Designing a toilet in bathroom design isn’t just about picking a pan. It’s about smart layout, plumbing set‑out, ventilation, materials, and a finish that complements your vanity, shower and overall home style. Here’s a practical, WA-focused guide from Joyce Kitchens—Perth cabinet makers and renovators delivering custom cabinetry WA homeowners trust for kitchen renovations Perth, bathroom renovation Perth, laundry renovation and more.
Core insights for toilet placement and design
Whether you’re planning a powder room or a full bathroom renovation Perth families will love, these fundamentals help you balance comfort, hygiene and compliance.
Placement, privacy and clearances
- Zone the toilet away from the entry and main vanity. If it shares a room with the shower, a nib wall or frosted screen lifts privacy.
- Clearances: allow at least 750 mm in front of the pan and 300–450 mm from the pan centreline to side walls or joinery. Increase clearances for universal access and refer to AS/NZS and NCC guidance.
- Door swing: confirm the door won’t intrude on toilet clearances; consider a cavity slider in tight spaces.
Set‑out is the measurement from the finished wall to the centre of the waste outlet (typically 140–225 mm is common in Australia). It informs which pans will fit without moving plumbing.
Toilet types and features
- Back-to-wall toilet: Sits flush to the wall, hides pipework, easy to clean. A popular balance of price, performance and hygiene.
- Wall-hung toilet: Pan floats off the floor; requires an in-wall frame (great for small rooms and cleaning).
- Close-coupled toilet: Budget-friendly; cistern bolts to the pan, good for retrofits.
- Rimless toilet: Improved hygiene and easier cleaning thanks to a redesigned rim.
- Concealed cistern: Sleek, quieter flushing; check wall cavity depth and service access.
S‑trap pans connect to the floor; P‑trap pans connect through the wall. Match the pan to your existing waste for simpler installation.
Water efficiency and comfort
- Choose WELS 4‑star or better dual‑flush suites for lower water bills (typical 4.5L/3L flush).
- Consider soft‑close seats, bidet seats or washlets, and insulated cisterns to reduce condensation in cooler WA winters.
Ventilation and acoustics
- Provide mechanical exhaust vented to outside to meet NCC ventilation requirements and reduce odours and moisture. Duct to eaves or roof, not into the roof space.
- Acoustic comfort: lining nib walls, adding soft‑close drawers and selecting solid doors can help when the WC adjoins living areas or a shaker kitchen and dining zone.
The stage where plumbing and electrical services are positioned before sheeting, waterproofing and tiling.
Our renovation process (Perth & WA)
- In‑home consult and measure: We map set‑outs, check slab or timber floor, and assess ventilation routes.
- Design & specification: From a wall‑hung vanity with an engineered stone benchtop to a frameless shower screen and matte black tapware, we specify durable, cohesive finishes.
- Compliance review: We coordinate with licensed plumbers/electricians to meet NCC and AS/NZS requirements (e.g., AS 3740 wet area waterproofing and AS/NZS 3500 plumbing). See guidance from the ABCB and HIA:
Australian Building Codes Board,
HIA bathroom renovations. - Custom cabinetry WA: Built in our local workshop—wall-hung vanity, tall storage, mirrored shaving cabinets with soft‑close drawers.
- Scheduling & trades: Demolition, rough‑in, waterproofing, tiling, cabinetry, benchtops, splashback, fit‑off.
- Quality check: We test fixtures, check falls to the floor waste, sealants and silicone finishes.
- Aftercare: Care instructions for stone benchtop heat resistance, grout sealing, and warranty documents. For licensing info see WA Building & Energy:
WA plumbing regulator.
Materials & finishes that work in WA
Toilet suite materials
- Vitreous china bowls with quality glazing resist staining and make cleaning easier.
- Flush plates: Stainless steel or PVD finishes pair well with matte black tapware or brushed nickel sets used across your home.
- Seats: quick‑release and soft‑close are worth the modest upgrade.
Vanities, benchtops and tiles
- Engineered stone benchtop (e.g., Caesarstone) is durable and water‑resistant for vanity tops. Keep trivets handy for hair tools—stone benchtop heat resistance has limits.
- Laminate benchtops offer excellent value and variety for powder rooms with lighter use.
- Cabinet fronts: from modern flat panels to shaker doors to echo your shaker kitchen elsewhere.
- Tiles: consider slip resistance for floors and a full‑height splashback behind the vanity or WC if kids are in the home.
Layouts & styles that elevate your space
Small ensuite or powder room
- Choose a wall-hung vanity and wall-hung toilet with a concealed cistern to maximise visual floor space.
- Use a narrow vanity with a single mixer and recessed mirrored storage to reduce projection into circulation space.
- Door solutions: cavity sliders avoid clashes with the pan.
Family bathroom
- Place the WC behind a nib wall, inside a separate WC compartment, or out of the primary line of sight from the door.
- Pair with a frameless shower screen for an open look and simpler cleaning.
- Storage: add a tall linen cabinet or open shelves for toilet paper and cleaning supplies.
Style cues
- Contemporary: back-to-wall toilet, flat-panel joinery, large‑format tiles.
- Classic: shaker doors, subway tile splashback, gunmetal or brass tapware.
- Coastal WA: light timbers, textured white tiles, soft brushed nickel tapware.
Looking for an idea toilet to complement your vanity and overall palette? Our designers balance function and style so your WC feels considered, not an afterthought.
Costs in Perth: supply, labour and variables
- Toilet suite: close‑coupled $300–$1,000; back‑to‑wall $600–$1,600; wall‑hung with in‑wall cistern/frame $1,200–$3,500.
- Plumbing install: like‑for‑like swap $400–$1,100; new rough‑in or relocation $900–$3,500 depending on slab/timber floor and access.
- Waterproofing: typically $800–$1,500 for a standard bathroom under AS 3740.
- Tiling: tiles plus labour often $90–$140/m², more for rectified/large‑format.
- Vanity benchtops: laminate benchtops from $250–$450/m; engineered stone from $700–$1,400/m².
Note: Pricing varies by site access, slab chasing, structural walls for in‑wall frames, and fixture selection. A site visit provides a firm quote.
Comparison: Engineered stone vs laminate for vanity tops
| Feature | Engineered Stone (e.g., Caesarstone) | Laminate |
|---|---|---|
| Water resistance | Excellent; non‑porous | Very good; seal edges and penetrations |
| Heat resistance | Good, but avoid direct heat (hair tools) | Moderate; can scorch with high heat |
| Maintenance | Low; wipe with mild cleaner | Low; avoid harsh abrasives |
| Look & feel | Premium, seamless with undermount basins | Wide styles; great budget look |
| Cost (installed) | $$–$$$ | $–$$ |
| Lead time | Longer (templating & fabrication) | Shorter |
Practical checklist
- Confirm S‑trap or P‑trap and measure set‑out (140–225 mm common).
- Allow 750 mm front clearance and 300–450 mm side clearance to centreline.
- Decide on close‑coupled, back‑to‑wall or wall‑hung and whether a concealed cistern suits your wall construction.
- Choose a WELS 4‑star (or better) rimless toilet for water savings and hygiene.
- Plan ventilation ducted to outside to meet NCC requirements.
- Coordinate vanity depth, door swing and any frameless shower screen to avoid clashes.
- Select cohesive finishes: shaker/flat cabinetry, matte black tapware, tiles and splashback.
- Book licensed trades; waterproof to AS 3740 and follow AS/NZS 3500 for plumbing.
Short WA case examples
Subiaco ensuite
A narrow ensuite needed privacy and easier cleaning. We installed a wall-hung toilet with a concealed cistern behind a 1200 mm nib wall, paired with a wall-hung vanity, engineered stone benchtop and a frameless shower screen. Result: more elbow room and better airflow.
Fremantle family bathroom
For a busy family, we specified a back-to-wall toilet, shaker vanity fronts to echo their shaker kitchen, soft‑close drawers, and a durable Caesarstone top. The WC sits out of sight from the door and a full‑height splashback simplifies wipe‑downs.
FAQ
What is the best position for a toilet in a small bathroom?
Aim to zone the pan away from the door and vanity. Allow at least 750 mm clear space in front, and 300–450 mm from the pan centreline to any side wall or joinery. Use a nib wall or frosted screen for privacy. Where space is tight, a wall-hung or back-to-wall toilet with a concealed cistern saves 120–180 mm in depth.
Should I choose a wall-hung, back-to-wall or close-coupled toilet?
Wall-hung toilets look sleek and make cleaning easy, but they require an in-wall frame and usually cost more to supply and install. Back-to-wall toilets sit flush to the wall and hide plumbing, offering a good balance of price, performance and hygiene. Close-coupled suites are budget-friendly and simple to retrofit in many Perth homes.
How much does it cost to move a toilet in Perth?
Expect roughly $900–$2,000 for new rough-in on timber floors and $1,500–$3,500 on slabs, plus the toilet suite ($300–$3,500) and finishing trades. Relocating the floor waste, waterproofing and retiling can add $700–$3,000+. A site visit by a licensed plumber is essential for a fixed quote.
Can I put a toilet in a laundry or powder room?
Yes—if the space meets ventilation, waterproofing and plumbing requirements under the NCC and AS/NZS standards. A hand-washing basin must be provided, door swing should not impede clearances, and mechanical exhaust vented to outside is recommended. Check local WA regulations and engage licensed trades.
Ready to design a cohesive bathroom—alongside a new kitchen, laundry or walk-in wardrobe? Joyce Kitchens delivers end‑to‑end design, custom cabinetry, and project coordination across Perth and WA.