I get the logic behind going all-in once you're already in there, but sometimes budgets just don't stretch that far. Had a similar issue last year—found some rot around the flange, panicked, then realized it wasn't spreading as badly as I thought. Ended up carefully cutting out just the damaged section, reinforcing around it, and sealing everything tight. Been solid ever since (knock on wood...). Sometimes a targeted fix can hold up fine without breaking the bank. Just gotta assess carefully and know your limits.
Had a similar scare myself a couple years back—thought I'd have to rip out half the bathroom floor. Turned out the rot was pretty localized, so I did something similar to you: cut out the bad wood, reinforced it, and sealed it up tight. Honestly, it's held up surprisingly well since then. You're right though, it's all about assessing carefully and not jumping straight into panic mode. Good call on the targeted fix... budgets aren't endless, after all.
"Honestly, it's held up surprisingly well since then."
Glad to hear your fix held up—targeted repairs can definitely save both money and sanity. One thing I'd caution, though, is making sure the rot hasn't spread somewhere less obvious. Wood rot can sneak along joists or under subflooring, and it's easy to miss. Did you check the surrounding areas thoroughly or treat the wood with anything specific to prevent future issues? Always better to double-check now than face another nasty surprise later...
"Wood rot can sneak along joists or under subflooring, and it's easy to miss."
Yeah, learned this the hard way myself... thought I'd fixed a small leak under the sink, only to find out months later the cabinet floor was basically mush. Now I'm paranoid about checking everything twice. I'd definitely second the advice to poke around a bit more—better safe than sorry, especially with water damage. Good luck, hope your toilet troubles are finally behind you (pun intended).
Had a similar issue last year—thought I caught the leak early enough, but turns out water had seeped into the subflooring beneath the toilet. Once I pulled up the vinyl, it was pretty clear the plywood underneath was toast. Ended up having to cut out and replace a good chunk of flooring and reinforce a joist that had started to soften. Not fun, but honestly, once you get into it, it's manageable step-by-step. Just take your time, measure twice (or three times, lol), and don't skimp on drying things out thoroughly before putting down new materials. Also, if you're feeling overwhelmed, there's no shame in calling in a pro for a quick inspection—sometimes a second set of eyes can catch stuff you might overlook. Hang in there, you're definitely not alone in this boat... water damage is sneaky as heck.
