My question is about the distance one can move a toilet from its original position.

I'm currently looking to buy a home. A rambler (aka ranch-style) is my preferred style, and in the areas I'm considering, most of the houses were built in the 50s and 60s.

I live in MN; I'm guessing that the region of the country I'm in makes a difference to at least some of the housing codes. So I'll most likely be making changes to a 1st floor room with a basement underneath it.

The most common - by far! - bathroom layout I see is a room with the short end at an outside wall, with a window in it. Along one side wall is the toilet and sink and opposite those is the tub/shower.

I'll want to change this layout where I can steal space from an adjacent room/closet and put a single person soaker tub by the window. I would have the window enlarged to provide a view outside. (This would be like my own person onsen, if you're familiar with those in Japan.)

I also want a shower, but separate from the tub, and a sink--I don't care where they go. I'd like the toilet separated from at least the tub by some sort of divider; even a half wall would be okay. I don't want to move the stack, but don't know what range of distances I have to work with.

How can I evaluate the bathrooms I see to have a rough idea on whether my plan would be feasible for a given house? I can't afford to have someone visit every prospective home and clue me in.

Share your rules of thumb & knowledge, please! TIA