Hire a handyman or plumber to install toilet?

Question

I am in Florida.

I am doing some remodeling of the bathroom and kitchen.

In the bathroom, the toilet and the vanity were removed in order to redo the tiles. Now the tiles are done. I need to put the toilet back. I also bought a new vanity and faucet.

In the kitchen, the old faucet and sink were removed. Need to install the new faucet, reconnct the garbage disposal, dishwasher drainage, and the two water supply lines to the faucet.

Is it legal if I hire a licenced and insured handyman to put the toilet back, and connect the water supply lines and the drainage lines, reconnect disposal and dishwasher drainage?

I know a plumber can sure do all these, but plumbers are much more expensive.

Thanks!

Dennis M. · Answer

@Yan Guo

Stop worrying about the legality of everything . If you want to pay double hire a licensed contractor if you want to pay triple have it all inspected when it’s done ! If you can make pop tarts you can do a toilet and a vanity install

Yan Guo · Answer

@Clifford Paul

I know it is very easy. I have done it in my own house. However, I wonder if it is legal to hire a handyman to install in a rental property instead hiring a plumber?

Account Closed · Answer

I am just in Florida hire a handyman. Silly to waste money on a plumber. In my opinion electricians and plumbers are for larger or more complex jobs.   Just make sure your handyman is willing incompetent to do any type of work like that ask him what they will and will not do. I know what my handyman will do so I know when I have to call an electrician or a plumber instead of him

Account Closed · Answer

it posted twice for some reason. This is to remove the duplicate.

Account Closed · Answer

If the floor is level and the tile was installed properly and you place the toilet over the "properly placed" mounting screws and you set the toilet directly & properly  onto the wax ring and there isn't a gap between the toilet and the tile. When you are this far, and you orient the toilet straight and tighten down the bolts, but not too loose so the toilet won't rock and not too tight so you don't break the porcelain & with the tank far away enough from the wall so you can fit the lid onto the tank but not too far away so it doesn't rock when people sit on the thing and when you connect the tank to the bowl you remember to use the rubber ring and when you insert the ballcock stem you get a good seal and you set the water to stop before it overflows the tank when you turn the water on and you use plumbers tape on the threads when you connect the hoses, you should be fine. Be sure to paint the wall behind before you install the toilet. It's easier than trying to it afterwards. After installing the toilet and then removing it because you didn't get it quite right, be sure to scrape out the wax before you try again. Simply adding a second wax ring isn't a good idea for a variety of reasons. Then try again and just keep at it until you get the hang of it. As the guys said, there's nothing to it. ;-)

If you want to be a plumber or handyman and you think you will do a few of these in the future, by all means do it yourself. If you want to be a "cash flow" investor, and this is the only toilet you'd ever do, have someone do it for you and use the time to make actual money. Don't step over dollars to save nickles. It really isn't a question of "can" you do it, it's more of a question of "is that the best use of your time".

Christina Linn · Answer

@Johann Jells then maybe there are some places that require a licensed plumber for such a simple task, but I know that where I live anyone can do it legally.

Johann Jells · Answer

It's been explained to me that anything involving breaking the "trap seal" is technically the realm of the licenses plumber. So a toilet qualifies. Rubbish IMO. Quite a lot of the electrical and plumbing that "handymen" do is illegal, but they set up the system to create scofflaws.

Christina Linn · Answer

@Yan Guo I do not believe there is anywhere that requires a licensed plumber to install a toilet.  Licenses are required for major work like installing new water lines.  None of the things you've listed require a licensed professional to the best of my knowledge.  You may have said where you are and I missed it, but if you are in California I would double-check laws in your municipality.  I know that national laws, which most municipalities go by do not require a licensed plumber for any of the things you listed.

Clifford Paul · Answer

I'm in Texas and in my markets everything is booming. They are charging $600 for a faucet install, $800 for a toilet and $25k for a complete re-plumb not including any sewer work... that's extra! I should of been a plumber! 😁

That's why I don't call a plumber unless it involves a sewer reline or a new tap. Plumbing is so easy to do. My contractor does it all for pennies on the dollar. My handyman is better than most plumbers I know.

Mike S. · Answer

Holy crap, where do you live that plumbers charge $800?  It's easy DIY, but it shouldn't cost more $120 for a plumber to do it.

Hire a handyman or plumber to install toilet?

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