private float calcReferenceHeight(float hCenter) {
    float yBefore = origRectangle.getTop();

    ColumnTextBuilder tempCtb = b.newColumnTextBuilder();

    singleColumnRect.copyPositionsFrom(origRectangle);

    singleColumnRect.setBottom(-100000f);
    singleColumnRect.setRight(hCenter);

    applyPadding(singleColumnRect, true);

    tempCtb.setSimpleColumn(singleColumnRect.get());

    final DirectContentAdder adder = new DirectContentAdder(tempCtb);

    adder
        .setStartWith(initialLeftCTB)
        .setStartAtIndex(startAtElement)
        .setSimulate(true)
        .setHeights(true)
        .go();

    sequence.initialContentHeight = adder.startContentHeight;

    float yAfter = tempCtb.getYLine();

    return (yBefore - yAfter);
  }