay “

A lot of times the handyman or neighbor doesn’t even know their work failed. The neighbor or friend doesn’t want them to know and surely won’t ever call them back. So they call a professional in to correct the work.

I’ve even had women call when their husband was out for the day to correct things he “ fixed “.

It’s more common than you think……


When I make a mistake people usually call back right away because “ wow, I paid XYZ and it needs to be perfect “

I get held to a higher standard than Jimmy next door…….

You really get wives calling to fix thier husbands mess? I'd hate to be in that house when he comes home. Especially if she didn't tell him she was having it fixed.

 

[JeffreyWisc]

There’s been a few photos I’ve posted in the past of new or relatively new construction plumbing things. (From home inspection things etc.) In these cases the pros have rightfully commented here on what’s wrong with that picture. Among the issues have been wrong drain pipe hanging, insufficient spacing between drain fittings and more. Sad to say all the work was done under the license of master plumbers…so not everyone does everything exactly the same.

I’m a handyman too. Just the other day, in deference to the laws on licensed electricians doing electrical work here, I was hired to install an overhead light in a laundry room. No problem. Except no power. Took off the switch plate, discovered that a wire was off. Turned off the power, pulled the switch out, discovered that the licensed professional had BACKWIRED the switch, all to save a few minutes of time. The wires came off. A fire hazard.

I made it right at a fraction of the hourly rate of the licensed professional that created the fire hazard in the first place.

Not every licensed pro does it right. As important not every homeowner can afford a pro. Not every pro wants small jobs either. The other day at one home I fixed two electrical problems, mounted two lights, cleaned a bathroom drain and repaired a fence in 2.5 hours. My client was a single mom with a kid in college that cannot afford the pros.

But now IF there is a fire and a record of you having done unlicensed electrical work, you risk a lot.

 

[Twowaxhack]

You really get wives calling to fix thier husbands mess? I'd hate to be in that house when he comes home. Especially if she didn't tell him she was having it fixed.

Of course I do. I’m not concerned with the husband showing up. My customers are descent people.

But if he came home and told me to leave, I’d start packing my stuff and tell him to go write me a check.

It’s happened. After 35+ yrs a lot of things have happened once or twice.

At one time we had 7 trucks running. I’m a 3rd generation plumber and had 7-8 extended family members as master plumbers between 2 plumbing businesses. Lunch was like a plumbing convention……Christmas, thanksgiving, birthday parties were all plumbing conventions.

 

[Twowaxhack]

But now IF there is a fire and a record of you having done unlicensed electrical work, you risk a lot.

I recently turned down a job because the previous unlicensed handyman installed some pex and relocated a drain.

He blew dust all over the house and working behind him was just liability that I didn’t want to expose myself to.

What if I get the blame for all the dust ? What if he damaged something under the slab that I don’t see ?

Too many “ what if’s “ for too few dollars.

I took a hard pass and thanked them for the opportunity but declined to do the work.

 

[havasu]

I just posted the above to explain that there are some capable persons, regardless of having a license or not. I too will use a licensed plumber for things I won't or can't tackle, and have no problem keeping my plumber friends on speed dial. I just believe many things can also be accomplished by using a well qualified handyman.