Let's talk toilets...

So the research continues. We are actually really enjoying this more relaxed pace, knowing that we have ample time to plan and seek out information. A great resource we found recently in our own backyard is the store Close to Home in Williston, Vermont. They have a wonderful selection of bath fixtures and other misc. items for the home like lighting and door knobs/handles. They also carry quite a few modern-style products, which is awesome for our project. Every sales person we encountered at the store was incredibly helpful and interested in our build. Close to Home is growing their green product section, another reason it's fortuitous that we're not building until next summer. It gives the local marketplace time to catch up with consumer demand for green!

The real reason we initially checked out Close to Home is that they, unlike Home Depot or Lowe's, carry Toto products. We are definitely going to install either low-flow or dual-flush toilets in our bathroom and hopefully low-flow faucets as well. Dual-flush toilets seem to run around $400-$500. The Aquia dual-flush toilet only uses 1.6 GPF/0.9 GPF (gallons per flush) depending on your need. Amazing, considering that a typical toilet uses anywhere from 3.5 to 7 GPF. And check out their sleek, modern look!



To learn more about how Toto compares to other brands, here is a great review of low-flow toilets.

Something else we're considering is an Aqus greywater system. This ingenious contraption takes gray water from your bathroom sink, filters it, stores it and then uses it to flush your toilet, thus reducing your need for fresh water every time you flush. So smart. It seems like the system costs somewhere between $200-$300 which is not bad at all. Here's an Triple Pundit article detailing how the system works and a visual depiction of it: