How to Advise Customers on Toilet Height

Your customers realize there are more options than ever before when it comes to toilets. To recommend solutions for a replacement or remodel that will fit your customer’s lifestyle, contractors have to know the differences between the available choices. Explore key considerations so you know how to advise your customers on toilet height to meet specific concerns.

Key factors to consider when selecting the right toilet height

Think about your customer’s household needs, future mobility concerns and space availability when choosing toilet height. Get answers to these key questions:

• How much space is available in the bathroom?

• Is there more than one bathroom?

• Are toilet paper holders or shelves built into the walls, and could they be easily moved?

• Does your customer plan on expanding their family?

• Will toddlers, seniors or people with disabilities live in the home or visit often?

• Does your customer have disabilities, or would they prefer an ADA compliant toilet?

What to know about standard vs. comfort toilet heights

The biggest difference between a standard and comfort height toilet is simply how high the toilet rises from the floor.

A standard toilet height is 14.5" to 16" from the floor, while comfort height toilets can measure anywhere from 17" to 19" from the floor. The measurement includes the toilet seat when installed.

The comfort height toilet, also called a chair height toilet, is usually ADA compliant and is considered safer for the elderly and those with disabilities. Taller people may also find the higher toilet more comfortable and easier to use.

You can find standard and comfort height toilets with either round or elongated bowls. If there is enough space in the bathroom, an elongated bowl is usually easier for larger and taller adults to use.

Why toilet height matters for different customer needs

Although it may be overlooked, toilet height has an impact on your customers’ lives every day. Beyond ease of use, a toilet that’s too low or too high could keep people from being able to use it at all or could cause other issues over time.

Standard toilets are best for those 5'4" and under—usually for children’s bathrooms and in homes with small spaces. Taller or elderly people with knee or hip issues may have trouble sitting and standing without pain from the lower toilet height.

In households with people who are disabled, elderly or simply tall, comfort height toilets are usually the best option. However, shorter people may find that the taller height isn’t comfortable at all. The height difference of 2.5" to 4.5" can mean feet are dangling—which can cause circulation issues—or the unusual position can trigger constipation for some household members.

Guiding customers in choosing the right toilet height

When you keep the needs of the entire household in mind, including the information above, you’re best positioned to help your customers select the right toilet height.

For your customers with a range of needs but more than one restroom, your recommendation may be both types of toilets. Then you could focus on which option would be best for each bathroom, based on space, location and other considerations.

If there is only one bathroom in the home, choosing a standard vs. comfort height toilet may come down to what will be needed most frequently and creating adjustments for others.

When should customers opt for a standard vs. comfort height toilet?

If most people in the home will struggle to use the taller toilet but there is an occasional need for an ADA compliant toilet, you might recommend a standard toilet along with the purchase of a raised seat or toilet seat riser.

If most people using the toilet are taller or have mobility issues—but children will also need to use the restroom—a comfort height toilet with a foot stool could be the best recommendation.

Do standard height and comfort height toilets cost the same?

There is a lot of overlap in price ranges for both types, so you’ll be able to find either a standard or comfort height toilet to match your customer’s budget. Price can often come down to which features your customer wants.

At the lowest price point are basic two-piece, gravity-fed toilets with simple lids. In the long run, though, the least expensive option may create more hassle for you and your customers than it’s worth.

Toilets at the highest end of the range can include features like slow-close toilet seats, double-jet or double-cyclone flushing, high efficiency and/or low flow, dual-flush options and long-lasting valves.

Ferguson offers a range of options for residential toilets as well as toilet parts to match your customer’s budget.

Space considerations for toilet height

In a larger bathroom, a standard toilet may look awkward or out of date. But in a smaller room, comfort height could appear towering or unwieldy.

If your customer doesn’t have a lot of space but needs a taller toilet, a round bowl instead of an elongated bowl may help save valuable inches in the bathroom.

Installation considerations for toilet height

Residential bathrooms are sometimes laid out for standard height toilets. For example, a wall may have a recess for a toilet paper holder, or perhaps a window or shelves are installed on the wall above the toilet. If your customer wants to replace a standard toilet height with a comfort toilet height, consider if any built-in features will be less accessible next to a higher fixture.

If the toilet paper holder is simply attached to the wall, you’ll easily be able to install it a bit higher and smooth over the previous work. If your customer uses temporary shelving behind their toilet, they could benefit from your expanded services to add more permanent bathroom storage solutions.

No matter what the rough-in size of your customer’s bathroom, you’ll be able to find a standard or comfort height toilet to match. To help your customers save on any refinishing or retiling costs, you could show them options with a larger base that can easily cover the area of the toilet you’re replacing.

Ferguson offers toilets in all heights and sizes

Whether you recommend a standard height toilet, comfort height toilet or one of each for your customers, Ferguson makes buying online and picking up in store easy. Shop our selection of toilets, toilet seats and urinals today.