The new toilet didn’t seem to fit. Returning it to Gamma had basically already been decided. Until the professional went back to his van one more time and two centimetres made all the difference.
A new toilet. How hard could it be?
The plan wasn’t complicated.
Install a new toilet.
Old one out.
New one in.
Done.
Except a house doesn’t always cooperate quite as neatly as the plan you had in mind.
When the professional arrived, there were still remnants of an earlier failed installation. As a result, the new toilet didn’t line up the way it was supposed to.
So the fitting began.
Measure.
Move it.
Measure again.
Shift the toilet back and forth.
Unfortunately, that didn’t make the room any bigger.
Or the cistern any smaller.
Install a new toilet.
Old one out.
New one in.
Done.
Except a house doesn’t always cooperate quite as neatly as the plan you had in mind.
When the professional arrived, there were still remnants of an earlier failed installation. As a result, the new toilet didn’t line up the way it was supposed to.
So the fitting began.
Measure.
Move it.
Measure again.
Shift the toilet back and forth.
Unfortunately, that didn’t make the room any bigger.
Or the cistern any smaller.
The conclusion seemed obvious: this isn’t going to fit
At some point, you can keep measuring.
But two plus two usually remains four.
The new toilet simply didn’t seem to fit the existing setup.
The customer had more or less given up.
The professional had too.
Gamma had even been called to discuss returning the toilet.
That was that.
Toilet back.
Find another solution.
And, most importantly: the job still wasn’t finished.
But two plus two usually remains four.
The new toilet simply didn’t seem to fit the existing setup.
The customer had more or less given up.
The professional had too.
Gamma had even been called to discuss returning the toilet.
That was that.
Toilet back.
Find another solution.
And, most importantly: the job still wasn’t finished.
One more trip to the van
But apparently the professional wasn’t quite ready to accept that conclusion.
He got up and went back to his van one more time.
Among his materials, he found a connector sleeve.
Maybe it could make just enough difference.
So back inside.
Another look.
Another measurement.
Another attempt at moving the toilet into place.
And then something changed.
Not much.
Exactly two centimetres.
He got up and went back to his van one more time.
Among his materials, he found a connector sleeve.
Maybe it could make just enough difference.
So back inside.
Another look.
Another measurement.
Another attempt at moving the toilet into place.
And then something changed.
Not much.
Exactly two centimetres.
“I’ve gained two centimetres!”
Under normal circumstances, two centimetres isn’t exactly a reason to celebrate.
Until you happen to be exactly two centimetres short.
With the different connector sleeve, the professional managed to connect the toilet slightly differently.
The cistern fitted after all.
The toilet could stay.
The return trip to Gamma was cancelled.
And suddenly both the customer and the professional were surprisingly happy about two extra centimetres of space.
It sounds like a small solution.
And it was.
But sometimes that is exactly what craftsmanship is about.
Not deciding too quickly that something can’t be done.
Taking one more look.
Trying one more solution.
And then discovering that the job everyone had almost given up on can still be finished after all.
There. Sorted.
Until you happen to be exactly two centimetres short.
With the different connector sleeve, the professional managed to connect the toilet slightly differently.
The cistern fitted after all.
The toilet could stay.
The return trip to Gamma was cancelled.
And suddenly both the customer and the professional were surprisingly happy about two extra centimetres of space.
It sounds like a small solution.
And it was.
But sometimes that is exactly what craftsmanship is about.
Not deciding too quickly that something can’t be done.
Taking one more look.
Trying one more solution.
And then discovering that the job everyone had almost given up on can still be finished after all.
There. Sorted.
The review behind this story
This story is based on a review from a Zoofy customer.
★★★★★ 5 stars
“José Castaneda had to deal with the remains of a previous failed installation, which I won’t go into any further here, and if all is well José has already reported on this too.
Without going into too much detail, José showed real perseverance in searching for and finding a way to install the toilet after all. We had both already given up hope and had called Gamma again to arrange returning the toilet, when he suddenly got up and went back to his van.
There he found a connector sleeve and started looking, measuring and moving the toilet around again. Excitedly, he said he had gained 2 cm and could now fit the cistern. He and I were both delighted that the job was finally done! Despite the setbacks, José kept looking for solutions.
I can wholeheartedly recommend him because of his attitude!”
Jan Stoter
“José Castaneda had to deal with the remains of a previous failed installation, which I won’t go into any further here, and if all is well José has already reported on this too.
Without going into too much detail, José showed real perseverance in searching for and finding a way to install the toilet after all. We had both already given up hope and had called Gamma again to arrange returning the toilet, when he suddenly got up and went back to his van.
There he found a connector sleeve and started looking, measuring and moving the toilet around again. Excitedly, he said he had gained 2 cm and could now fit the cistern. He and I were both delighted that the job was finally done! Despite the setbacks, José kept looking for solutions.
I can wholeheartedly recommend him because of his attitude!”
Jan Stoter
About the professional
This job was carried out through Zoofy by Diego. In the review, the customer calls him José.
In the end, this job wasn’t about a complicated renovation, but about something that matters just as much in many jobs: continuing to look for a solution when the standard approach doesn’t work.
The toilet didn’t seem to fit.
The return to Gamma had already been discussed.
Still, he decided to take one more look.
A different connector sleeve and two extra centimetres later, the toilet was installed after all.
Measure one more time. One more trip to the van. Job done.
Diego is currently no longer active via Zoofy.
In the end, this job wasn’t about a complicated renovation, but about something that matters just as much in many jobs: continuing to look for a solution when the standard approach doesn’t work.
The toilet didn’t seem to fit.
The return to Gamma had already been discussed.
Still, he decided to take one more look.
A different connector sleeve and two extra centimetres later, the toilet was installed after all.
Measure one more time. One more trip to the van. Job done.
Diego is currently no longer active via Zoofy.
Want to have a toilet installed?
Replacing a toilet sounds straightforward.
Until you remove the old one and discover that the waste pipe is positioned slightly differently. Or that the new cistern needs more room. Or that a connection that should fit on paper doesn’t quite work in practice.
You can, of course, keep measuring and trying to make it fit yourself.
That’s an option.
The toilet isn’t in a hurry.
But if you mainly want it installed properly, you can also leave the job to a plumber.
With Zoofy, you choose the job and tell us when it suits you. We’ll find a suitable professional for the job.
Have your toilet installed →
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See the cost of having a toilet installed →
Until you remove the old one and discover that the waste pipe is positioned slightly differently. Or that the new cistern needs more room. Or that a connection that should fit on paper doesn’t quite work in practice.
You can, of course, keep measuring and trying to make it fit yourself.
That’s an option.
The toilet isn’t in a hurry.
But if you mainly want it installed properly, you can also leave the job to a plumber.
With Zoofy, you choose the job and tell us when it suits you. We’ll find a suitable professional for the job.
Have your toilet installed →
Want to know roughly what it will cost first?
See the cost of having a toilet installed →
Schedule a professional right away?
Quickly find a reliable professional in your area.
Book your job →
My name is Wilm, a construction and home improvement expert at Zoofy, with many years of experience in the construction and renovation sector. Over the years, I have supervised countless projects, ranging from small maintenance jobs to full-scale renovations. This hands-on experience has taught me how essential transparency in pricing and quality is for every project.
At Zoofy, I share my knowledge about construction costs, pricing, and smartly comparing jobs. Whether it’s the cost of a painter, a plumber’s hourly rate, or the price of a complete bathroom renovation, I help you understand what a fair price is and what to look out for.
My goal is to make home improvement projects more transparent, so everyone knows where their money goes. By combining up-to-date pricing information with real-world experience, I make it easier to find the right professional—without any surprises afterward.