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How Much Does it Cost to Repair a Toilet?

Most homeowners spend between $152 to $203 nationally.
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While the toilet is an item that people use on a regular basis throughout the day, it doesn't get a lot of thought or attention until it stops working. Trying to a fix a toilet can be a challenge unless you have some experience in plumbing, so hiring a professional plumber may be the best course of action. Keep reading to discover how much it costs on average to hire a professional for toilet repairs in your home.

National Repair a Toilet Costs

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Median Cost


Minimum Cost


Maximum Cost
Average Range:


National Average Cost $195
Minimum Cost $55
Maximum Cost $480
Average Range $152 to $203
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How do we get this data? This info is based on 2492 cost profiles, as reported by ImproveNet members.

Average Cost of Professional Toilet Repair

Realizing that your toilet isn't functioning properly is never a good feeling, and your mind might immediately go to the cost of repair. Because there are so many different kinds of toilet problems that can crop up, pinning down the exact price in your situation might be a challenge. However, having a rough estimate can make budgeting and getting quotes a little simpler. Expect to pay between $170 and $225 for professional toilet repair, but that price may go up if you need to call a plumber for an emergency appointment or a weekend visit to your home.

Types of Problems and How They Affect Total Repair Pricing

While no two toilet repairs are the same, there are some common problems that arise time and time again. Clogs, for example, might only require a snaked line, and they won't take long to fix. However, a serious clog might require pipes to be removed in order to be eliminated. If the toilet has moved slightly from its original position, it might need to be relocated an inch or two in order to eliminate any leaking. There may be a problem with your toilet's float valve, which causes the bowl to constantly fill up. This is usually a simple fix, and plumbers should be able to tackle it in under an hour. One of the biggest problems is if the pipes connected to your toilets have begun to corrode or leak. In these instances, the water main needs to be shut off and the broken pipes need to be replaced, which can take several hours and cost closer to the upper end of the given price range.

Common DIY Solutions for Toilet Repairs

If you would prefer to tackle toilet repair on your own, here are some pointers for common problems. If you have some basic plumbing knowledge, or even if you just want to save the money and handle the leaking toilet on your own, you should start by better understanding the problem. Generally, there are two major culprits that can lead to a leaking toilet: The inlet valve or the flapper. Once you have identified the problem, turn off the water main and drain the tank of the toilet so that you can tackle the specific issue.

If the problem is with the flapper, you can remove it once the tank is empty. You might notice a few cracks or a loose fit, which is likely why the problem exists in the first place. Slip on a new flapper, check for a tight seal and then reintroduce water to the tank to test it. A single flush should be enough to tell if you were successful. If the problem is with the inlet valve, you may need to separate the toilet from the water main and take apart the whole assembly. This requires a number of tools and can take several hours. Unless you have a lot of plumbing knowledge, this part is best left to the professionals. 

Repairing a leaking toilet isn't always tough. Replacing the flapper takes just minutes, but anything else might require professional assistance. These tips can make the process simpler, and it could end up saving you money by not needing to hire a plumber for a simple job. 

Plumber Costs

If you don't have the know-how, time or patience to deal with a leaking toilet on your own, you might be interested in hiring a plumber. Repairing a toilet is a common job for a professional plumber, and the average cost of the job will be somewhere between $212 and $292. If there is extensive damage, the costs may be higher, but it should still fall within the range of $289 to $413, which is the average cost of hiring a plumber in the United States.

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Last updated on May 31, 2017

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