Toilets are an expensive addition to a bathroom.
However, without a toilet, what good is a bathroom?
If you have started to look for a replacement toilet to renovating a bathroom, you may have noticed the high price at which these toilets are offered.
The pricing is considerably expensive for several reasons.
We have picked the top ten reasons toilets are so expensive and broken down for you what you can do about it.
Why Are Toilets So Expensive?
1. Necessary
At the top of our list is the fact that toilets are necessary.
As we mentioned, your bathroom is not much of a bathroom without a toilet.
Sometimes you will notice that, when you need an item for your home, the pricing will get a bit higher.
It’s almost as if the manufacturers know that you are going to be stuck if you don’t have what you need from them.
It’s nearly impossible to make your own toilet for your home, and therefore, you are left with the choices that the stores provide.
Not all toilet brands are going to be priced at over $1,500 apiece, but you will almost instantly feel pressure to purchase one of the better models.
Considering how important a toilet is to the inner workings of a home, the price you pay will probably feel a bit justified.
Regardless, as long as humans continue to need toilets, the pricing will likely stay quite high.
There is not much you will be able to do about this one.
2. Cleaning Power
The idea of a toilet is that waste will be taken away without a person having to worry about it.
The better the toilet, the better the cleaning power it gives you.
The disposal of human waste is not something anyone wants to have to deal with.
A toilet that offers plenty of power and flush capability will increase the price of the unit.
However, most people are going to want a toilet which has quite a bit of cleaning power.
Having to stop and clean the toilet after each use is a challenging and annoying process.
For manufacturers to make toilets with very high flushing capabilities and cleaning power, they need to add quite a bit of technology and engineering to the toilet.
This engineering and design will cost the manufacturer quite a bit of money, which will add to the end user’s price.
Essentially, a toilet is a convenient tool, and because of that, it costs a bit more.
The convenience of a toilet is something most people have no issues paying for.
However, when it comes to shopping for a new toilet, the sticker shock of a high price can sometimes be a little much to take.
3. Long Term Purchase
A toilet is a product people expect to last for at least ten years.
You will not want to have to replace your toilet every few years when something breaks or cracks.
Essentially, for this to be a long-term purchase, it needs to be created with quality in mind.
The longer-term purchases are always going to be more expensive.
This often has to do with the quality of the product and the work that goes into making sure they are going to last for many years.
A toilet manufacturer has to put out a product that will last consumers for a long time.
In order to do that, the pricing is going to remain relatively high.
4. Style
Believe it or not, toilets have quite a bit of style.
Kitchens and bathrooms are very easily the most expensive parts of the home.
These areas of the home have high end features, and they will determine whether the house has an elegant or a cheap feel.
This is what has led to an increase in price for many bathroom fixtures.
Since the style of the bathroom now matters more than it ever has, the pricing of the toilets is starting to increase.
Years ago, you would have a choice between a wall mount or a floor mount toilet.
The shape or the style of the toilet would not really vary.
Today, this is not the case.
Even when you determine a price range for your toilet, you will end up still having to choose between dozens of different styles.
Although the toilet style is not going to affect its functionality all that much, it will matter to some people.
If you spend thousands of dollars to renovate your bathroom, chances are you will want a toilet that has some more modern looking features to it.
If bathrooms and kitchens start to go out of style, we may see a reduction in the pricing of toilets, but we really don’t see this happening anytime soon.
5. Height Choices
Toilets now come with a variety of height choices.
When these types of features and functionality are introduced, pricing goes up.
Consumers now have choices to make, and manufacturers have to set up different procedures.
When all bases were the same height, they could easily be manufactured using the same equipment.
Now that there are other height options, this is no longer the case.
The additional height choices end up adding to the cost that the end user will pay.
In addition to the fact that manufacturing costs have increased, the height options have also added a sense of style and importance to the world of toilets.
You will notice that some toilets are now considered a bit of a luxury item.
When people can choose between a premium toilet or something that is basic, it automatically changes the way that toilets are looked at by the consumers.
As soon as luxury, style, and options are added to a product, the pricing is going to increase.
6. Brand Advertising
As with most businesses, the bathroom fixture industry is a competitive one.
There are many companies competing for their piece of the pie.
As you can imagine, since toilets are not purchased all that often, these companies must fight pretty hard to grab a customer.
The cost to get a customer is quite high these days.
More and more people to compete against and increased costs of advertising certainly increase the price that the consumer will pay for a toilet.
When you see commercials for home products, or you get an advertisement in the mail about specific brands, these are all costs that get added to the price of the product.
These brands do not have any choice but to advertise.
The products they are manufacturing and selling need to be sold and leave their warehouse.
In order for this to happen, they have to let customers know why their product is the absolute best.
Consumers are constantly having to pay more and more for products because of advertising costs.
The difficult part for the consumers is that there is nothing they can do about this.
These prices seem to continue to go up, and products keep getting more and more expensive.
You will very likely find that the price of a toilet of five to seven years ago is quite a bit lower than something that is sold today.
7. Color Options
If you thought all toilets were white, think again.
This is yet another customization that consumers can choose when they are picking out a toilet.
These color options will, again, add more choices and make the market more flooded with product.
In addition, manufacturers will charge more for these toilets that are alternative colors.
Of course, the color options are optional, yet they are still going to be a reason toilets are so expensive.
8. Glazing
In order for toilets to last for a long time, they need to be glazed.
Glazing is a glass-like coating which will be placed on the ceramic inside the toilet.
When a toilet is glazed, it has much less friction and faster flushing power.
In addition to that, a glazed toilet is quite a bit easier to clean.
If you don’t want to deal with constant clogs and stains, you will need to choose a toilet that is glazed.
Of course, the issue with this is that the fully glazed toilets cost more money.
That is another problem you will run into over and over again with toilets.
To get the basic functionality that we all need from a toilet, you are going to have to purchase a model that is considered to be a higher quality model.
You can glaze your toilet at home after you purchase it, but this is a process that most people are not going to be equipped to go through.
It is also harder to get the same smooth factory finish when you attempt this project on your own.
It is certainly worth the extra money to purchase a fully glazed toilet, but it is going to come at a higher expense.
9. Brand Name
There are probably a few toilet brands that you already know about.
One of those brand names is Kohler.
When people hear the word Kohler, they automatically associate it with quality and durability.
This is the experience most people have had with Kohler.
They tend to produce great products and then continue to service them and follow up when an issue happens.
Of course, the Kohler brand is quite a bit more expensive than other brands.
When shopping for toilets, you will find that those brands which are considered to be of higher quality are going to charge more for their products.
These higher priced products are often quite a bit better than other choices on the market, but this is not always the case.
Some people will purchase a brand name that is lesser known but still get twenty great years out of the toilet.
Most of the time, it is impossible to tell that a product is going to be good based on the brand name alone.
However, the larger brands tend to have a bit of power in what they can charge people for their products.
10. Flush Features
Last but certainly not least is the technology that we have seen incorporated into toilets.
These household products are no longer used to simply flush waste from the home.
They have features that save water, they will work to help us clean, and they are about as technologically advanced as they have ever been.
You may have noticed that many of the new toilets have push-button flushing.
The button allows you to control the water flow, thus allowing you to conserve more water.
Of course, this button adds to the cost of the toilet and makes them more expensive.
There is also quite a bit of design work which goes into the manufacturing of toilets.
The features are only going to continue to get more advanced, and that in turn, will lead to more toilets with higher pricing.
Are Expensive Toilets Worth It?
As we mentioned, although the majority of toilets are offered at relatively high prices, there are some cheaper ones on the market as well.
Many consumers are afraid to purchase these cheaper toilets for fear that they will have issues in the near future.
This is certainly understandable, but it brings up the question if expensive toilets are worth it.
There are some good things that expensive toilets have which are worth considering when you are shopping.
If you find that none of these features matter to you, it is unnecessary to purchase an expensive toilet.
1. More Features
Some of the higher priced toilets are composting toilets which will work and flush even out in the middle of the woods in a cabin.
However, there are still some expensive toilets which have high-end features that will help to dispose of waste in your home.
One of the most popular features in a premium toilet bowl is the high-power flush system.
The flush will be energy efficient, yet it will still clear the toilet with ease.
Another very high-end feature in a toilet is the automatic flush.
With an automatic flush, you won’t even have to press a button after using the toilet.
The toilet will sense when it needs to be flushed and flush automatically.
In addition, these toilets also tend to have some features that will wash the toilet for you.
You may not be able to get away from toilet brushes and chemicals your entire life, but you will do quite a bit less cleaning with a high-end toilet.
Some of the high-end toilets come with a remote control for you to be able to control the washing that they do.
The remote can sometimes also control the lid of the toilet opening and closing.
Try to consider how often you will use the high-end features on the toilet before you make this type of a purchase.
2. Status
Some people just insist upon the brand name products in their home.
Purchasing an expensive toilet shows that you can afford one, and it will give your bathroom a richer look.
If this is something that matters to you, then the expensive toilet may be worth it.
However, most average citizens will use their toilets for themselves and their families.
They will look for something that is functional and affordable.
3. Efficiency
There is no question that older toilets waste quite a bit of water.
These toilets don’t have the same flushing power, and therefore, it can take two or three flushes to clear the bowl.
This becomes a problem because, with each flush, quite a bit of water is used and wasted.
With the newer and more expensive toilets, you will use less water but get a better flush.
If you are worried about water conservation and usage, then the higher priced toilets will be a good fit.
Conclusion
Hopefully, now you can see why toilets are so expensive, and a few ways to decide if these expensive models are for you.
Remember that all toilets serve the same basic functionality.
Whether you spend $100 or $5,000, waste will be removed from your home.
When you look at the expensive models, you get less water waste, less time spent cleaning, and overall better functionality.
However, the durability of the models is not always directly tied to the price you pay.
You can get a toilet for $100 which may last you 20 years or a toilet for $2,000 which may only last five.
Take your time and do some research to determine the need for an expensive toilet.
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