extra space with high-mounted cistern?

extra space with high-mounted cistern?

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sideways sid

Original Poster:

1,371 posts

216 months

Monday 12th September 2016
quotequote all
I have a 1920's flat with a tiny lavatory, less than 5' by less than 3' with a conventional toilet with cistern mounted behind it, beneath the only window in the room, (in one of the short walls - or longitudinally). Ceiling is quite high.

Would a high-mounted cistern (mounted above head-height on the adjacent (long) wall facilitate the bowl moving back towards the wall/window, thus freeing some floor space?

A passing plumber (actually engaged to do a different job) looked at it this morning and said that as the bowl would require a right-angled bend in the inlet pipe down from the cistern, the bowl would need to stay sufficiently far from the wall, that the space saving would be negligible (a couple of inches maximum, he suggested). He didn't seem experienced in this or familiar with high-cistern systems.

I have no knowledge on this at all, but imagine that moving the cistern away could free up the depth of the cistern - c.8-9" which would increase the usable floor area by about a quarter or a third. All measurements are guestimates at the moment.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Little Lofty

3,292 posts

152 months

Monday 12th September 2016
quotequote all
I don't think you will gain a lot of space if any. The flush pipe still enters the back of the pan and will probably take up as much room as a cistern, especially if it has a few bends to it. If I'm tight for space I usually use a RAK 600 series WC, as the name suggests it only projects 600mm.

Gingerbread Man

9,171 posts

214 months

Monday 12th September 2016
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A close coupled setup is probably slightly tighter than a low level.

A cistern isn't typically very deep, so where the flush pipe goes into it, is typically only 50mm or so from the wall.

You won't gain much with a high level cistern, on an adjacent wall, bar a bit of an ugly install.

You'll also be limited position wise based upon the soil pipe. Getting bends off the back of the pan, or into the soil pipework.

I'd just look for a low projection toilet to gain space that way.

sideways sid

Original Poster:

1,371 posts

216 months

Monday 12th September 2016
quotequote all
Thank you both. Plumber's view endorsed.

I'll change for something like the RAK 600 when the time comes, but won't bother with a high-cistern / low-level set-up immediately.