So, you’ve finally decided that the avocado-green toilet and the peeling particle-board vanity from 1984 have to go. Trust me, I get it. I spent three years staring at a vanity that was held together by hope and three layers of contact paper before I finally took a sledgehammer to it. My wife still reminds me of the “Great Flooding of ’12” when I forgot to check the shut-off valve before yanking the sink out, so believe me when I say I’ve learned the hard way how these “simple” weekend projects can turn into a full-blown saga.
If you’re looking to refresh your bathroom this year without selling a kidney, you’re probably looking at a combined cost somewhere between $1,200 and $4,500 for a professional to swap both. If you’re doing it yourself, you might get out for under $900, assuming you don’t drop the porcelain toilet on your toe (don’t ask).
The “Oh No” Moment
Let’s start with the throne. Replacing a toilet feels like it should be a thirty-minute job, but between the heavy lifting and the potential for a leaky wax ring, it’s a bit of a dance.
In the current market, here’s how the numbers usually shake out:
1. The Porcelain Itself
You can find a basic, two-piece toilet at the big-box stores for about $150 to $300. These are fine. They flush, they hold weight, and they don’t complain. However, I’ve found that the ultra-cheap ones have “flushed” power that wouldn’t clear a single square of 1-ply.
If you want a one-piece model—which I highly recommend because cleaning behind a two-piece is a special kind of hell—you’re looking at $400 to $900. If you’re feeling fancy and want a “smart” toilet that warms your seat and sings you a song, be prepared to drop $1,500 to $3,000. Personally, I think a $3,000 toilet is a total waste of money unless it also does your taxes.
2. Labor and The “Pro” Fee
If you hire a plumber, expect to pay $250 to $550 just for the installation. This usually includes hauling away the old one, which is worth every penny because garbage collectors are surprisingly picky about “white porcelain gifts” left on the curb.
3. The Little Things that Bite
Never, and I mean never, reuse your old supply line. That $15 braided stainless steel hose is the only thing standing between you and a flooded basement.
- Wax Ring/Seal: $10–$25.
- New Supply Line: $15–$30.
- Flange Repair Kit: $30 (because 50% of the time, the old flange is cracked once you pull the toilet).
The “Real Star of the Show”: The Vanity
The vanity is where the budget usually goes to die. It’s the centerpiece of the room, and it’s also the piece that takes the most abuse from humidity and spilled toothpaste.
The Cabinet (The Box)
- Cheap Prefab (MDF): $200–$500. Honestly? Don’t do it. MDF (medium-density fiberboard) is basically pressed sawdust and glue. In a humid bathroom, it swells up like a sponge the second it gets wet. I’ve seen $300 vanities look like they’ve been through a shipwreck after only two years.
- Mid-Range (Plywood/Solid Wood): $600–$1,500. This is the sweet spot. You want furniture-grade plywood. It handles the steam from your hour-long showers much better.
- Custom: $2,000+. If you have a weird-sized nook or want a specific shade of “Moody Teal,” this is your route. It’s expensive, but it fits like a glove.
The Countertop and Sink
Most prefab vanities come with a top, but if you’re buying a “furniture-style” cabinet, you might have to buy the top separately.
- Cultured Marble: $150–$400. It’s easy to clean, but it scratches if you look at it funny.
- Quartz or Granite: $400–$1,200. Quartz is my favorite because it’s non-porous. You can spill hair dye on it and it won’t care. Granite is pretty, but you have to seal it, and let’s be real—none of us actually remember to seal our countertops every year.
The Faucet (The Jewelry)
Do not buy the $40 plastic faucet. I made that mistake in my first apartment and the handle snapped off in my hand while I was brushing my teeth. A decent, solid brass faucet will run you $150 to $400.
Labor: Why Your Plumber Charges So Much
I used to think, “Hey, it’s just four bolts and a couple of hoses!” Then I spent four hours upside down in a cabinet trying to reach a nut that had been fused by mineral deposits since the Nixon administration.
Professional vanity installation usually runs $300 to $1,000. Why the gap?
- Assembly: If you bought an “IKEA-style” vanity that comes in 400 pieces, the pro is going to charge you for the three hours it takes to put it together.
- Plumbing Alignment: This is the big one. If your new vanity has drawers where your old one had open space, the plumber might have to move the pipes in the wall to make it fit. That “simple swap” just became a $500 repiping job.
- Disposal: Granite tops weigh about as much as a small car. Getting that out of your house and to the dump isn’t free.
A Quick Side Note on DIY Tools
If you’re tackling this yourself, make sure you have:
- An adjustable wrench (or two).
- A basin wrench (this is a weird-looking tool that lets you reach the nuts behind the sink. Without it, you will cry. I promise).
- A hacksaw (for those closet bolts that are always too long).
- A bucket and a big sponge (there is always more water in the pipes than you think).
Real Talk: What’s Not Worth the Effort
I’ve been doing this for fifteen years, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that “pretty” doesn’t always mean “practical.” Here are a few things that look great on Pinterest but are a total headache in real life:
- Vessel Sinks: You know, the ones that look like a bowl sitting on top of the counter? They look cool in hotels, but in a house? The area where the bowl meets the counter is a magnet for dust, hair, and mystery gunk. Plus, if you have kids, they will find a way to use it as a structural support and crack it.
- Wall-Mounted Vanities: They make the room look bigger because you can see the floor under them. However, they require massive structural blocking inside the wall. If you don’t have a pro do the framing, that vanity will eventually sag or rip the drywall right off the studs. Stick to floor-standing models if you want to sleep at night.
- Black Fixtures: They look sleek for exactly four seconds. Then you see every single water spot and speck of dust. Unless you plan on wiping down your faucet after every single use, stick to brushed nickel or chrome.
The “Secret” Hidden Costs
Whenever someone asks me for a budget, I tell them to take their total and add 20%. Why? Because bathrooms are full of secrets, and none of them are good.
- The Rotten Subfloor: You pull the old toilet and realize the wax ring has been leaking for a decade. The wood underneath is soft and smells like a swamp. Now you’re replacing the subfloor before you can even think about the new toilet.
- The “While We’re At It” Trap: You get the new vanity in and realize the old floor tile looks terrible next to it. Suddenly, a $1,000 refresh becomes a $5,000 floor-to-ceiling remodel.
- Shut-off Valves: Old valves love to fail the moment you turn them. If you try to turn off the water to the sink and the handle just spins, you’re looking at a whole-house water shut-off and a valve replacement.
Parting Wisdom
If you’re on a tight budget, spend the money on the vanity cabinet and the toilet seal. You can always swap a cheap faucet later, but you can’t easily replace a rotted cabinet or a leaky floor. And for the love of all that is holy, measure your doorway before you buy that 60-inch double vanity. I once spent two hours trying to figure out how to pivot a vanity through a 28-inch door only to realize I had to take the door casing off.
My zucchini might have taken over the ZIP code back in the summer of ’19, but at least they didn’t require a plumbing permit.
Are you planning on doing the heavy lifting yourself, or are you looking to hire someone so you can keep your weekends (and your sanity) intact?
