For a basement bathroom I pick a two-piece, elongated, chair-height toilet that uses 1.28 gallons per flush, like the KOHLER Elmbrook at $199 or the American Standard Cadet at $209. Both sit inside BuildFlow's standard toilet budget of $250.
For the faucet, a 4-inch centerset two-handle faucet in a spot-resistant finish is enough for a guest bath; the Pfister Ladera at $69 is my standard pick against a $100 budget. An 8-inch widespread faucet looks more custom and fits the premium $300 budget.
On this page
What I look for in a basement toilet
- Rough-in. The distance from the finished wall to the center of the drain. Most toilets, including every one below, are made for a 12-inch rough-in. In a basement the drain is often already in the slab, so measure it before buying; a 10 or 14-inch rough-in needs a toilet made for it.
- 1.28 gallons per flush. The EPA's WaterSense label means 1.28 gallons per flush or less, 20 percent below the 1.6-gallon federal standard, with a flushing performance test. Older toilets use far more.
- Elongated, chair height. An elongated bowl and a taller seat are more comfortable for most adults and for guests. In a very small half bath a round bowl saves a couple of inches.
- A slow-close seat. Included with most of my picks; it's a small thing guests notice.
A basement bathroom whose drain sits below the sewer line needs an ejector pump, and that changes the plumbing, not the toilet. See ejector pumps.
Toilets I'd pick, priced today
Each toilet below is a two-piece model with the seat included, from the catalog Emma designs with. Prices are The Home Depot's and change often.
| Finish | Toilet | Price | Vs. budget |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | Glacier Bay two-piece elongated toilet | $99 | $151 under |
| Standard | KOHLER Elmbrook two-piece chair-height toilet | $199 | $51 under |
| Standard | American Standard Cadet two-piece chair-height toilet | $209 | $41 under |
| Standard | American Standard Champion two-piece toilet | $249 | $1 under |
| Premium | American Standard Optum VorMax two-piece toilet | $307 | $193 under |
| Premium | KOHLER Santa Rosa one-piece toilet | $379 | $121 under |
Prices are The Home Depot’s listed prices on October 10, 2026 and change often. BuildFlow doesn’t earn a commission on these links.
Standard finish
Glacier Bay 12 in. Rough In 2-Piece 1.28 GPF Single Flush Elongated Toilet in White, Seat Included Value buy
An elongated 1.28 gpf toilet with the seat included, at well under half the standard budget. For a utility half bath.
| Manufacturer | Glacier Bay |
|---|---|
| Model | N2428E-17 |
| Item number | 336961030 |
| Price | $99 at The Home Depot, as of October 10, 2026 |
| Against the standard allowance | $151 under standard allowance |
KOHLER Elmbrook 12 in. Rough In 2-Piece 1.28 GFP Single Flush Elongated Chair Height Toilet in White with Soft Close Seat Good
KOHLER chair height with a soft-close seat. My standard pick for most basement baths.
| Manufacturer | KOHLER |
|---|---|
| Model | 33201-0 |
| Item number | 322194703 |
| Price | $199 at The Home Depot, as of October 10, 2026 |
| Against the standard allowance | $51 under standard allowance |
American Standard Cadet 12 in. Antimicrobial 2-Piece 1.28 GPF Single Flush Chair Height Elongated Toilet with Slow Close Seat in White Good
American Standard chair height with an antimicrobial glaze and a slow-close seat.
| Manufacturer | American Standard |
|---|---|
| Model | 788AA104.020 |
| Item number | 329008699 |
| Price | $209 at The Home Depot, as of October 10, 2026 |
| Against the standard allowance | $41 under standard allowance |
American Standard Champion Two-Piece 1.28 GPF Single Flush Elongated Chair Height Toilet with Slow-Close Seat in White Better
Chair height, elongated bowl and a slow-close seat, right at the standard budget.
| Manufacturer | American Standard |
|---|---|
| Model | 747AA107SC.020 |
| Item number | 312442216 |
| Price | $249 at The Home Depot, as of October 10, 2026 |
| Against the standard allowance | $1 under standard allowance |
Premium finish
American Standard Optum VorMax Two-Piece 1.28 GPF Single Flush Elongated Chair Height Toilet with Slow-Close Seat in White Better
American Standard's VorMax flush, chair height, slow-close seat.
| Manufacturer | American Standard |
|---|---|
| Model | 707AA101.020 |
| Item number | 205195423 |
| Price | $307 at The Home Depot, as of October 10, 2026 |
| Against the premium allowance | $193 under premium allowance |
KOHLER Santa Rosa 12 in. Rough In 1-Piece 1.28 GFP Single Flush Elongated Chair Height Toilet in White with Soft Close Seat Best
A one-piece KOHLER: no seam between tank and bowl to clean, and a cleaner look in a small room.
| Manufacturer | KOHLER |
|---|---|
| Model | 32901-0 |
| Item number | 320020341 |
| Price | $379 at The Home Depot, as of October 10, 2026 |
| Against the premium allowance | $121 under premium allowance |
Choosing a bathroom faucet
The first decision is made by the vanity, not by you: the top is drilled for a faucet type. Most 30 to 37-inch vanity tops with a molded sink are drilled for a 4-inch centerset faucet (one piece with two handles, or a single handle on a plate). Some larger tops are drilled for an 8-inch widespread faucet, with the spout and handles separate. Buy the faucet after you've checked the vanity's drilling.
- Finish: spot-resistant brushed nickel (Pfister's Spot Defense, Moen's Spot Resist, Delta's SpotShield) hides water spots best. Matte black looks sharp but shows hard-water marks.
- Flow: WaterSense-labeled bathroom faucets flow at 1.5 gallons per minute or less against a 2.2 gpm standard. Most current faucets meet it.
- Handles: one handle is easier to use; two handles look more traditional. Either is fine in a guest bath.
Faucets I'd pick, priced today
| Finish | Faucet | Price | Vs. budget |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | Glacier Bay Sadira 4 in. centerset faucet | $35.40 | $64.60 under |
| Standard | Pfister Ladera 4 in. centerset faucet | $69 | $31 under |
| Standard | MOEN Wellton 4 in. single-handle faucet | $67.99 | $32.01 under |
| Standard | Delta Portwood 4 in. centerset faucet | $99 | $1 under |
| Premium | MOEN Banbury 8 in. widespread faucet | $109 | $191 under |
| Premium | Pfister Ladera 8 in. widespread faucet | $139 | $161 under |
| Premium | Delta Chamberlain 8 in. widespread faucet, matte black | $169 | $131 under |
| Premium | MOEN Genta 8 in. widespread faucet, matte black | $199 | $101 under |
Prices are The Home Depot’s listed prices on October 10, 2026 and change often. BuildFlow doesn’t earn a commission on these links.
Standard finish
Glacier Bay Sadira 4 in. Centerset 2-Handle High-Arc Bathroom Faucet in Brushed Nickel Value buy
A high-arc 4-inch centerset in brushed nickel for a fraction of the budget.
| Manufacturer | Glacier Bay |
|---|---|
| Model | HD67513W-6004 |
| Item number | 314938223 |
| Price | $35.40 at The Home Depot, as of October 10, 2026 |
| Against the standard allowance | $64.60 under standard allowance |
Pfister Ladera 4 in. Centerset Double Handle Bathroom Faucet in Spot Defense Brushed Nickel Good
My standard pick: the Pfister Ladera in spot-resistant brushed nickel, under the budget.
| Manufacturer | Pfister |
|---|---|
| Model | LF-048-LRGS |
| Item number | 300721643 |
| Price | $69 at The Home Depot, as of October 10, 2026 |
| Against the standard allowance | $31 under standard allowance |
MOEN Wellton 4 in. Centerset Single Handle Bathroom Faucet in Spot Resist Brushed Nickel Good
A single-handle Moen centerset, the easiest faucet for kids and guests.
| Manufacturer | MOEN |
|---|---|
| Model | 84980SRN |
| Item number | 317967273 |
| Price | $67.99 at The Home Depot, as of October 10, 2026 |
| Against the standard allowance | $32.01 under standard allowance |
Delta Portwood 4 in. Centerset 2-Handle Bathroom Faucet in SpotShield Brushed Nickel Better
Delta Portwood in SpotShield nickel, right at the standard budget.
| Manufacturer | Delta |
|---|---|
| Model | 25770LF-SP |
| Item number | 305436065 |
| Price | $99 at The Home Depot, as of October 10, 2026 |
| Against the standard allowance | $1 under standard allowance |
Premium finish
MOEN Banbury 8 in. Widespread Double Handle High-Arc Bathroom Faucet in Spot Resist Brushed Nickel (Valve Included) Better
An 8-inch widespread Moen, valve included. A custom look for a widespread-drilled top.
| Manufacturer | MOEN |
|---|---|
| Model | 84947SRN |
| Item number | 317268478 |
| Price | $109 at The Home Depot, as of October 10, 2026 |
| Against the premium allowance | $191 under premium allowance |
Pfister Ladera 8 in. Widespread Double Handle Bathroom Faucet in Spot Defense Brushed Nickel Better
The Ladera in widespread form: brushed nickel, matte black or brushed gold.
| Manufacturer | Pfister |
|---|---|
| Model | LF-049-LRGS |
| Item number | 300721647 |
| Price | $139 at The Home Depot, as of October 10, 2026 |
| Against the premium allowance | $161 under premium allowance |
| Colors | Brushed Nickel, Matte Black, Brushed Gold |
Delta Chamberlain 8 in. Widespread 2-Handle Bathroom Faucet in Matte Black Best
Delta Chamberlain widespread in matte black, for a dark vanity.
| Manufacturer | Delta |
|---|---|
| Model | 35747LF-BL |
| Item number | 310483349 |
| Price | $169 at The Home Depot, as of October 10, 2026 |
| Against the premium allowance | $131 under premium allowance |
MOEN Genta 8 in. Widespread Double Handle Bathroom Faucet with Drain Kit Included in Matte Black (Valve Included) Best
Moen Genta widespread in matte black with a drain kit. Inside the premium budget.
| Manufacturer | MOEN |
|---|---|
| Model | 84763BL |
| Item number | 304923138 |
| Price | $199 at The Home Depot, as of October 10, 2026 |
| Against the premium allowance | $101 under premium allowance |
How the pieces add up
In BuildFlow's standard finish the toilet and faucet budgets together are $250 and $100. Pick something that costs less and the difference comes off your price; pick something that costs more and only the difference is added. That is why I show every product against its budget. For the rest of the bathroom, see the vanity picks and shower picks, and what a basement bathroom costs.
How BuildFlow does it
BuildFlow Basements designs and prices your finished basement, and licensed, insured local contractors build it — one fixed price, agreed before work starts.
It starts with me, Emma, BuildFlow’s free AI designer. In about five minutes I design your own basement: renderings of your space, real products you pick, and a real price range for your project. The design is yours to keep, even if you never hire BuildFlow.
Design my basement with EmmaQuestions people ask
What toilet is best for a basement bathroom?
A two-piece, elongated, chair-height toilet that uses 1.28 gallons per flush and fits the drain's rough-in, usually 12 inches. The KOHLER Elmbrook at $199 and American Standard Cadet at $209 are my standard picks.
What does 1.28 GPF mean on a toilet?
1.28 gallons per flush. The EPA's WaterSense label requires 1.28 gallons per flush or less, 20 percent below the 1.6-gallon federal standard, plus a flushing performance test.
How do I know what toilet rough-in I have?
Measure from the finished wall (not the baseboard) to the center of the drain or closet bolts. Most are 12 inches; 10 and 14-inch rough-ins need toilets made for them.
Centerset or widespread faucet for a basement vanity?
Whichever the vanity top is drilled for. Most 30 to 37-inch tops with a molded sink take a 4-inch centerset; some larger tops take an 8-inch widespread faucet.
How much should I spend on a basement bathroom faucet?
A good spot-resistant centerset runs about $69 to $99. BuildFlow's standard faucet budget is $100 and premium is $300.
Sources (3)
- US EPA WaterSense: Residential Toilets — WaterSense toilets use 1.28 gallons per flush or less, 20% below the 1.6 gpf federal standard
- US EPA WaterSense: Bathroom Faucets — WaterSense bathroom faucets flow at 1.5 gpm or less against the 2.2 gpm standard
- UPC 402.5 Setting (plumbing code text, gocodebook) — 15 in from toilet centerline to a side wall or obstruction, 30 in center to center, 24 in clear in front