Is my toilet round or elongated?
Measure from the centre of the two seat bolts to the front edge of the bowl. TOTO's sizing: a round bowl measures about 16.5 inches, an elongated one about 18.5 inches. Bidet seats are sold in one shape or the other, and the wrong one overhangs or falls short. Also check that the seat bolts are reachable from below; Brondell notes that toilets with top-access bolts may need a different mounting kit.
Electric or non-electric — which should I choose?
A non-electric seat runs on water pressure alone. An electric seat adds features such as warm water and a heated seat, and needs a plug: TOTO says electrical code requires a ground-fault (GFCI) 120-volt outlet for bathroom appliances, within reach of its three-foot cord, and Brondell's instructions say to use only a grounded GFCI outlet. If there is no outlet beside the toilet, adding one is licensed electrical work, not an extension-cord job.
| Non-electric seat | Electric seat | |
|---|---|---|
| Outlet needed | No | Yes — a grounded GFCI outlet within reach of the cord |
| Water connection | T-valve on the toilet's cold supply | T-valve on the toilet's cold supply |
| Warm water and heated seat | No heater — water arrives at supply temperature | Yes, on most models |
| Bowl fit | Round (about 16.5 in.) or elongated (about 18.5 in.) — must match | Round or elongated — must match |
| Who fits it | Seat swap is homeowner-level; the supply connection is plumbing | Same, plus a licensed electrician if there is no GFCI outlet |
How does the water connect?
Through a T-valve at the bottom of the toilet tank. Brondell's installation sequence is typical: turn off the toilet's shutoff valve, flush and hold the handle to empty the tank, disconnect the supply line from the tank, fit the T-valve to the tank's fill valve, reconnect the supply line to the bottom of the T, and run the bidet hose from its side. It connects only to the cold supply.
Two things turn that into a job for a licensed plumbing partner: a rigid supply pipe instead of a flexible hose (Brondell says it may need replacing first), and a shutoff valve that will not close or drips when turned. Some modern toilets also hide the fill-valve connection behind a skirt, which Brondell says needs a different T-valve.
Should I pair it with a comfort-height toilet?
If the toilet is old, low or due for replacement anyway, it is the time to do both. A comfort-height bowl sits two to four inches higher than a standard one, which is the part that helps with sitting and standing; the comfort-height guide covers heights and grab bars. A comfort-height toilet upgrade installed is $300–$550, and a full replacement where the flange or supply valve also needs work is $250–$500. Choose the new toilet's bowl shape with the bidet seat in mind, and have the outlet question settled before the day it goes in.
When to stop and call a licensed plumber
- The toilet's supply is a rigid pipe, or the shutoff valve will not close or drips when turned.
- There is no outlet near the toilet and you want an electric seat — that is an electrician first.
- The T-valve connection leaks after installation and tightening the washer does not stop it.
- The toilet rocks, runs, or is due for replacement — do the toilet and the seat together.
Rosco Plumbing's service call in Manatee County is $75–$150, credited toward the job; a new comfort-height toilet installed by a licensed plumbing partner is $300–$550.
Call (941) 345-2464 or ask what the visit costs. Residential service in Manatee County; ranges are planning figures, not quotes.
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Describe what you are seeing and Ross will call or text back with what it sounds like and what the visit costs — no obligation.
What changes in Manatee County
In Manatee County's 55+ communities the question is usually the outlet: many bathrooms have the outlet at the vanity, not beside the toilet, so a non-electric seat is the no-work option and an electric one means an electrician first. In older Bradenton and Palmetto homes the toilet shutoff valve is the thing to test before buying anything — a corroded valve that will not close turns a twenty-minute seat swap into a plumbing visit. In a condo or villa, interior fixture work rarely needs the association's approval, but check whether the building requires contractors on file.