How do you choose the right toilet for your bathroom?

We use the toilet six to eight times a day, yet we rarely replace it. When it comes to renovating, questions quickly arise: wall-hung or floor-mounted? Should you go for a bidet toilet? What should you do if the drain isn’t where you’d like it to be? This guide sets out the criteria in the order our advisers go through them at the EXPOcenter, starting with the most practical: the tape measure.

Where to start: space and drainage

Before we talk about design, we need two pieces of information: the dimensions of the room and the exact location of the drain. These factors automatically rule out certain models. A large proportion of disappointments stem from choosing a toilet based on a photo, only to find it impossible to connect without causing more damage than anticipated.

Information to note before your visit

Take these measurements at home and bring them with you – even if they’re just jotted down on a piece of paper. With them, an adviser can tell you in five minutes which styles will suit you and which won’t.

The example of the ground-floor toilet, under the stairs, comes up very often. The ceiling height is lower at the far end of the room: this is yet another argument in favour of a wall-hung toilet, as the concealed cistern does not protrude as high as a surface-mounted one. A compact toilet bowl measuring 48 or 49 cm also makes a difference when the door opens inwards.

Floor or wall outlet?

A floor-mounted toilet is connected either via the floor (vertical outlet) or via the wall (horizontal outlet). In Belgium, you will often come across Dutch abbreviations used in technical data sheets and by plumbers, including in Wallonia: AO (afvoer onder) for the floor outlet, and PK for the horizontal wall outlet. When renovating, the rule is simple: keep the existing outlet type, unless you’re re-laying the screed or rebuilding the wall. Some models with a universal outlet, such as the Duravit D-code Vario floor-mounted toilet, are compatible with both, which comes in handy when you don’t know exactly what’s hidden beneath the old bowl.

With a wall-hung toilet, the situation is different. The toilet frame connects to a 90 or 110 mm drainpipe, and it is the plumber who makes the connection. The drainpipe simply needs to be in place where the frame will be installed, or it must be possible to run it there with a sufficient gradient.

Wall-hung toilet or floor-mounted toilet: which one should you choose?

That’s the first question we’re asked, and the answer depends less on personal taste than on the nature of the renovation. If you’re refurbishing the entire bathroom, with exposed walls and floor, a wall-hung toilet is the logical choice. If you’re simply replacing the toilet bowl in a tiled room that you want to keep, a floor-mounted toilet means you can avoid any building work.

The wall-hung toilet: a staple of full-scale renovations

The principle: a metal support frame, fixed to the wall and floor, supports the toilet bowl and conceals the cistern. It is then clad with water-repellent panels, followed by tiles or panelling. At Facq, you’ll find frames from Geberit (the Duofix range is very common on Belgian building sites), Grohe Rapid SLX and Villeroy & Boch ViConnect, as well as those from the Vigour range.

A practical point that product leaflets rarely mention: the control plate must be from the same brand as the cistern. A Geberit Sigma flush plate fits a Geberit cistern, whilst a Grohe Skate Cosmopolitan S flush plate fits a Rapid SLX. As this is the only visible part of the installation, it’s worth choosing it carefully: gloss white, matt black, brushed stainless steel or a finish to match the taps. Prices range from €102.70 incl. VAT (Grohe Skate Cosmopolitan S) to €785.16 incl. VAT (Geberit Sigma 50), including the glossy white Geberit Sigma 20 at €136.40 incl. VAT.

The toilet bowl, on the other hand, is almost always fitted with a standard centre-to-centre distance of 180 mm, which offers a wide choice. As for wall-hung toilets, the range extends from the Derby by Vigour at €204.11 (including VAT) to the Duravit Vitrium, starting at €1,827.10 (including VAT). In between, there’s the Geberit Caluna turboflush (€665.83), the Duravit D-neo Rimless Durafix (from €678.81) or the Villeroy & Boch Subway 2.0 DirectFlush (from €1,090.21) cover most projects.

The downside of a suspended unit: once the casing has been tiled, there’s no going back. The height, position and any electrical sockets must be decided before the finishing work begins.

The floor-mounted toilet still has a lot going for it

It is often underestimated, and wrongly so. It is quick to install, easy to dismantle and suits tighter budgets or rooms where you don’t want to make any openings. ‘Back-to-wall’ models offer an attractive compromise: the bowl sits on the floor but is flush against the wall, with the cistern concealed behind a casing. The Villeroy & Boch O.novo Back To Wall (€588.06 incl. VAT) is a good example of this, whilst the Avento DirectFlush Back To Wall (€1,208.79) is a more upmarket version. For a traditional floor-mounted toilet with a cistern, take a look at the Duravit No.1 (from €794.97) or the D-neo Rimless (€958.32). The full range can be found on the floor-mounted toilets page.

The bidet toilet: try before you buy

The bidet toilet, also known as a shower toilet or Japanese-style toilet, cleans you with warm water after you’ve used the toilet. Depending on the model, features may include a warm-air dryer, a heated seat, an odour extraction system or a remote control. To be honest, this is the product where the gap between people’s preconceptions and its actual use is the widest. Some customers arrive sceptical and leave convinced, whilst others realise they have no need for one. Both reactions are valid, but they’re best assessed in person rather than on a screen.

As regards installation, there are two things to plan for from the outset: a water supply, which is connected to the building structure, and a 230 V power supply next to the toilet bowl, installed by an electrician in accordance with RGIE regulations. If you’re not buying a bidet toilet straight away but the idea is on your mind, do still have the cable run behind the plasterboard. It costs a few tens of euros whilst the building work is on, and much more once the tiling has been laid. Finally, if you live in Brussels or Flemish Brabant, where the water hardness often exceeds 25 °fH, ask how the model is descaled: the nozzles don’t cope well with limescale.

The waste disposal unit: when the drain is too far away

A toilet in a converted loft, in the cellar or in an extension with no nearby sewer connection: this is where the macerator comes in. It macerates and pumps the waste water through a small-diameter pipe to an existing drain, sometimes several metres away.

Our advice remains a cautious one: the macerator is useful, but it uses electricity, makes a bit of noise and only accepts toilet paper. Save it for situations where conventional gravity drainage is truly impossible.