How complicated can a toilet cistern be?

[SamTortoise]

My toilet cistern isn't working..... very well, i have to flush about eight times and then it doesn't provide a powerful flush.

The toilet is ceramic, the toilets cistern is bolted to the wall.

We had somebody look at it recently and they seemed to make it work, for a while, but now we need it fixing.

I have seen a replacement cistern at a local DIY shop & it looks like it'd be just the job, all the bits look similar, surely I'd just have to un-screw/bolt the existing unit and fit in the new unit?

How difficult can it be to replace my toilet cistern? is there anything I should know before attempting such a task?

 

[kevplumb]

try one of these

 

[Agile]

If its a simple one like that above then you dont have much of a problem if you can get the fixing screws undone.

Some are VERY complicated and I once made a mistake of agreeing to assemble and fix one for an old couple.

I estimated one hour but it was so tricky and the instructions were in German and apparently designed to meet an MFI standard and it ended up taking closer to two hours.

Then the problem started! The wife was not at all happy with the new 6 litre flush and started an argument in Yiddish with her husband. All the time I just wanted to be paid and go home. They seemed to think that because the wife did not like the flush that I did not need to be paid!

Eventually after I had been there three hours the husband agreed to pay me the £65 originally agreed. He was going to be calling the suppliers the next morning!

Tony

 

[timbalcombe]

They can be tricky, plan ahead.
Took me (a novice) 4 hours, as I couldn't get the water inlet pipe out for love nor money, ended up sawing it and having to fit a flexi pipe.
It depends on the type of toilet.
Check your access, is it copper, plastic fittings, what tools do you require etc.
Fluidmaster is good, but the flappers will fail.
The torbeck dual flush seem to leak a little, and make sure the outlet of the flush pipe will fit through the bottom of the cistern! Yes they're not universal!
Good luck.

 

[RigidRaider]

One piece of advice: start early on a weekday or a Saturday, that way at least the plumber's merchant will still be open when you break something or have to destroy something!

And if you do need to go to the shop, don't go to B&Q or S0d-it-All, you'll get lousy advice and you'll pay too much. Find a proper scruffy plumber's merchant.

Oh, and go looking scruffy.....

 

[adwt2004]

One piece of advice: start early on a weekday or a Saturday, that way at least the plumber's merchant will still be open when you break something or have to destroy something!

And if you do need to go to the shop, don't go to B&Q or S0d-it-All, you'll get lousy advice and you'll pay too much. Find a proper scruffy plumber's merchant.

Oh, and go looking scruffy.....

I second that, made that mistake before, was in bad books with my missus!

 

[timbalcombe]

yep been there my friend!

 

[Alfredo]

I bought an ideal standard dual flush with a two piece central button on top and a gerberit siphon. Its rubbish..the seal in the gerberit siphon fails regularly and instead of saving water it wastes gallons, Its done it again and I have to turn it off at the isolator. Three seals in three years

Alfredo

 

[SamTortoise]

thanks for the replies