Best replacement toilet seat / how about bidet toilet seat?

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#2574479 25-Sep-2020 20:18

robjg63: Buying a replacement toilet seat is a real pain.
I stood in the aisle at bunnings and lost the will to live. No idea really how you select the right one - lots of different measurements to consider. Would be easier to take the old seat in to compare, but that's hardly hygienic.
After buying a cheap generic seat for our coroma toilet which didnt fit well, I managed to find the caroma part number and got them from plumbing world from memory. Was a bit over $100 which is pretty pricey. That was a couple of years back too.

Yes, take the old seat in with you. Some just pull straight off.

timmmay

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#2574483 25-Sep-2020 20:37

mattwnz:

Toilet seat pricing from some NZ suppliers are so high, I ..... I understand bunnings sell cheaper third party ones.

Yeah, but everything from Bunnings is a bit rubbish. You can pay $30 to $150, or $300 for OEM. Given they last ten odd years I'll buy OEM unless someone can say "hey I got this third party one that's great".

I might avoid the bidet seats, can't be bothered with the hassle of valves and compliance.

silo

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#2574490 25-Sep-2020 21:00

I investigated this, and, apart from the nightmare that is different toilet sizes, hit the big, expensive issue. Namely, this is classed as a major water hazard system (think back flow), so has to have the expensive back flow protection (at least according to my plumber and a boring read of the guidelines). Now, I know a lot of people just install one themselves, but...

Loismustdye

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#2574614 26-Sep-2020 10:45

I’ve found that When replacing the seat The biggest issue is getting a seat that doesn’t immediately come loose. Tried a couple of different fixing methods and none have held the seat tight to the pan and stopped it wobbling or moving around. We still have 2 wobbly toilet seats as a result.

jamesrt

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#2574715 26-Sep-2020 17:22

timmmay: Do you recall what was required? If it's $500 for a seat, that's fine, but if there's a plumber required and plumbing changes that's out the window (which is I guess is also the backup plan if the toilets fail).

I don't know, sorry.

Like a lot of things, however, there is a helpful thread on here... Geekzone's great!

OwenWatson

93 posts

Master Geek

#2574722 26-Sep-2020 17:55

The official word, AFAIK, is that bidets require high hazard backflow prevention, no idea of price. We've been quoted $500-700 from our plumber for installation. If you do the install yourself and there's a leak any insurance may not cover you (and it's probably illegal).

Do the research on size: most bidet information includes a sizing guide, as toilets are not standard.

We'll probably go with the Englefield bidet, at around $900.

timmmay

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#2574733 26-Sep-2020 18:15

I might've pushed it for an $1000 seat, but with $750 worth of plumbing I don't think I'll bother. I'll probably just buy another of the seats that came with the toilet. Interesting conversation though :)

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jonathan18

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#2659669 19-Feb-2021 13:36

I was close to pushing 'buy' on one of these bidet seats, but prior to doing so came back to read this thread, which led to me reading the earlier thread that deals more specifically with the backflow issue. And, TBH, that's been enough to scare me off buying one until I'm sure of the overall cost. (We'd rather do it fully legit rather than take the risk of doing it illegally.)

To check my understanding:

For most bidet seats sold in NZ I'd need to also have to get a plumber install a backflow management thing such as shown here to ensure it met AS/NZS 3500.1?
Are such devices always as substantial and ugly as this one?! (This alone would make it unfeasible.)
And does installation of such a device also require council consent of some kind?

And, to avoid this, I understand I'd need to select a seat that had backflow prevention built in.

Is this correct?
And can I install such a seat myself, or does this also need a plumber?
The only one I'm aware of that has it built in is the brand linked to in that earlier thread - https://www.cleanlet.co.nz/. Is anyone aware of any other brand of seat that also has the backflow prevention built in?

(I rang Cleanlet to find out basic information not included on their site - like the cost and where they can be purchased from. Bizarrely they won't give any of this information out over the phone, requiring any such query it to be put in an email. Interesting business practices...!)

If the above is correct, it's somewhat worrying that so few sites selling bidet seats provide any information on this; a classic is www.thebidetshop.co.nz, which sells a wide range of them but even the page on installation doesn't mention it. (It's a dire site - really old-fashioned, with numerous hints it's an NZified version of an AU site.) Englefield's site is one of the rare exceptions.

Thanks in advance.

OmniouS

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#2659783 19-Feb-2021 13:59

A friend of mine bought one of these for their new build:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MElr6xza1cU

It's seriously impressive but very expensive.

fearandloathing

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#2659877 19-Feb-2021 15:28

I'm currently looking at https://www.cleanlet.co.nz/

I received this from them today.

Prices from Wynn Trading Ltd

Cleanlet 300 $1,086
Cleanlet 300R $1,225
top fixing kit $23 ONLY for the top fixing toilet pans, no access to bolts and nuts that hold the current toilet seat from under/side of toilet bowl.
freight toWellington $15 extra$8 for RD

Prices are same for the standard size seat and the elongated size seat
All prices include GST

Compliance of Cleanlet bidets

Cleanlet complies with Building Code without any additional valve.

Current plumbing regulations allow anyone to sell bidets that do not comply with Building Code. But, the installed bidet has to comply with Building Code.

All non compliant bidets have to be installed with a Reduced Pressure Zone (RPZ) type valve to comply with Building Code. This valve is expensive, around $500 - $1,000 depending on the brand and it is bulky. No bidets are sold with this valve in NZ. It is a hidden cost to consumers. Some supplier of non compliant bidets mentions that their bidets come with check valve. This valve is not approved for use for the electronic bidet in NZ as a backflow prevention device.

jonathan18

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#2659881 19-Feb-2021 15:34

Thanks! I got the same info after making my earlier post. I wonder their rationale for being so secretive about the price, but it’s good to have this publicly available now.

So, yeah, they state a plumber is still required to install, which is a shame as it adds even more to the cost. We’d probably need to get an electrician in to fit a new power point as well, so I’m imagining it’ll be around $2k all up.

Interested to hear if there are any other options out there...

fearandloathing

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#2659884 19-Feb-2021 15:39

jonathan18:

Thanks! I got the same info after making my earlier post. I wonder their rationale for being so secretive about the price, but it’s good to have this publicly available now.

So, yeah, they state a plumber is still required to install, which is a shame as it adds even more to the cost. We’d probably need to get an electrician in to fit a new power point as well, so I’m imagining it’ll be around $2k all up.

Interested to hear if there are any other options out there...

I don't see anywhere that states a plumber is required for install.

jonathan18

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#2659887 19-Feb-2021 15:50

Ok, that must be an extra line added to my email in response to a specific question.

Under the current plumbing regulations, all bidets have to be installed by a registered plumber.

Would be interested in hearing from others as to whether this is indeed the case...

colinbowern

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#3064348 16-Apr-2023 17:16

I've been doing feature comparison of Englefield, Coway, American Standard, and Cleanlet models.

I'm tossing up between the Englefield Bidet Seat and the Coway BA13.

The twin stainless steel nozzles and wide spray of the Coway BA13 is appealing, but not sure if it's worth the premium. The Englefield models looks to be a straight spray line.

Last time I was at Costco they has the Englefield Bidet Seat for ~$590 (the non-Plus version). There is a recent Reddit thread of someone purchasing it, sounds like they went with the in-the-box low-medium hazard backflow preventer.

Plumber wants ~$700 to put in a water tap (my cistern is currently tapped right in through the back), install a backflow prevention device, and install the unit. Electrical outlet is already run (was ~$600).

Have you gone through with an install? If so:

What model did you get?
What backflow preventer did you get?
Any notes on things you'd do / not do next time?

OwenWatson

93 posts

Master Geek

#3064351 16-Apr-2023 17:54

We got the Cleanlet over a year ago. Very satisfied but the drier is pretty ineffectual; we use a hair drier instead. Cleanlet about $1200, plumber $650, sparky? Don't get one with armrest controls; apparently someone always leans on it and it breaks. The Cleanlet claims to have a legal backflow valve; not sure if any others on the market offer this.

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