I hope what I've written is clear, and helpful. Kinda long...
Disclaimer: I'm a homeowner, not a plumber.
Toto appears to be the way to go. I am looking for a 10" rough replacement toilet now. I have narrowed my choices considerably to a Toto 10", Colonial White, G-Max flush (Toto's best, I understand) , not too deep (front to back), reasonably compatible style - that gets it down to basically 2 models - the Carlyle and the Vespin. I do still have 'a question or 2' which I've mentioned below, and may post as a separate topic on the board - the only questions I have remaining before a purchase.
What I have learned so far:
Do NOT buy:
- 10" American Standard Cadet, elong. Ours installed 12/99 or so. TERRIBLE toilet. I will never buy AS again! We also have a 12/99 AS Elisse 12" - not much better, but gets less use, so I am in less of a hurry to replace it. Cadet: the current version is almost bottom on the MaP testing list. I could go on and on listing problems with this toilet. I will limit my comments because I will start ranting.
- Kohler makes only one 10" rough, elongated, Welworth. It is very poorly rated, from the MaP to a comment at a web forum to sales people's comments. Sales: I've asked at 3 shops - evasive responses AT BEST.
SANITARY ISSUES plus ROUND VS. ELONGATED (maybe related):
Bowl shape is not always a choice, for 10" esp.
Given human anatomy, well-designed elongated toilets are more sanitary and easier to use for the men than round. (Correct me if I'm wrong, guys.)
I haven't figured out why the elongated AS Cadet is so terrible, especially for women. It may be the contour of the bowl or the position of the water spot. Whatever. In any case, for whatever reason, sorry to be indelicate, but: urine, hitting the shallow water or the porcelain above the water line in the front of the bowl, splashes back up onto the person and/or the underside of the seat. For women, girls, probably for seated men and definitely for my son's friends who apparently cannot aim, this has been a problem. I consider this potentially a serious health issue for females. [I am not a health professional, but from family experience...'nuf said.] It's also disgusting, smelly... and it's ANNOYING to have to clean the underside of the toilet seat several times a day.
>>> QUESTION FOR TOTO OWNERS READING THIS: Especially if you own a 10" rough Toto Carlyle or Vespin, please post whether you are having any splashing problems.
If need be, please ask your wives or whoever cleans the toilets. Or check yourself - clean the underside of the seat (esp the front?) with wet toilet paper - light to dark yellow would indicate a spashing problem.
YOUR INFO, COMMENTS & MODEL NAME or # WOULD BE VERY MUCH APPRECIATED - Thank you in advance. (As this is primarily what is holding up my decision, I may even post this as a separate question on the board.)
WATER LEVEL: The only related info I have come across is the size of the water spot. Toto info is on the Spec Sheet page of each model - see "Helpful websites" below. At one point I thought the above-mentioned splashing was related to water level......so I'm not sure why a higher level? Do you think a larger water spot take care of your concern? Some w.spots are quite small. I could guess more, but then I'd be rambling.
DIMENSIONS (HxWxD):
Others have pointed out width issues if the space is narrow. And the water supply. You should also consider the depth. Someone I know put in a new toilet - knees hit the tub. Also remember that people tend to lean forward for balance when they sit down and get up. (Older folks, folks with knee problems, etc., may lean forward more than others.) So, if space is tight, make sure the door will open, large & small people have space to turn around, room to stand at the sink, etc. You get the idea. Sorry, I don't know the magic dimensions needed. For dimensions of Toto toilets, at totousa.com, go to toilets, click on one of the models, then click on "Spec.Sheet" on the right.
COLOR: re: whites, all whites are tinted differently. If your toilet will be near other fixtures or white tile, the difference will be most noticeable. As you probably already know, lighting makes a big difference also. Toto makes 2 whites. Colonial White is a little creamier and appears to closely match AS White and our older unbranded fixtures. Find a shop that has porcelain color samples you can take home. Not every model is avail. in both whites, let alone every color. For me, function is more important than looks, but I can't forget resale value, and I resent having to even consider replacing other fixtures also.
2-PIECE VS 1-PIECE: I keep leaning towards the 1-piece, but despite our aim-impaired male friends and family, our 2-piece Cadet has done very well. (Wow, there is something ok about this toilet!) I think the key to our current 2-piece is that the back of the bowl-base curves up into the tank so that there is no visible, seam that can be aimed at, and the tank sits sufficiently high off the flat surface, so the area stays cleaner and cleans up easier. (Sorry I can't include a diagram here for you.)
>>> VESPIN OWNERS: COMMENTS, PLEASE ?! Does the Vespin collect 'dirt' between the 2 pieces, that is a pain to clean?
HELPFUL WEBSITES:
www.terrylove.com - obviously - excellent. Look for installation advise as well.
www.totousa.com - Consumer->Toilets. Narrow your search by Rough and whatever else. Click on a model for more info, & then "Spec Sheet", "Colors & Finishes", etc for lots of useful info, including water spot size.
There are a few do-it-yourself sites as well. Some good, some not so good.
Good luck. Let us know how your project turns out.