Can You Install a Bidet on Any Toilet? Shape, Space and Compliance Tip

“Can you install a bidet on any toilet?” is exactly the question we hear from homeowners who wander into our showroom mid‑renovation clutching photos of their bathroom. They’ve seen the comfort and hygiene benefits of bidet toilets, they’re curious about warm water and heated seats, but they’d really prefer to retrofit something to their existing toilet rather than start again.

The short answer: you can install a bidet on many standard toilets, but not on every single one. The long answer is it depends on:

Compatibility (does the bidet seat or bidet attachment actually fit your toilet bowl?)
Access to the water supply, and whether your setup can be brought up to Australian Standard requirements with proper backflow prevention devices
Whether you’re prepared to involve a licensed plumber and, for electric models, a licensed electrician.

The good news is that there are now options at every level – from simple non‑electric bidet attachments right through to full, built‑in bidet toilet suites – so most households can find a solution that works for their budget and bathroom experience.

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What is a Bidet Toilet?

A bidet toilet is a toilet that washes you with water after you use it, instead of relying only on toilet paper. In practice, that usually means one of three things:

A standard pan with a bidet toilet seat that replaces your existing toilet seat.
A pan with a non‑electric bidet attachment tucked under the existing toilet seat.
A full toilet suite with a built‑in bidet and smart functions designed from the ground up.

In all of these, the key idea is the same: a small nozzle extends inside the toilet bowl and sprays clean water from the mains to rinse you off, often with adjustable settings. Some models are non‑electric and rely on cold water and simple controls, while others are full electric bidet toilets with warm water, heated seats, dryers and remote controls. For many homeowners, the appeal is a mix of comfort, better hygiene and using far less toilet paper day to day.

How Does a Bidet Toilet Work?

Once people understand how a bidet toilet works, a lot of their hesitation disappears. The important detail is that the system uses clean mains water, not water from the bowl, and your plumber connects it to the same water supply that feeds your cistern.

On a basic non‑electric setup, turning a dial or lever sends mains water through a small valve and out of the nozzle at controlled water pressure. Electric bidet seats and smart bidet toilets add a small control unit and heater that gives you extra functions like warm water, adjustable spray position, heated seats and sometimes warm‑air dryers. You still use the toilet exactly as you would a standard toilet; you only switch on the bidet functions at the end.

For anyone nervous about backflow, modern bidet systems are designed and installed with air gaps or certified backflow prevention devices so that used water cannot siphon back into the main supply. That’s where Australian Standard rules come in, and why professional installation matters.

Can You Install a Bidet on Any Toilet?

You can usually install a bidet toilet seat or a non‑electric bidet attachment on many standard toilets, but not all of them. The easiest candidates are simple two‑piece toilets and basic one‑piece toilets where the tank and bowl shapes are fairly straightforward.

What tends to work best:

Round toilets and elongated toilets with standard seat bolt spacing.
A flat area behind the existing toilet seat fixings where the new mounting plate can sit.
A cistern connection that’s easy for a plumber to reach and add a t‑valve.

What often causes problems is a french curve toilet – those sculpted one‑piece designs where the bowl and tank flow together in a way that leaves no flat area for a bidet seat bracket. With some french curve pans, it’s almost impossible to find a seat or attachment that lines up and sits securely, so even though the toilet works fine, the bidet retrofit doesn’t.

This is why we always encourage people to bring photos and rough measurements. A quick look at the toilet bowl shape, seat bolt spacing and space around the back tells us a lot about compatibility before you buy. If your pan is an awkward french curve or very compact, a full replacement with a properly designed toilet bidet may simply be the cleaner solution in the long run.

Bidet Toilet Vs Bidet Spray

A bidet toilet and a bidet spray solve the same problem, but in different ways:

A bidet toilet (or bidet toilet seat) is a built‑in system: the nozzle is tucked inside the seat or pan, you sit as you normally would, press a button, and the toilet handles the positioning, water pressure and, on electric models, warm water, heated seats and even dryers.
A bidet spray, on the other hand, is a handheld bidet on a flexible hose that you point yourself, more like a mini shower head. It’s almost always non‑electric, cheaper to buy and very handy for rinsing the toilet bowl or nappies, but it relies entirely on your control and good plumbing: because the spray head can wander close to the bowl, regulators treat it as higher‑risk and expect strict backflow prevention and a licensed plumber to do the installation.

Can You Install a Bidet Spray on Any Toilet?

Yes, you can retrofit a bidet spray to an existing toilet – but only in a very specific, compliant way in Australia, and it’s not a DIY job.

You’re allowed to add a handheld bidet / bidet spray to most standard toilets as long as:

The spray kit is WaterMark‑certified and suitable for use with toilets.
A licensed plumber installs it, including the correct high‑hazard backflow prevention device (often an RPZD) on the water supply line.
The t‑valve and pipework are set up so contaminated water can’t siphon back from the toilet bowl into the drinking water.

Regulators treat bidet sprays as high‑risk because the nozzle can sit close to, or even inside, the bowl, so any non‑compliant retrofit is both illegal and a potential contamination risk.

How to Use a Bidet Toilet

Using a bidet toilet feels strange for the first day or two, then quickly becomes second nature. Most smart bidet seats and toilets are designed to be as intuitive as possible, with labelled buttons or simple remote controls.

The basic routine is usually:

Sit and use the toilet as normal.
Press the rear‑wash or front‑wash button on the side panel or remote control.
Adjust the water pressure, spray position and temperature if your model allows, so the nozzle hits the right spot.
After the spray finishes, either pat dry with a small amount of toilet paper or switch on the built‑in dryer if your model has one.

People often worry that they’ll feel “soaked”, but modern designs use controlled streams rather than mini shower heads, and the spray is targeted rather than spraying the whole toilet bowl. Almost all first‑time users ask whether the water is clean; once they understand it’s mains drinking water, not reused bowl water, and that backflow is controlled, they relax into the experience.

How Much is Bidet Toilet?

The cost question comes up in almost every conversation. There’s a wide range, but we tend to see three main levels that make sense for most renovations:

Option	What it is	Cost
Non‑electric bidet attachment or basic seat	Simple mechanical unit, taps into cold water only	Lowest upfront cost, good for cautious first‑time users
Electric bidet seat	Seat with built‑in bidet functions and heater	Mid‑range; retrofit to an existing toilet during a renovation
Full bidet toilet suite	Complete toilet with integrated smart features	Higher cost, best when you’re replacing the pan anyway

Non‑electric seats and attachments are the cheapest way to install bidet functionality on an existing toilet, but you’ll still need a licensed plumber to connect the t‑valve and any backflow prevention devices. Electric bidet seats cost more up front, but they give you warm water, heated seats and finer control for less than the price of a full smart toilet, which is why they’re popular in retrofit projects.

A full smart toilet is the premium option. You’re paying for a complete, integrated suite that can overhaul the bathroom experience in one hit, which makes sense in a major renovation where you’re changing the toilet anyway.

Wrapping it Up

So, can you install a bidet on any toilet? For many round toilets and elongated toilets, the answer is yes, with the right product and a bit of planning. For quirky french curve pans and some compact designs, the honest answer is probably not – you’re better off with a complete toilet bidet that’s designed to meet Australian Standard requirements from day one.

In every case, the safest path is the same: choose a WaterMark‑certified bidet seat, bidet spray or smart toilet that’s been designed for Australian homes, and let a licensed plumber – and where needed, a licensed electrician – handle the parts that connect to your water supply and power. That way you get all the comfort of warm water washing, less toilet paper and a more comfortable bathroom experience, without putting your drinking water or insurance at risk.

FAQs

Which brands in Australia sell bidet toilets?

In Australia, you’ll mainly see bidet toilets and smart toilets from brands like Lafeme, Caroma, Argent, Johnson Suisse, TOTO, Kohler and American Standard. These brands offer a mix of full smart toilet suites and retrofit bidet toilet seats, so most homeowners can choose between upgrading an existing pan or installing a complete new bidet toilet during a renovation.

Can I install a bidet myself, or do I have to use a plumber?

You can often handle the physical mounting of the seat or attachment yourself, but any work that connects to the water supply must be done by a licensed plumber under Australian plumbing law. A plumber will install the t‑valve, any required backflow prevention devices and sign off that the bidet installation complies; for electric models, an electrician should handle the power point.

Do bidets use a lot of water compared with toilet paper?

No. A typical wash cycle uses a small amount of warm water compared with the water and energy required to manufacture, transport and dispose of toilet paper. For many homeowners, the trade‑off is a small increase in direct water use for a large drop in paper use, blockages and strain on septic or sewer systems.

Are bidet toilets high‑maintenance?

Not really. You’ll need to wipe over the seat and nozzle area regularly, just as you would any other bathroom fixture, and some electric bidet models have replaceable filters that need occasional changing. Beyond that, maintenance is mostly about common‑sense cleaning and having a plumber or service tech check the system if you notice any change in spray performance or leaks.

Where to buy bidet toilet in Melbourne?

In Melbourne, your choices are roughly split between online and showroom‑based retailers. Online stores give you access to a huge range of bidet sprayers, bidet attachments and smart seats, but it can be hard to judge comfort and compatibility from product photos alone. Wherever you buy, look for:

WaterMark certification and clear references to the relevant Australian Standard.
Information about built‑in backflow protection or the need for external devices.
Local warranty support, not just a drop‑ship from overseas.

Need help finding the right toilet?

You can speak with our team or visit the Buildmat showroom if you want personalised guidance. We're here to make the process easier.

Phone: 1300 123 122
Email: sales@buildmat.com.au
Showroom: 46 Brindley St, Dandenong South VIC 3175 Australia