Whether you’re considering bathroom renovations for lifestyle, function, re-sale value or it’s simply time for an update and refresh, there’s a lot to think about. There’s your budget, the layout, the lighting, the ventilation, the materials, that eternal ‘bath or no bath’ question – and so much more. But how much thought have you given to the toilet rough in.

If you answered “the toilet WHAT in”, you’re not alone. Luckily, measuring a toilet rough in is almost as simple as defining what it is – the distance between the finished wall to the centre of the toilet’s drain. Get it wrong, though, and the dream toilet you’ve just picked out may still fit, but you may still forever regret the most fundamental of errors.

That’s because knowing how to measure a toilet rough in is the difference between a toilet that simply fits perfectly, to one that simply won’t fit at all. And if you overestimate that rough in measurement, you’ll end up with an infuriating and unseemly gap between the back of the cistern and the wall.

But as we hinted earlier, there’s really no excuse for not getting that toilet rough in exactly right. And all you’ll need is:

• A pencil
• Some paper
• A tape measure.

Yep: Measuring a toilet rough in isn’t going to be hard. In most cases, it’s just a two-step process:

Step 1. Ensure the end of the tape measure is exactly flush with the finished wall – and by ‘finished’, we mean inclusive of anything that might be added before the toilet goes in – like tiles.

Step 2. Stretch the tape measure from the finished wall to the exact centre-point of the toilet’s floor drain. And that’s how to measure a toilet rough in.

But when it comes to measuring a toilet rough in, is that all you need to know? Actually, no: We think there are two more things you need to consider:

1. The left-to-right clearance

Don’t forget, that toilet doesn’t just have to fit from the drain to the wall – it has to fit in your space left and right, too. There are walls, cabinets, bathroom vanity that you want to install as well, and other things that are going to be at either side of the toilet, so here’s the number to remember – 38. In our view, a left-right clearance of 38cm on either side of the centre of the toilet is the minimum.

2. The space in front of the toilet

The basic rough in measurement deals with the distance behind the toilet – but what about in front? Just like left and right, there needs to be enough room in front of the toilet for obvious reasons – your legs or body when you’re using the throne, and to keep clear of doors and other fixtures. We think the minimum clearance is about 53-63cm – and then you’ll be safe no matter what.

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If you consider all of that, you’ll be good to go … literally! But if you need professional plumbing services for your forthcoming bathroom plumbing and renovations, you’ll need a great professional plumber close to you – and for that, you’ll need Best Plumbers Club! It’s a super-sophisticated directory listing only the best and most trusted local plumbers – and all you need to do is insert your details, click a button, and the best possible plumber will give you a call. What’s not to love? Get started at Best Plumbers today.