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Yes, you can install a basement bathroom without breaking concrete by using an upflush toilet system, which includes a macerator pump. These systems sit on top of the concrete floor, so you don't have to drill into it to install plumbing. The macerator pump breaks up waste until it is soft enough to pass through a discharge pipe to the main sewage line. This method saves you time and money by bypassing the need to break concrete to connect drain pipes.

Your toilet handle might not come back up if the nut is loose or the bolt threads are stripped. Try to tighten the mounting nut and wrap plumber’s tape around the handle bolt to fix stripped threads. It’s possible the handle was improperly installed. If that’s the case, you can use the instructions above to correct the handle’s position. 

There are several ways to save money on a bathroom remodel through proper planning and savvy design strategies. To reduce costs, consider the following:

• Purchase your own materials: Buy your own bathroom fixtures, hardware, and other materials to avoid contractor upcharges and delivery fees.

• Shop smart for big-ticket items: Save on pricey items like tiles and tubs by shopping sales and at discount stores.

• Avoid major layout changes: Keep plumbing in its current location. Opt to replace fixtures rather than moving them to avoid significant renovation work.

• Focus on high-impact, low-cost updates: Make affordable but impactful smaller changes, such as upgrading hardware, installing new lighting, and adding stylish but economical accessories.

• DIY where possible: Handle easier parts of the remodel yourself, like painting or installing light fixtures, to save on labor costs.

• Time your remodel strategically: Consider remodeling in the spring, which tends to be a lower-demand time of year and may result in lower costs.

If you notice that your toilet is leaking puddles near the base, the leak is coming from your toilet bowl, and the water could be unsanitary. This is a situation that needs to be dealt with immediately—call a nearby plumbing repair pro right away. A contained leak from tank to bowl is not as urgent a situation, but it could be raising the cost of your water bill—have it looked at as soon as you can.