Measure everything before you choose

In the showroom, everything seems to fit. At home, it's a different story: the door hits the vanity unit, the toilet is squeezed against the wall, and you have to turn sideways to get past the shower. In a bathroom, every centimetre counts. So Mestre Amilson's advice is simple: measure everything before you choose.

What you'll need

• A tape measure of at least three metres. A metal tape is more accurate than a sewing tape.
• Squared paper and a pencil.
• Your mobile, to photograph each wall.

Sketch the bathroom as seen from above, even if it's rough. Then fill in the measurements as you take them.

1. The overall measurements

Measure the length and width of the room and the ceiling height. Take each measurement at more than one point: at the top, in the middle and at the bottom. Walls are rarely perfectly straight, and two centimetres can decide whether a unit fits or not.

2. Door and window

For the door, measure the clear width, the height and which way it opens. A door that opens inwards takes up space inside the bathroom. Sometimes reversing the swing or switching to a sliding door frees up exactly the space you were missing.

For the window, measure the width, the height and the distance from the floor. If it's inside the shower area, you'll need to think about protecting it from water. If it's above the toilet or the vanity unit, make sure you can open and close it without straining.

3. Toilet, washbasin and vanity unit

Note where the toilet waste and the water points are now. Moving sanitaryware is possible, but altering the waste pipe is one of the jobs that adds most to a bathroom renovation.

As a guide to comfort, leave about 60 to 70 cm clear in front of the toilet and the washbasin, and about 40 cm between the centre of the toilet and the wall or unit beside it. For the washbasin, a height of 80 to 85 cm suits most adults. Before buying a vanity unit, check its depth: one that's too deep can get in the way.

4. Shower tray or bath?

Most standard baths are between 160 and 180 cm long and 70 to 80 cm wide. A shower tray usually takes up less space and can even be made to measure.

• Shower tray: easy to step into with no high side, safer for children and older people, and quicker to clean. Below 80 x 80 cm a shower feels cramped; at 90 cm or more it's much more comfortable.
• Bath: handy for bathing small children and for anyone who loves a long soak. It takes up more room and you have to lift your leg to get in.

With a shower tray, also check where the screen will go and which way its door opens, if it has one. A fixed panel with no door is simpler to clean and needs no space to swing open.

5. Room to move around

With everything sketched out, picture yourself using the bathroom. Can you open the door without it hitting anything? Can you step out of the shower and dry off without bumping into the toilet? Could two people fit at once if needed? If the answer is no, there's still time to change your choice before spending any money.

If someone in the household has limited mobility, or you want to future-proof your home, plan for more clear space, a level-access shower tray and grab rails. Accessibility rules call for larger measurements than the guide figures above.

Send us your measurements

With the sketch, the measurements and the photos, it's much easier to prepare a quote for your bathroom. We then visit to measure up and confirm everything on site, and help you choose solutions that genuinely fit your space. Talk to us about your project.