Bidets have long been a common bathroom fixture in many parts of the world, but they finally found their moment to shine in the United States at the start of the pandemic, when toilet paper was hard to come by. We’ve already talked about the benefits of a bidet and how to use the different styles, but what about installation? That’s easier than you might think and doesn’t require a professional.
What does a bidet cost?
To start with, there is a difference between a bidet attachment and a bidet toilet seat. Attachments are installed onto your existing toilet seat and are generally manual and not electric. Toilet seat bidets replace your current seat with a new one, come complete with the bidet, and can be manual or electric. Electric toilet seat bidets often have a remote to control the water flow and may also include a few upgrades, such as warm water options or different jet settings.
A basic manual bidet attachment will cost around $30, while one with a little more functionality might put you back $99 to $149, depending on the seller and style. Manual bidet toilet seats run about $100 for your basic needs, while the fancy electric models can cost $429 and higher.
How to install a bidet attachment
Any bathroom installation can feel intimidating. If you know little (or nothing) about plumbing, you might be hesitant to get down and dirty with your toilet—but installing a bidet attachment is pretty straightforward.
G/O Media may get a commission
For the task, you will need a flat-head screwdriver, an adjustable wrench, a towel, and a bucket. First, locate the toilet shut-off valve to shut off the water supply to the toilet. Flush the toilet to remove any water in the bowl and tank. Grab your towel and bucket and place them underneath the water hose connected to the toilet to catch any excess water from the hose. Use the wrench to unhook this hose.
Attach the bidet hose adapter (which comes with your new bidet) to the existing hose. Next, attach the bidet hose to the adapter, and then to the bidet attachment. (If you have an attachment with hot and cold water hookups, make sure to attach both hoses accordingly—hot water would come from your bathroom sink hose.)
Use the screwdriver to remove the screws on your toilet seat and remove the seat entirely. Once the seat is removed, line the bidet mounting holes with the toilet seat bolts and reattach the toilet seat. Make sure all of the washers and bolts are tight before turning the water back on. Once that’s done, your bidet is ready for use.
This helpful video from Mr.FixIt DIY gives step-by-step directions on installing a bidet attachment.
How to install a manual and electric toilet seat bidet
Much of the same installation procedure applies to manual and electric bidet seats—but instead of securing the hoses to a separate attachment, they attach directly to your new toilet seat.
Electric bidet seats require a nearby outlet to work. If there is no outlet close by, you’ll need to call an electrician to have one installed. If you don’t want that added expense, you may want to opt for a manual seat. According to the bidet company Tushy, installation of a manual bidet seat takes less than nine minutes to complete, and an electric seat will run you about the same installation time.
