Banjaxed cistern

veetwin

Hi all, I have a non flushing downstairs toilet and have been told I need a new siphon kit and ball valve. I have been quoted a price of €495 plus vat to supply and fit same. Does this seem reasonable?

Is this a job an amateur could tackle? Thanks

Doolittle51

That's a crazy price for a job like that, complete rip off

Rows Grower

Parts will cost about 10-20 euro, plenty videos on YouTube on how to fit them.

Aglomerado

Daft money. I've replaced them on two toilets and I am an amateur. Very easy job. Cost less than €50 to do both.

Hooked

Very common - Usually it's just the bladder in the syphon that gives out. 15/20quid in any plumbing merchants or screwfix. Ballcock and arm usually ok (separate parts). It's a fairly straightforward job… provided you have the confidence and tools.

Biggest pain in the arse is turning off the water. You could be lucky - and there might be a stop valve/penny valve on the water feed to the cistern. But if the bolts holding the cistern to the toilet or to the wall are corroded - it can get difficult.

It's a job I have done myself as a DIY addict - but not one for a newbie IMO.

That being said - 500 plus vat is robbery IN MY OPINION. A competent plumber will be out of that job inside an hour, unless you're living on the moon. Ring around. Most I'd pay a pro for a job like that is 150-200. Surely someone you know 'knows someone' that'll do it cash in hand…

Hooked

FYI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0OmDbCZDTw

veetwin

thanks all for the informative replies. I kind of knew €500 plus vat was a real chancers quote. He refused to give a breakdown or a price for the parts.

I might drop into Davies and try myself. I have previously replaced a shower pump so not totally useless. Biggest issue as mentioned will be stopping the water as the stop valves in the hot press are useless. I had to empty the tank in the attic last time

stephenmarr

Shut off the mains,

Drain out the tank,

Replace vales in hot press.

Turn off valves,

Turn on mains,

Replace the syphon.

By the time you have the syphon replaced the tank should be almost full.

DublinDilbert

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122523452#Comment_122523452

Get some wine corks and put one in the outlet from the attic tank, save you draining it down. Leave the cold tap running in the bathroom and when you plug the correct one you'll hear the water stopping.

You should really change out the shut off valves for the feeds coming from the attic tank to make jobs like this easier in future. You can buy 3/4 isolation valves for about €10 each, had to change my own a while back.

stephenmarr

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122529553#Comment_122529553

Be very careful doing that, if the cork pops out your in a world of pain.

DublinDilbert

That's why I mentioned having a few different size corks, just get one that jams in nicely, water pressure should hold it in place. But yes always have a back-up plan to cap the supply if water was to start coming down. But i would replace the shut off valves in the hot press, makes future work very easy.

Tow

I did one a couple of years ago. Easy enough. My only advice is to get new rubber seal kit which goes between the two halves of the toilet. They only cost a few quid and better to have one on hand and not need it. Than being halfway through the job and not happy with the state of old one.

John.G

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058365234/banjaxed-cistern

If its like this one, just tie up the ballcock, remove the nut from underneath to remove the syphon, you can then remove the spoked "piston", cut a bit of plastic from a shopping bag and trap it between that spoked piston and the operating rod and replace it, when you pull the handle the bit of plastic will just pull some water up and over the syphon to flush the cistern, when you let it go the plastic will just fold back to allow the syphon to refill. OR buy a new one, bring the old one along.

This piece of plastic is called a diaphragm.