gosh aside from my high tank toilet...they're petty much flush (tank position) to the wall.

is it really code??? because i've never seen one out that far...sounds like a rough in error to me...

Looks like an error to me to, and I've already called the contractor and told him I want it moved. I was hoping you might chime in here igloo as I think we are both particular about what we want (no offense intended). I just hope this won't damage my floor tile. Sigh - it was all looking so nice.

Now if only I could find my California code check book I could look this up but I think the contractor has walked off with it.

I'm in California, too. I know that there is a code rule that you need to be a certain distance off of each side wall (I think 15") and a certain distance in front (I think 24", not sure), but I don't believe that there is any rule about behind. Was he mistakenly leaving room for tile behind it? Some toilets (like Toto) have a piece that adjusts for the drain to be 10" vs. 12" from back wall. I agree that it wouldn't look good to have a big space behind, and I would insist that he fix it.

15" from either side minimum, and 12" from the wall in back of the commode. That's all from the center of the toilet flange.

tartanhabit-- what you might do is measure from the back wall to the bolts holding the toilet down. That SHOULD be about right.

thanks all.

Bill I took the measurement from back wall to center of bolts and that comes out to be just about 13.25". I think even moving it back that extra inch or so would make a better visual impression as the toilet is viewed side on when you enter the room.

I hope this is fixable without tile damage and the contractor is coming tomorrow to discuss.

they can always redo the tile (voice of experience here)...it sucks, but better right now than a pain later!

and yes i am picky lol if it takes three trys...its going to come out right darn it! i'm seriously debating redoing my tub deck because i didn't properly explain it to my wonderful tile guy right (my bad).

To move that flange at all would be a major cost. I'm assuming that toilet flange was already set before you did the renovation? Did the plumber know the model toilet you were going to use? Somewhere along the line, there was either a breakdown in communication, or bad assumption. One of the two.

The toilet has sat in its box unopened right outside the bathroom for weeks. At no point did my contractor say, 'let's take this out of the box because it will make a difference'. And I guess I did not know the implications of this either. Grr. The worst of this is that the toilet position has already been moved as part of this remodel - just a few inches but it just had to be moved.

Would it make a difference if I bought a different model toilet?

i might be wrong (because i know squat about toilets) but it seems to me that in the specs for my toto toilets it said you could buy a thingie to adjust placement from a 15" to a 12" ummm connection thingie (flange?)

we had to move our flange thingie in the powderroom because the plumber said...they're all standard, which of course mine wasn't (he had the specs). but i was lucky because the floor was still ripped up. if it makes you feel better...the gc instaled it wrong (wrong height) and has now pretty much ruined it because he cut up all the pipes. another grand down he toilet as they say...

I know zip about toilets too but I've been reading about offset flanges and wondering if that's what the contractor might come up with. This work is done under permit though and I don't think they are up to code in CA.

Yes, different toilets are meant to sit different distances from the wall. What toilet do you have? I have now looked it up, and the Toto Carlyle (what I have) comes with a "12" Unifit Rough-In" which means that it is meant to mount 12" from the back wall (meaning the center of the waste drain which is the same as the center of the bolts is 12" from the back wall). But, you can get an adapter for 10" or 14" rough-ins. Maybe something like that exists for your toilet.

If the toilet's been on site for weeks, I'd get the plumber back immediately and ask him why he set the flange so far away from the wall, and have him redo it correctly.

The meeting with the contractor went ok and he's coming back tomorrow to move the toilet. I didn't get into the how did this happen (although I'd love to know!) just simply stated that it would look much better if this was exactly at the 12" point, that this is still code and that we wanted it done before the inspection. Nobody brought up the word 'mistake' and we are getting it fixed tomorrow.