Vanity & Toilet Installs Done Leak-Free, First Time

Deft Plumbing installs vanities and toilets across the Denver Metro Area at upfront flat-rate prices, with no hidden fees and no money down. We verify drain rough-in, inspect the floor flange, set the wax ring once, and leave zero slow leaks behind. Licensed, bonded, and insured in Colorado, we bundle both fixtures into one visit so you pay a single mobilization. Most combo installs finish the same day.

Vanity & Toilet in One Visit — What's Included

Bundling a vanity and toilet replacement into one appointment isn't just convenient — it's genuinely cheaper and less disruptive than two separate visits. You pay for one mobilization, one water shutoff and drain verification, and one final leak check that covers both fixtures. Most plumbers won't talk about this because it reduces their billable trip count. We do it anyway because it's the right call for the homeowner. Here's what a combined install covers: drain rough-in location verification for the vanity; floor flange inspection, cleaning, and wax ring replacement for the toilet; new 1/4-turn angle stops on both hot and cold supply lines; P-trap slope set to the correct 1/4-inch-per-foot pitch; wax ring seating with the bowl landed once; tank-to-bowl leak dye test; supply line connections checked at both ends; and silicone bead at the vanity backsplash joint. That's not a generic list — that's the actual scope we complete on every combo job. Realistically, you're looking at a half-day for most bathroom combos. A bathroom that has both a vanity and a toilet in rough-in alignment with the new fixtures runs 3 to 4 hours start to finish. If the drain needs rerouting or the flange is damaged, we tell you before the work starts and adjust the flat rate accordingly. No surprises after the fact.

What Drives Vanity & Toilet Installation Cost

The honest answer is: it depends on scope, and anyone who gives you a single number without seeing your rough-in is guessing. The cost drivers are predictable, though, and understanding them helps you budget accurately before you call anyone. Like-for-like toilet swap (good flange, no tile change) is the lowest-cost scenario — the flange is intact, the floor height hasn't changed, and the new toilet footprint matches the old one. Labor is straightforward. A toilet with flange repair or replacement adds materials and time, since a cracked cast-iron flange or a recessed flange below finished tile requires breaking the seal, cutting out the old fitting, and setting a new one. A like-for-like vanity swap where drain and supply align is the fast version — new angle stops, new P-trap assembly, done. A vanity with a drain reroute is different: switching cabinet sizes almost always means the drain center shifts, and a shift past what an offset P-trap can handle means opening the wall to move the drain pipe. Double vanities mean two drain connections, two sets of supply lines, and doubled faucet work — more time, but still a single trip. Labor-only installs (you supply the fixture) get straight labor rate, no markup on the fixture. Deft Plumbing uses upfront flat-rate pricing — you get the number before any work starts. Call (720) 880-8064 or use the contact form to describe your scope and we'll give you a written estimate, not a range that inflates once we're in your bathroom.

Labor-Only Installs — We'll Install What You Bought

A significant portion of our vanity and toilet calls come from homeowners who already have the fixture sitting in their garage. They bought it at a big-box store, got it on sale, or ordered it online — and now they need a licensed plumber to put it in. That's a completely normal job for us. We don't care where you bought it. Before we arrive, confirm four things. First, rough-in depth on the vanity: measure from the finished wall behind the cabinet to the center of the drain pipe coming out of the wall — standard is 16 to 18 inches, and if your new cabinet's drain opening doesn't land near that center, we'll need to discuss options before the cabinet goes in. Second, rough-in distance on the toilet: measure from the finished wall behind the toilet to the center of the floor drain bolts — standard is 12 inches, though some older homes have 10-inch or 14-inch rough-ins, and a 12-inch toilet on a 10-inch rough-in won't sit flush against the wall. Third, shut-off valve access: is there a working angle stop under the sink or at the wall for the toilet supply? If the existing valves are seized or missing, that's additional work we need to plan for. Fourth, drain type: vessel sinks use a different drain assembly than undermount or drop-in — confirm your drain matches your sink style. Bring the installation manual if you have it. We'll review it on-site and flag anything unusual before we start. Labor-only rates are quoted the same way as full-supply jobs — flat rate, no surprises.

The Vanity Installation Process — First Call to Final Cleanup

Here's exactly what happens when you book a vanity install with Deft Plumbing — not a generic overview, but the actual sequence of events. Assessment first. Before we touch anything, we locate the drain rough-in center and both supply line stubs, measure the rough-in depth, and compare it to your new cabinet's drain opening. If there's a mismatch, we scope the correction before proceeding. Then water shutoff: we close the angle stops at the wall, and if they're seized or leak when tested, we address them now — not after the cabinet is in place and access is blocked. Demo next. The old cabinet comes out. We check the subfloor for water damage — a soft spot under an old cabinet is a common finding and worth knowing about before new cabinetry goes over it. We don't hide what we find. If the drain center doesn't align with the new cabinet's opening, we reroute the drain pipe inside the wall before the cabinet goes in. Far easier with the wall open than after the cabinet is installed. New angle stops go on every install: 1/4-turn ball-style on both hot and cold lines. Old compression stops come out, every time. We level the cabinet front-to-back and side-to-side and secure it to the wall studs — a vanity that's not anchored will shift over time and stress the drain connection. P-trap assembly goes in with slip-joint connections torqued properly, not hand-tightened and not overtightened. Supply lines connect to the angle stops and faucet with appropriate fittings. Finally, sealing and leak test. The backsplash joint gets a continuous silicone bead — that's the line that stops water from getting behind the cabinet and rotting the floor. We open the angle stops slowly, fill the basin, and watch every connection point for 5 minutes. P-trap slip joints, supply line connections, and the drain basket seal all get checked. We don't leave until the test is clean.

The Toilet Installation Process — Step by Step

The toilet is where callbacks happen most often — and almost every callback traces back to one of three things that were skipped during installation. Here's the actual sequence we run on every toilet swap. Remove the old toilet first: shut off the supply, flush to empty the tank, disconnect the supply line, and pull the closet bolts. The old wax ring comes off with the bowl — we bag it immediately. Then the flange inspection, which is the most important step and the most commonly overlooked. We check for cracks at the bolt slots, corrosion on cast-iron flanges, and the flange height relative to your finished floor. The top of the flange should sit flush to the floor surface or no more than 1/4 inch above it. If tile was added after the original toilet was set, the flange may now be recessed — and a recessed flange needs a flange extender or a double-thick wax ring, not a standard ring that won't fully bridge the gap. New closet bolts go in and get positioned before the wax ring is set. You only want to land the bowl once — repositioning after the wax ring is compressed compromises the seal. Standard wax ring for a flush flange, extra-thick ring or flange extender for a recessed flange. The ring centers on the flange horn, the bowl comes straight down, no rocking during seating. Closet nuts tighten evenly, alternating sides, until the bowl is solid but the porcelain base isn't stressed — overtightening cracks the base, and most warranties don't cover that. Tank installation next: tank bolts and rubber gasket seat properly against the bowl, tightening evenly to prevent the tank from sitting crooked. New braided stainless supply line from the shut-off to the fill valve — we don't reuse old supply lines on a new toilet, because the cost difference is minimal and the failure risk is not. Fill valve and flapper check: we adjust the fill valve to the correct water level, verify the flapper seals completely, and run multiple flush cycles. If there's any ghost-flushing or incomplete flush, we address it before we leave. Final inspection covers a hand-check at the supply line connection, a visual check at the base for wax ring seepage, and a level check on the bowl. A toilet that's even slightly out of level will rock under load and eventually break the wax seal — usually into the subfloor, not visibly. That's the worst outcome we work to prevent.

Denver Plumbing Permits — When You Need One

Most homeowners installing a vanity or toilet in Denver don't need a permit — and most plumbers won't tell you that because it makes the job sound simpler. Here's the actual breakdown. No permit is required for like-for-like fixture replacements that don't involve moving drain or supply lines. Swapping a toilet for a new toilet in the same location, or replacing a vanity where the drain and supply rough-in positions don't change — these are maintenance replacements, not alterations, and the Denver Building and Fire Code does not require a trade permit for them. A permit is likely required for any work that moves a drain line or adds new supply piping. If we're rerouting your vanity drain to accommodate a different cabinet size, or adding a shut-off valve where none existed, that work technically requires a plumbing permit in Denver. The Denver e-permit portal handles these online and isn't a lengthy process for small scopes. Why it matters at resale: Denver and most surrounding jurisdictions require disclosure of unpermitted work on a real estate transaction. If a future inspection reveals unpermitted plumbing alterations, you may be required to open walls for inspection or bring work up to current code at your expense — after the fact, at full price. A permit pulled now costs a fraction of what retroactive compliance costs later. Deft Plumbing is licensed in Colorado and pulls permits when required. If your scope triggers a permit requirement, we'll tell you before the work starts and factor it into the flat-rate quote. We don't skip permits on work that requires them — that protects you, not just us.

Choosing a Vanity Before We Install It — A Practical Guide

A lot of homeowners are searching for installation help before they've bought anything. If that's you, here's what to confirm before you purchase so the install goes smoothly. Rough-in depth matters first. Measure from the finished wall surface to the center of your drain pipe. Standard vanity cabinets assume a 16-to-18-inch rough-in depth, and shallower bathrooms sometimes have drain rough-ins at 14 inches or less — not every cabinet will work. Plumbing centerline alignment matters next: where is the drain pipe coming out of the wall, measured from the side wall? Your new cabinet's drain opening needs to land within a workable range of that center. If you're going from a 24-inch to a 36-inch cabinet, that center shifts — and if it shifts past what an offset P-trap can handle, you're looking at a drain reroute. For wall-hung vs. floor-mount: floating vanities look clean, but they require blocking inside the wall — typically a horizontal 2x6 or 2x8 at the right height for the mounting bracket. If your bathroom wall doesn't have blocking, we need to add it before the vanity goes up. Not a huge job, but it does require knowing in advance. Don't order a floating vanity and assume the wall is ready. Sink cutout and faucet holes are easy to get wrong. If the vanity top comes pre-drilled for a 3-hole faucet but you want a single-hole faucet, you'll either need a deck plate cover or a different top. Vessel sinks need zero holes in the top — the faucet mounts through the counter or the wall. Double-sink vanities have two drain assemblies and two sets of supply lines, and the drain connections typically share a common P-trap configuration — we verify this lines up with your wall drain before the cabinet is set. If you're not sure whether a specific fixture will work in your space, call us before you buy. It's a free conversation and it prevents a return trip to the home improvement store with a vanity that doesn't fit.

Signs It's Time to Replace Both Your Vanity and Toilet

Sometimes you come in planning to replace just the toilet and leave the vanity, or vice versa. That's fine — we're not here to upsell work you don't need. But there are situations where doing both at the same time is the genuinely smarter move. Water damage under the vanity cabinet is the clearest signal. A soft floor or swollen cabinet base almost always means a slow drain leak or a failed supply line connection. If the cabinet has been holding moisture, the subfloor may also be compromised. At that point you're replacing the cabinet anyway — might as well do it right with new rough-in work. Outdated rough-ins that limit fixture choices are the second case. Older homes sometimes have 10-inch toilet rough-ins and drain locations that don't match any modern vanity cabinet without an offset P-trap. If you're remodeling and want design flexibility, updating the rough-in while walls are open makes every future fixture choice easier. Fixture age and efficiency are worth weighing. Toilets manufactured before 1994 use 3.5 to 7 gallons per flush. Current WaterSense-certified models use 1.28 gallons per flush. If your toilet is original to a house built before the mid-1990s, the water savings on a replacement often justify the cost within a few years. Old vanity supply lines — braided stainless has a rated life of about 10 years — are a legitimate failure risk if they've never been changed. Finally, bathroom remodel scope creep: if you're already having tile work done, or you're replacing the light fixture and mirror anyway, adding a vanity and toilet to the scope while the room is disrupted costs less in total labor than separate visits. Sequence the work right — tile first, then fixtures — and one mobilization covers everything.

Need Vanity/Toilet Installs?

Contact Deft Plumbing for a free, upfront quote. No surprises, no hidden fees. We're licensed, bonded, and insured for your protection.

Call (720) 880-8064 or request a free estimate online.

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Service Areas

We provide vanity/toilet installs services across the Denver metro area, including Aurora, Lakewood, Arvada, Westminster, Thornton, Broomfield, and more.

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