Plumbing for your home: how to buy at a good price without visiting every shop
Collect a set, not single items
Plumbing is rarely bought one item at a time. A tap needs connecting hoses and fixings, a toilet needs a cistern or a concealed frame, and a washbasin needs a trap. So start with a list for the whole room: what exactly you are changing, what you are keeping and which connections already exist. That way sellers can price the full set, and you won't be buying small parts on the fly.
What to look at in taps and washbasins
- Type of tap — for a washbasin, kitchen, bath or shower; wall-mounted or deck-mounted; single-lever or two-handle.
- Body material — brass is better than zinc alloy; ask about the cartridge and the warranty.
- Finish and colour — chrome, matt black, gold; unusual colours cost more and make parts harder to replace.
- Washbasin — wall-hung, countertop, built-in, its size and whether there is a hole for the tap.
Toilet, concealed frame, the rest
A wall-hung toilet needs a concealed frame (a frame with a cistern and flush plate). A floor-standing one needs the right outlet: horizontal, vertical or angled. Rimless models are easier to clean. Ask separately about the seat, soft-close hinges, the cistern lid and spare parts. For a bath and shower you add traps, shower heads, rails and shower columns. With hard water in many cities, ask which finish resists limescale.
What to put in your request
- What you need — tap, toilet, concealed frame, washbasin, bathtub, shower cabin, pipes, trap.
- Specifications — size, type of fixing, material, pipe diameter.
- Model or brand — if you have a preference.
- Quantity — how many sets.
- Colour — chrome, matt black.
- Condition — new or acceptable used.
- Fitting — with installation or without.
- City, delivery and budget.
Example: “I need a bathroom set: a wall-hung rimless toilet with a concealed frame and flush plate, a matt black basin tap and a trap. New. Delivery to Toronto, to the building entrance. Budget up to $420.”
How it works on BlaBlaPrice
Plumbing prices differ between shops, and the availability of a particular model even more. You write one request, and sellers answer in the chat: the model, price, availability, delivery and fitting. Each seller sees where their offer ranks and can improve the terms to win your order. The best offer is shown first, with the seller's reviews next to it. You give your phone number only to the one you choose. More in how it works.
Typical mistakes and how to compare offers
Check that it really is the same model and not a “similar” one with a similar name. Ask whether the price includes connecting hoses, the trap, the lid and fixings. For a tap it matters whether spare parts and service are available in your city. Don't buy a concealed frame separately from the toilet without checking that the flush plate and the frame are compatible.
For connections you may need heating and electrical supplies, and for tiling the bathroom — finishing materials.
