Recommended shower makes / setup for three outputs.
Discussion
Nearly kicking off bathroom refurb 2017, and down to the final few decisions.
Looking for the PH Collectives opinion on showers and bath fillers.
Setup we desire is an overhead rain shower (wall or ceiling), separate hand shower / normal shower plus a bath filler.
There will be a small battened out space on the shower wall of approx 6cm to 7cm plus possibility to do a small amount of chasing out if vital - it's solid external wall behind mind. Block construction.
So - what do we recon? Exposed bar shower and separate bath filler? In wall valve (if so, which one for three, and how reliable are they?) or go digital?
Looking for the PH Collectives opinion on showers and bath fillers.
Setup we desire is an overhead rain shower (wall or ceiling), separate hand shower / normal shower plus a bath filler.
There will be a small battened out space on the shower wall of approx 6cm to 7cm plus possibility to do a small amount of chasing out if vital - it's solid external wall behind mind. Block construction.
So - what do we recon? Exposed bar shower and separate bath filler? In wall valve (if so, which one for three, and how reliable are they?) or go digital?
We just re-did a bathroom in our cottage.
among other things, we installed Perrin & Rowe wall-mounted 8 inch shower head, in-wall mixer, sink faucet, mirror and bog-roll holder. All with the same nickel finish.
It's not cheap, but it really is beautiful stuff. That said, it can be hard to justify that price point when half the dosh gets you fabulous stuff, too.
among other things, we installed Perrin & Rowe wall-mounted 8 inch shower head, in-wall mixer, sink faucet, mirror and bog-roll holder. All with the same nickel finish.
It's not cheap, but it really is beautiful stuff. That said, it can be hard to justify that price point when half the dosh gets you fabulous stuff, too.
Testaburger said:
We just re-did a bathroom in our cottage.
among other things, we installed Perrin & Rowe wall-mounted 8 inch shower head, in-wall mixer, sink faucet, mirror and bog-roll holder. All with the same nickel finish.
It's not cheap, but it really is beautiful stuff. That said, it can be hard to justify that price point when half the dosh gets you fabulous stuff, too.
Half the dosh gets you half as good.among other things, we installed Perrin & Rowe wall-mounted 8 inch shower head, in-wall mixer, sink faucet, mirror and bog-roll holder. All with the same nickel finish.
It's not cheap, but it really is beautiful stuff. That said, it can be hard to justify that price point when half the dosh gets you fabulous stuff, too.
Don't use a 'shower control' to fill the bath. Their flow rates can be drastically reduced compared to some of the wider bore bath fillers.
I would stick with separate shower controls....then separate bath controls, which offer the widest continuous internal bore for maximum fill rate.
I would stick with separate shower controls....then separate bath controls, which offer the widest continuous internal bore for maximum fill rate.
Andehh said:
Don't use a 'shower control' to fill the bath. Their flow rates can be drastically reduced compared to some of the wider bore bath fillers.
I would stick with separate shower controls....then separate bath controls, which offer the widest continuous internal bore for maximum fill rate.
This is correct unless you really don't want a deck mounted bath filler and prefer the 'simpler' look of a bath filler/overflow.I would stick with separate shower controls....then separate bath controls, which offer the widest continuous internal bore for maximum fill rate.
We used Grohe (exposed) and Hudson Reed (concealed) stuff. Both work just fine, but time will tell if the cheaper HR stuff is good long-term. It certainly looks good and feels like quality.
We have a few showers with three outputs (rain head, body jets/bath filler and separate angled shower on a riser bar). You need a 3 output thermostatic mixer. Couple of tips:
- check your water pressure. We have a new unvented system, so pressure is good.
- if a build in (concealed) shower valve, put it somewhere other than under the fall of the shower. Allows you to turn it on and get up t temperature without getting wet.
We have a few showers with three outputs (rain head, body jets/bath filler and separate angled shower on a riser bar). You need a 3 output thermostatic mixer. Couple of tips:
- check your water pressure. We have a new unvented system, so pressure is good.
- if a build in (concealed) shower valve, put it somewhere other than under the fall of the shower. Allows you to turn it on and get up t temperature without getting wet.
Harry Flashman said:
We used Grohe (exposed) and Hudson Reed (concealed) stuff. Both work just fine, but time will tell if the cheaper HR stuff is good long-term. It certainly looks good and feels like quality.
We have a few showers with three outputs (rain head, body jets/bath filler and separate angled shower on a riser bar). You need a 3 output thermostatic mixer. Couple of tips:
- check your water pressure. We have a new unvented system, so pressure is good.
- if a build in (concealed) shower valve, put it somewhere other than under the fall of the shower. Allows you to turn it on and get up t temperature without getting wet.
Both HR & Grohe are good products and will last many years. Any concealed shower valve will require HP either pumped, combi, unvented, etc..We have a few showers with three outputs (rain head, body jets/bath filler and separate angled shower on a riser bar). You need a 3 output thermostatic mixer. Couple of tips:
- check your water pressure. We have a new unvented system, so pressure is good.
- if a build in (concealed) shower valve, put it somewhere other than under the fall of the shower. Allows you to turn it on and get up t temperature without getting wet.
Any brassware & thermostats will last significantly longer with a water softener installed (if you live in a hard water area).
Very good point regarding concealed valve location, as long as it's not on a cavity wall.
GrumpyTwig said:
Just fitted a grohe bar valve and a tap, all seems very well made and works great. Both weighed a ton so are either well made or full of lead.
well made & decent thickness of brass. General rule of thumb is if the weight is there then product is good. Pick up a Victoria Plump tap and it is light as a feather. Looks good but is cheap crap.Murph7355 said:
Mira Platinum digital. Though I think they only do double outlets (I'd have no issues using one as a bath filler and if I could have justified some extra expense redoing a bath I would have).
Aqualisa Quartz or Q are worth a look as well if you want digital. Quartz do a single outlet HP or pumped version.IJB1959 said:
Half the dosh gets you half as good.
It's not my area of expertise, but I'm not sure that's strictly true. While my P&R pieces are beautiful and I'm very happy with them, I'm not sure they're necessarily twice (or more) as good as the likes of Grohe. Although tell me again, so I feel better about the bill!
Testaburger said:
It's not my area of expertise, but I'm not sure that's strictly true. While my P&R pieces are beautiful and I'm very happy with them, I'm not sure they're necessarily twice (or more) as good as the likes of Grohe.
Although tell me again, so I feel better about the bill!
It's a general rule of thumb on the RRP, although you can get decent branded brassware at some good discounted prices. Grohe (as good as they are) tend to be over rated being German engineering and therefore over priced for what you get. As a point to note, Grohe were fined 58 million euros in 2010 for price fixing. P&R are of a good quality and therefore a good buy at the current RRP or less.Although tell me again, so I feel better about the bill!
Having spent an afternoon fixing a couple of Grohe thermostatic valves, where the "chromed ABS plastic that looks like metal" exterior fittings had broken, I'm not sure Grohe are great value for money. We also have several Crosswater valves that seem much better made, i.e. I think the chromed metal is actually chromed brass, not ABS plastic. Grohe spares also seemed ludicrously expensive, to replace the piece of plastic that had broken was going to cost £100+ for the part!
Try amazon for Hudson Reed stuff. I just bought 4 of their very nice looking "topaz" triple control 2 way valves for the shower enclosures in our new place, and they were about £90 each All metal and ceramic construction. These allow 2 way control (so two outlets) and for these outlets to run at the same time. They also do a 3 way triple version for your needs, OP.
Obviously you still need to buy all the shower heads etc - I am using ENKI metal rain heads with the silicone easy clean nozzles, and probably some sort of generic cheap metal shower risers and multiflow heads, as these are easily replaced if needed.
Interesting post about the plastic bits on Grohe valves. My Grohe shower havschromed plastic parts. The HR bits in the other showers in our current home are all metal, and feel better quality in action than the Grohe, and have performed faultlessly for the year we have had them (as had the Grohe stuff).
When refurbishing my flat many years ago, I had no money, and bought cheap ebay (exposed, not concealed) stuff. Apart from replacing washers/ceramic cartridges etc, I have had no problems. I would not do the same for a concealed shower valve though, as would not wanting something leaking inside a wall.
Obviously you still need to buy all the shower heads etc - I am using ENKI metal rain heads with the silicone easy clean nozzles, and probably some sort of generic cheap metal shower risers and multiflow heads, as these are easily replaced if needed.
Interesting post about the plastic bits on Grohe valves. My Grohe shower havschromed plastic parts. The HR bits in the other showers in our current home are all metal, and feel better quality in action than the Grohe, and have performed faultlessly for the year we have had them (as had the Grohe stuff).
When refurbishing my flat many years ago, I had no money, and bought cheap ebay (exposed, not concealed) stuff. Apart from replacing washers/ceramic cartridges etc, I have had no problems. I would not do the same for a concealed shower valve though, as would not wanting something leaking inside a wall.
IJB1959 said:
It's a general rule of thumb on the RRP, although you can get decent branded brassware at some good discounted prices. Grohe (as good as they are) tend to be over rated being German engineering and therefore over priced for what you get. As a point to note, Grohe were fined 58 million euros in 2010 for price fixing. P&R are of a good quality and therefore a good buy at the current RRP or less.
Interesting - didn't know about Grohe getting in hot water in 2010!Fortunately, I got 15-25% off RRP in the end, I get paid in USD, so the slump in the pound made the budget stretch a little further..
Glad I didn't get taken for a ride..
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