Home › New Jersey › Paterson
Toilet Repair in Paterson, NJ
Paterson is a renting town with old housing — 74% of households rent, and 84% of homes went up before 1990.
Short version
74% of occupied homes in Paterson are rented, so for most households the toilet is the landlord's fixture rather than the tenant's. Reporting it is normally the tenant's step, and arranging the repair is normally not. Housing there is 84% pre-1990, so a pre-standard fixture using far more than 1.6 gallons a flush is a real possibility — though that dates the house, not the toilet.
Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, tables B25003 and B25034.
Who this page is for in Paterson
Renting is the norm in Paterson, at 74% of households. We are a referral service for homeowners, so for most people here the honest advice is report it in writing and describe the symptom rather than call anyone.
| Occupied homes in Paterson | Share | Homes |
|---|---|---|
| Owner-occupied | 26% | 12,994 |
| Rented | 74% | 36,660 |
Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25003 (tenure), 2023 release. Universe: 49,654 occupied housing units.
What the age of Paterson’s housing suggests
84% of Paterson’s housing predates 1990 and 33% predates 1940. That makes the pre-standard fixture the base case here rather than the exception.
It is a statement about the housing stock. A house built in 1935 has had ninety years in which somebody could have replaced the toilet, and many have.
| Housing in Paterson | Share |
|---|---|
| Built before 1940 | 33% |
| Built 1940 to 1989 | 51% |
| Built 1990 onwards | 16% |
Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25034 (year structure built), 2023 release. Universe: 52,498 housing units, including vacant ones — a different universe from the tenure table above. Flush volumes: US EPA WaterSense, tank-type toilet supporting statement
What is actually wrong with it
Which of these is it? Running continuously, not flushing at all, flushing weakly, leaking at the floor, or moving when you sit on it. Each has a different cause and only one of them is urgent.
Ask them to name the fault before they name the price. “The toilet needs replacing” is not a diagnosis; “the flapper seat is pitted and will not hold a new flapper” is, and it happens to be a common one.
Other New Jersey towns we route in
- Stockholm 91% owner-occupied · 92% built before 1990
- Oakland 92% owner-occupied · 86% built before 1990
- Sea Girt 83% owner-occupied · 74% built before 1990
- New Milford 63% owner-occupied · 96% built before 1990
- Audubon 67% owner-occupied · 98% built before 1990
Checking a plumber in New Jersey
Checking a credential in New Jersey
New Jersey licenses are issued by the New Jersey State Board of Examiners of Master Plumbers, Division of Consumer Affairs, which publishes a public search you can use before work begins.
If the dye test pointed at the flapper, that is a part, not a fixture.Worth saying on the call, because it changes what somebody arrives with. We connect you to a contractor covering your area and you are never charged. Whatever wants a plumber in Paterson can be raised when you call.
Call (888) 525-3450