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Bathroom Suite Spacing Calculator — Clearance Checker
Check that your bathroom fittings have adequate clearances between each other and walls, meeting UK building regulations and best practice guidelines.
Internal room length
Internal room width
Positions are measured to each fitting’s centre: X from the left wall, Y from the back wall. The tool assumes every fitting’s usable front faces the far length-wall (increasing Y), so front/activity clearance is measured from the fitting toward that wall. Enter positions with that convention — for a fitting mounted on the far wall, its approach space projects back into the room, not toward the wall it sits against.
Standard bath
Distance from left wall to bath centre
Distance from back wall to bath centre
Standard: 1.7m
Standard: 0.7m
Separate shower enclosure
WC/toilet
Distance from left wall to toilet centre
Distance from back wall to toilet centre
Washbasin
Distance from left wall to basin centre
Distance from back wall to basin centre
Bidet
Recommended 700mm (600mm absolute min; Doc M accessible WC: 750mm)
Default 200mm gap between fittings
From side of pan to wall/fitting — BS 6465-2 default 200mm
Standard UK toilet pan is 360mm wide
Including cistern, typically 650mm
Standard basin is 500mm wide
Standard basin is 400mm deep
Standard UK bidet is 360mm wide
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How We Calculate This
This calculator checks the clearances between your bathroom fittings and the room walls. Enter your room dimensions and the position of each fitting, and the calculator will verify that all clearances meet minimum requirements.
Clearance standards
- Front clearance: 700mm recommended activity space in front of toilet, basin and shower entry (600mm absolute minimum; 750mm for an accessible WC under Approved Document M)
- Side clearance: 200mm minimum from fitting edge to wall or adjacent fitting
- Bath access: 700mm recommended clear zone alongside the bath for safe entry and exit (600mm absolute minimum)
- Toilet to basin: 200mm minimum gap between nearest edges
How positions are measured
Each fitting’s position is the distance to its centre: X from the left wall, Y from the back wall. The tool assumes every fitting’s usable front faces the far length-wall (increasing Y), so front and activity clearance is measured from the fitting toward that wall. Enter positions with this convention in mind — a fitting mounted on the far wall has its approach space projecting back into the room.
Recommended figures follow BS 6465-2:2017, Approved Document M and standard UK bathroom design practice; they are best-practice guidance, not absolute legal minimums (other than the Approved Document M accessible figures). The calculator gives a pass/fail result for each clearance check against the thresholds you set.
Frequently Asked Questions
BS 6465-2:2017 (Sanitary installations — Space recommendations) sets a clear activity space in front of a WC of about 600mm deep × 800mm wide. Mainstream UK bathroom-planning best practice recommends a more generous 700mm of clear depth in front of the pan for comfortable use, measured from the front edge of the pan to the nearest wall or fitting — so 600mm is the absolute squeeze minimum and 700mm is the comfortable target. Building Regulations Approved Document M requires 750mm in front of an accessible WC (M4(2)/M4(3) dwellings). This calculator defaults to the 700mm best-practice figure; lower it to 600mm in Advanced Options only where space is tight.
BS 6465-2 recommends a minimum of 200mm (20cm) between the side of the WC pan and any adjacent wall or fitting (toilet-roll holder, waste bin, basin and so on). For comfort, 250-300mm clear from the edge of the pan is better. For wheelchair access, Approved Document M requires 450mm from the centreline of the pan to the side wall (500mm preferred). This calculator measures from the edge of the pan, so the default 200mm threshold is the BS 6465-2 edge clearance.
The Lifetime Homes standard (Criterion 14) recommends a clear access zone alongside a bath of at least 1100mm long × 700mm wide to allow safe entry and exit; BS 6465-2:2017 likewise gives activity-space guidance for baths. In tight bathrooms 600mm is the absolute minimum squeeze. The calculator uses the same recommended front-clearance figure (default 700mm) for bath access. This matters most for elderly users or families with children.
Building Regulations Part G (sanitation, hot water and water efficiency) and Part M (access) cover bathroom requirements. Part G sets WC, basin and bath provision and water-efficiency rules; Part M sets accessibility clearances (for example 750mm in front of an accessible WC). There is no statutory minimum distance between standard non-accessible fittings, so recommended spacings come from BS 6465-2:2017 (Sanitary installations — Space recommendations) and manufacturer guidance, which this calculator applies.
A downstairs cloakroom with just a toilet and basin can work in a space as small as 1.4m x 0.8m, though 1.6m x 0.9m is more comfortable. For a full bathroom with bath, toilet and basin, the minimum practical size is approximately 1.7m x 2.4m. Building Regulations do not specify minimum room sizes, but clearances around fittings effectively set minimums.
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Last updated: March 2026
Verified against UK standards · estimates only, confirm with your supplier.