What Is a Bidet? Types, Costs and Installation in Australia

A bidet is a bathroom fixture that uses a stream of water to clean you after using the toilet. That's the short answer. Instead of relying only on paper, you get a controlled rinse, which most people find cleaner and gentler once they try it.

In Australian bathrooms you'll see four main formats: a standalone ceramic bidet next to the toilet, an electronic bidet seat that replaces your existing toilet seat, a basic bidet attachment that sits under the seat, and a handheld bidet spray (often called a bidette) mounted on the wall. There are also bidet toilet combos, sometimes called smart toilets or Japanese toilets, where the bidet function is built into the toilet itself.

All of them are legal here when installed to the Plumbing Code of Australia and fitted with WaterMark-certified parts. More on that below.

Jump to section

• What a bidet actually is
• How a bidet works
• Types of bidets you can buy in Australia
• Bidet vs toilet paper
• Are bidets legal in Australia?
• What it takes to install one
• What bidets cost in Australia
• Which type suits your bathroom
• FAQs
• Related reads

What a bidet actually is

The bidet started life in 17th century France as a bedroom fixture for personal washing, sitting on a low wooden frame. Over time it moved into the bathroom and became a hygiene fixture rather than a piece of bedroom furniture.

That shift mattered more than people realise. When the bidet lived in the bedroom, it was tied to intimate hygiene. Once it moved to the bathroom, the function narrowed to a post-toilet rinse. In cultures where the bathroom is treated as a strictly utilitarian space, that reframing actually slowed adoption. In Japan, Italy, France, parts of South America and the Middle East, bidets are standard. In Australia, the UK and the US, they've been slower to catch on. Mostly out of habit rather than any real downside.

What hasn't changed is the function. A bidet directs a small, controllable stream of water at the perineal or rear area. Some models add temperature control, adjustable pressure, oscillating nozzles and warm air drying. Others are as simple as a tap and a basin.

How a bidet works

Different formats, same idea. Clean water in, controlled spray, waste goes down the toilet (or, for a standalone bidet, down its own waste).

A standalone ceramic bidet works like a low basin with a tap. You straddle it, run the water to your preferred temperature, and rinse. It connects to both hot and cold water lines and has its own drain.

A bidet seat or electronic bidet seat replaces your standard toilet seat. A retractable nozzle sits under the rim and extends when you press a button or use a remote. Better models give you hot and cold mixing, adjustable pressure, oscillating or pulsing spray patterns, a heated seat, a warm air dryer and a deodoriser. Roca's Multiclean M4, for example, runs a self-cleaning nozzle with UV light and, according to Roca's own product material, removes 99.99% of bacteria from the nozzle between uses.

A bidet attachment is the budget version. It sits between your toilet bowl and seat, runs off the cold water line behind the cistern, and has a manual dial for pressure. Cold water only, no power needed.

A handheld bidet spray (bidette) is a trigger-operated sprayer on a hose, mounted to the wall next to the toilet. You aim it yourself.

One thing worth flagging for Aussie buyers: cold-water-only units are a hard sell through winter. Heated water and a warm seat are usually what convert sceptics, not nozzle position or pressure.

Types of bidets you can buy in Australia

Here's how the four main formats stack up. The ABCB WaterMark Schedule of Products lists three bidet-related sanitary fixture entries: Bidet to AS 1172.3:2019, Bidet douche seats to WMTS-051:2021, and Bidette to AS 1172.3:2019. If the product you're buying falls into one of these categories, it needs to carry the WaterMark to be legally installed.

If you want the integrated look without two fixtures, bidet toilets bundle the wash function into the pan itself. They take up the same footprint as a regular toilet.

Bidet vs toilet paper, the practical comparison

The most common objection is "but bidets waste water." It's the wrong way around. A typical bidet wash uses around 0.5 to 1 litre. A single roll of toilet paper takes roughly 140 litres of water to manufacture, including pulping and processing. Over a year, a household using a bidet plus a small amount of paper for drying tends to use less total water than one going through paper alone.

For broader context, the Australian Government's WELS scheme (Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards) regulates seven product groups for water efficiency, including toilets and taps. The 9 February 2026 WELS update forecasts 219 gigalitres of nationwide water savings in 2026, around 22 litres per person per day. Bidets sit alongside that picture rather than against it.

On hygiene, water rinses more thoroughly than dry wiping. On comfort, most people who try one regularly don't go back, particularly anyone with haemorrhoids, post-surgery recovery or limited mobility. On cost, a $100 attachment pays for itself in about a year of avoided paper. A $3,000 smart toilet is a longer payback, but you're buying the heated seat, drying and self-clean as much as the rinse.

Are bidets legal in Australia?

Yes. The myth that bidets are banned here comes from a misunderstanding of the plumbing rules. Bidets are legal when installed to code by a licensed plumber with WaterMark-certified fixtures.

Here's what the codes actually say. The National Construction Code Volume Three (the Plumbing Code of Australia) Specification 41 classifies bidets and toilet douche seats as a High Hazard where the water outlet, in any position, sits less than 25 mm above the overflow level of the pan. "High Hazard" means the fixture could, in a fault scenario, draw contaminated water back into the drinking water supply. That backflow risk has to be designed out.

The fix is either a 25 mm air gap built into the fixture, or an approved backflow prevention device selected from AS/NZS 3500.1:2021 section 4. Handheld bidet hoses and trigger sprays are listed as High Hazard for individual protection in the same Specification 41. The WA Plumbers Licensing Board confirms PCA 2022 was adopted for plumbing work in Western Australia on 1 May 2023 and notes each bidet hazard must be isolated from the drinking water supply.

The ABCB WaterMark Schedule adds that bidets intended for douche spray below the rim aren't suitable for direct connection to drinking water, while bidettes with the prescribed minimum air gap can be directly connected.

Plain English: you can install one. It just has to be the right product, plumbed the right way, by the right tradie.

What it takes to install one

What each format actually needs, on the ground.

1. Standalone bidet. Around 30 cm of clear floor space next to the toilet, plus access to both hot and cold water lines and a dedicated waste. In an existing bathroom, retrofitting the lines and waste typically adds $500 to $1,000 to the install. If you don't have the floor space or the wall plumbing, this isn't the format for you.
2. Electronic bidet seat or smart toilet. Needs a power point within reach. This is where AS/NZS 3000 (the Wiring Rules) and wet zone classifications come in. NSW Government guidance applying AS/NZS 3000 says socket outlets aren't permitted in Zone 0 or Zone 1 (the bath or shower itself, and the area immediately above). In Zone 2 (within 600 mm horizontally of the bath or shower), sockets are limited to a shaver outlet or an RCD-protected outlet inside a cupboard. In Zone 3, outlets below 0.3 m off the floor aren't permitted, and outlets at or above 0.3 m require RCD protection or a separated supply. If your toilet sits close to the shower, an electrician needs to confirm where the point can legally go.
3. Hard water. Parts of Adelaide, Perth and regional areas run hard water. It scales heating elements and clogs nozzle holes on electronic seats faster than you'd expect. If you're in a hard water area, a standalone bidet or a basic attachment will outlast an electronic seat unless you add a water softener.
4. Bidet attachment or handheld spray. Lower stakes, but the trigger spray still connects to the cold water supply and needs backflow protection. Don't fit one yourself without checking your state's rules.

For broader fit-out planning, our bathroom renovation guide covers sequencing of plumbing, electrical and tiling.

What bidets cost in Australia

Rough price ranges across the formats:

• Handheld bidet spray / bidette: $80 to $300 for the fitting, plus plumber install.
• Bidet attachment (cold water, non-electric): $50 to $200. Fits under your existing seat.
• Electronic bidet seat: $500 to $2,500. Higher end gets you remote control, oscillating wash, heated seat, warm air dry and self-cleaning nozzles.
• Standalone ceramic bidet: $400 to $1,500 for the fixture, plus $500 to $1,000 install in an existing bathroom.
• Smart toilet / bidet toilet combo: $2,000 to $8,000+. A full integrated unit replaces your toilet.

Install costs vary by state and by how much wall and floor work is needed. The Caroma range covers both standalone bidets and bidet-capable toilets at the more established end of the market.

Which type suits your bathroom

Quick decision logic.

Renting? A bidet attachment or a non-electric seat that swaps back to the original at move-out is the practical pick. No plumbing changes, no holes in the wall.

Owning, existing bathroom, no reno planned? An electronic bidet seat is usually the best balance, assuming you've got a power point in legal range of the toilet.

Doing a reno or new build? This is when a bidet toilet combo or a standalone bidet makes sense. You're already opening walls, so the extra plumbing and electrical isn't a separate cost event. Wall-hung toilets with integrated bidet functions are worth a look for small bathrooms because they free up floor space.

Hard water area? Lean toward a standalone bidet or a model with a self-descaling cycle.

If you're not sure what fits your wet zone layout and plumbing, send us a photo and the dimensions. We deal with this every week and can point you to fixtures that'll actually pass inspection.

Frequently asked questions

Are bidets illegal in Australia?
No. They're legal when installed by a licensed plumber using WaterMark-certified fixtures and the correct backflow prevention under AS/NZS 3500.1:2021. The "illegal" myth comes from the High Hazard classification in Plumbing Code Specification 41, which is a design requirement, not a ban.

Do bidets replace toilet paper completely?
Most people still use a small amount of paper to dry off, or use the warm air dry function on an electronic seat. Paper use drops by 75% or more in most households.

Are bidets sanitary?
Yes. The water comes from your drinking water supply, the nozzle is positioned away from waste, and most electronic models self-clean the nozzle between uses. Roca states its Multiclean M4 UV self-clean removes 99.99% of bacteria from the nozzle.

Do bidets waste water?
A wash uses about 0.5 to 1 litre. A roll of toilet paper takes around 140 litres to produce. The water maths favours the bidet.

Can I install a bidet myself?
No for any fixed bidet, electronic seat or hard-wired smart toilet. Plumbing connections fall under licensed plumber work, and 240V wiring near wet zones falls under licensed electrician work (AS/NZS 3000). A non-electric attachment that screws onto the existing cistern outlet is the only realistic DIY option, and even then check your state's rules.

Are bidets only for women?
No. The cleaning function is for everyone. Most electronic models have separate front and rear wash settings.

Do electronic bidet seats work with hard water?
They work, but they wear faster. Hard water scales heating elements and clogs nozzle holes. In hard water areas, factor in periodic descaling, look for self-clean models, or consider a standalone bidet instead.

Related reads

• Different types of toilets and which suits your bathroom layout.
• What is a rimless toilet and how it compares to traditional pans.
• Wall-hung toilet maintenance for anyone considering a concealed cistern setup.
• Toilet dimensions for planning space around a bidet or standalone fixture.

References

• https://ncc.abcb.gov.au/editions/ncc-2022/adopted/volume-three/b-water-services/41-cross-connection-hazards
• https://www.wa.gov.au/system/files/2024-10/technical_note_bidet_douche_seats_and_toilets.pdf
• https://www.abcb.gov.au/schedule-products-sanitary-fixtures
• https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/compliance-and-regulation/electricians/electrical-standards-rules-and-notes/switches-and-sockets-wet-areas
• https://www.dcceew.gov.au/about/news/help-us-find-new-products-save-water