Plumber toilet repair in Burbank: what to know

Nearly any broken toilet can be fixed by a plumber: a leaking base, a running tank, a weak flush, a loose handle, a cracked bowl, or a unit that has simply worn out. We send a local plumber to your home, spell out the job in a written quote ahead of any work, and book the repair around your schedule. Begin here to work out which fault you have, then follow the guide for that part. Everything else we coordinate is on the Lankershim Plumbing home page.

Can you fix a broken toilet?

Yes, in most cases. A toilet is a short list of parts: the tank, the fill valve, the flapper and flush valve, the handle and chain, the shutoff valve, the supply line, and the wax ring under the base. Nearly every fault traces back to one of them, and a plumber swaps the failed part instead of the whole toilet.

A new toilet is the better call only if the porcelain is cracked, the fixture is badly stained or worn, or repairs would cost more than a new unit. Match the symptom to the guide below:

• Toilet keeps running or refills on its own: see our guide to repairing a running toilet.
• Hissing after the flush or a tank that never stops filling: the fill valve repair guide shows the swap.
• Water seeping from tank to bowl: toilet flapper repair is the first fix.
• Water on the floor or under the tank: leaking toilet repair explains how to trace it.
• Handle or button will not flush or feels loose: how to fix a toilet flush button.
• Leak at the flapper seat that a new flapper will not stop: toilet flush valve repair, and a related page on swapping a flush valve with the tank left in place.
• Water that will not shut off at the wall: toilet shutoff valve repair.
• Toilet will not drain: clearing a blocked toilet.

If you want to try a repair yourself, the pages say where DIY is sensible and where to stop.

Is it common for a toilet tank to crack?

Rare, but it does happen, and force is usually behind it rather than age alone. Overtightened tank bolts, a knock, or a heavy lid dropped on the rim can split a tank. Hairline cracks may weep slowly. A cracked tank cannot be mended reliably, so the normal fix is a new tank or a new toilet.

To check for a crack, dry the outside of the tank and watch for a thin line where water comes back. Condensation is different, since it beads evenly over the whole tank on humid days. On finding a crack, close the water at the wall and book a plumber. Many toilets are sold as matched tank and bowl sets, so replacing only the tank is not always an option.

How long does it take to remove an old toilet and install a new one?

According to a national cost guide, a straight swap in an existing bathroom typically takes about 2 to 4 hours. That covers pulling the old toilet, inspecting the flange, setting the new one on a fresh seal, connecting the water and testing. Damage beneath the old toilet can add time.

Timing hinges on the shutoff valve, the condition of the floor and whether the toilet is a standard two piece model. In postwar Burbank and Valley homes, old multi turn shutoff valves and aging flanges are the usual surprises, and the plumber checks both while setting the new toilet. The full breakdown is on our toilet replacement cost page.

What does a plumber charge to replace a toilet?

One national guide places a standard replacement at roughly $224 to $532, averaging near $372, before any premium toilet. Labor commonly runs $65 to $125 an hour. The toilet itself can cost from about $90 to well over $1,000. Take these numbers as orientation only; the real price is set in your quote after the visit.

A damaged flange, a rotted floor, a stuck shutoff valve, relocating the toilet and after hours service all raise the price. A like for like swap using a toilet you supply keeps it down. For repair work a plumber's rate is about $45 to $200 an hour, and many add a service call fee. How those fees are built is explained under hourly plumber costs.

What if you want to compare home improvement store installation?

Some big home improvement stores sell toilet installation through contractors they partner with. That can be convenient, but prices vary by store and market, and extras such as a damaged flange, a new shutoff valve or hauling off the old toilet are often left out. Ask for the written scope and who does the work.

Searches on this topic often name a store brand that does not operate in the United States. Whichever store it is, measure quotes against the same scope: removal, new seal, supply line, shutoff valve, disposal and any permit. The visit from a local plumber ends with a written quote you can set beside the store's, line by line.

How do we arrange a toilet repair in Burbank and the Valley?

Send us the details through the quote page, someone local visits, and you are sent a written quote before work of any kind. Burbank and the nearby Valley service areas are covered, including Glendale, North Hollywood, Sherman Oaks, Encino and Northridge. Parts are picked once the plumber has seen the toilet.

A few things help the quote:

• The toilet's make, if it is printed in the tank or on the underside of the lid.
• Where the water appears, and whether it happens during a flush, between flushes or all the time.
• Whether the shutoff valve at the wall closes fully.
• Photos of the tank, the base and the floor around it.

Hard water comes up again and again in Valley homes. Mineral scale clogs rim holes, stiffens flappers and seizes old valves. Your utility's water quality report is worth reading: Burbank Water and Power, Glendale Water and Power and LADWP each publish one, and the hard water scale page covers the fix.

Do water rules affect which toilet you can buy?

Toilets sold in California today are capped at 1.28 gallons a flush, so a new one will use less than any made before the mid 1990s. The EPA reports that WaterSense labeled models in place of old toilets can save the average family about 13,000 gallons and $130 a year.

Real savings depend on your current toilet and on who lives in the house, so read the EPA figure as an average. Rebates for high efficiency toilets change over time, so ask Burbank Water and Power, Glendale Water and Power or LADWP. A leak can wipe out any savings: the EPA says nine percent of homes leak 50 gallons or more a day, and worn flappers are a common cause. A quick dye test in the tank shows whether yours is leaking.

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Questions people ask

How much would a plumber charge to change a wax ring on a toilet?

The part is cheap, so the visit is most of the price. The toilet must be lifted and reset, which takes about an hour or two. At hourly rates of roughly $45 to $200 plus any call-out fee, the total often falls in the low to mid hundreds. Your written quote gives the exact number.

How much would a plumber charge to fix a toilet?

One guide to plumber costs lists replacing a sink, toilet or faucet at $150 to $900, with service call fees of $100 to $350. A simple fix like a flapper or fill valve sits at the low end, since the part is only a few dollars. A leaking base or damaged flange costs more.

How do I install a new toilet in my home?

Close the water, empty both tank and bowl, detach the supply line, unbolt and raise the old toilet, inspect the flange, fit a new wax ring, set the new toilet straight down onto it, tighten the nuts evenly, reconnect the water and test. The unit is heavy, so get a helper. Where the flange or the floor has damage, hiring a plumber is the safer route.

Can I repair a toilet myself?

Often yes. Flappers, fill valves, handles and supply lines are DIY jobs with basic tools. Stop and phone a plumber when the shutoff valve will not close, the tank or bowl has cracked, the base leaks, or the flange is damaged. The guides linked above walk through each repair step by step.

Is it worth repairing an old toilet?

Sound porcelain makes repair the cheaper path. A toilet that is cracked, clogs constantly, or dates from before the mid 1990s and uses a lot of water per flush may pay for itself as a replacement over time. Ask for a written quote on both options before you decide.