Measuring guide
Will it fit? How to measure for your vanity unit
Five minutes with a tape measure now saves a lot of trouble on fitting day. Follow the six steps below, write your numbers in the box at the bottom, and send them to us if you’d like a second opinion.
- Tape measure
- Pencil and paper
- Masking tape
- Your phone, for photos of the pipes
Step 1
Measure the width
Walls are rarely straight. Measure the width at the top, middle and bottom (just above the skirting) and use the smallest figure. The width you choose is the cabinet. The worktop overhangs it by 10mm at each side, so the top is 20mm wider: make sure that fits too.
New tiles or wall boards take 15–25mm off each wall. If the old tiles are still on, ask your fitter what the finished walls will be.
Fitting wall to wall in a recess? If the unit is going between two walls and you want it to fill the space, please tell us before you order at [email protected], so we can make allowances for it to fit.
Step 2
Check the depth you can fit
Our units are 500mm deep (about 510mm with the worktop). Then you need space in front to use it: about 700mm of clear floor in front of the basin, and room to open the drawers or doors fully.
Short of space? Our single countertop units, wall-hung ones included, can be made 400mm deep for cloakrooms and narrow rooms. The tap then sits on a back corner, to the left or right of the basin, angled at 45° towards it. See the cloakroom range.
Step 3
Check the height
Our countertop units have the worktop at 775mm, so a bowl basin’s rim ends up at about 900mm. Undermount units are taller, with the worktop at 875mm. The worktop has an upstand at the back: 150mm on the White worktop and 100mm on the patterned ones (Colosseum, San Marco and Taj Mahal). Check nothing gets in the way at these heights: a window sill, a socket, a radiator or a boxed-in pipe.
Step 4
Find your pipes
Note where the hot, cold and waste pipes come out, measured from the floor and from one side wall. Then take a photo.
Pipes can come up through the floor or out of the wall, with drawers or doors, as long as they are kept close to the wall. Most of our units that go down to the floor have a void at the back for the pipes. Units with open shelves are different: the pipes need to come out of the wall. Plumber’s packs are available for our units, so your plumber can put the pipes in the right place before your unit arrives. Just ask us.
Step 5
Mark it out on the floor
Stick masking tape on the floor in the shape of the unit and leave it for a day or two. Open the bathroom door, use the toilet, get in and out of the bath, walk past it. If anything feels tight, try a smaller width or the 400mm depth.
Step 6
Check the way in
Measure the front door, hallway, any tight turns on the stairs and the bathroom door. This matters most for double units, which can be up to 2000mm wide. We deliver to a ground-floor room, so plan for help to carry it upstairs.
Quick reference
Our vanity unit sizes
| Type | Widths | Depth | Worktop height |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single, countertop basin | 500–1000mm | 500mm, or 400mm | 775mm |
| Single, undermount basin | 600–1000mm | 500mm | 875mm |
| Double, countertop basins | 1100–2000mm | 500mm (400mm on request) | 775mm |
| Double, undermount basins | 1200–2000mm | 500mm | 875mm |
| Wall-hung | 500–1000mm single, 1100–2000mm double | 500mm, or 400mm on singles | about 770mm, set by your fitter |
Each design has its own width range, shown on its page. Depths are for the cabinet; the worktop adds about 10mm. Need a size that isn’t listed? Send us your measurements and we’ll quote for it.
Shop by room
Which size suits your room?
| Room | Usually suits | Start here |
|---|---|---|
| Cloakroom or WC | 500–600mm wide, 400mm deep, tap on the corner | Cloakroom range |
| Small bathroom or en suite | 600–800mm single, or wall-hung to show more floor | Single countertop · Single undermount |
| Family bathroom | 800–1000mm single, or an 1100–1200mm double with one basin for extra worktop | Double countertop |
| Main bathroom | 1200–2000mm double with two basins | Double undermount · Double countertop |
A guide only. Your measurements from steps 1 and 2 decide what fits.
Write them down
Your measurements
Download our measuring sheet, print it and fill it in. It has room to sketch your bathroom too. All figures in millimetres.
| Width at the topStep 1 | |
| Width in the middle | |
| Width above the skirting | |
| Smallest width, less new tilesYour space: the cabinet you order, plus 20mm for the worktop, must fit | |
| Depth availableWall to door swing, toilet or bath | |
| Lowest obstacle above the unitSill, socket, radiator | |
| Waste pipe: height and distance from side wallStep 4 | |
| Water pipes: from the floor or the wall? | |
| Narrowest door or stair turnStep 6 |
Not sure? We’ll check for you
Email or call us with your measurements and a photo of your pipework, and tell us which unit you like. We’ll tell you whether it fits, or which size would.
Common questions
What is the standard depth of a vanity unit?
Most UK vanity units are 400–500mm deep. Ours are 500mm as standard, and our single countertop units can also be made 400mm deep for cloakrooms and small rooms.
What height should a vanity unit be?
A comfortable basin height for most adults is around 850–900mm to the rim. Our countertop units put the worktop at 775mm so the bowl rim sits at about 900mm. Our undermount units have the worktop at 875mm.
How much space do I need in front of a vanity unit?
Allow about 700mm of clear floor in front of the basin, and enough room to open the drawers or doors fully.
Can you make a vanity unit to a size that isn’t listed?
Often, yes. Send us your measurements and we’ll let you know what we can make and the price.
