Showers - too much choice - help

[CC45]

The time has come whereby we must make some decisions on bothrooms upstairs - otherwise it will hold up boarding.

 

The smallest shower cubicle is straightforward - 900x900 tray with a bar mixer.  Will get it all from a local merchant since I dont want to import & its convenient.

 

Main bathroom will have a free standing bath that can go in (with associated taps) after the bathroom is tiled / skimmed.  The shower will either be 1200 x 900 or perhaps 1400 x 900 and for this I'd like to give a dual outlet valve a go - this can be mounted such that no one gets wet turning the shower on.  This then feeds a wall mounted shower head plus a conventional slide rail (we arent sure whether we will like the water from above or not so want to have options).  This sort of thing http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CALLA-ROUND-CONCEALED-2-WAY-3-DIAL-THERMOSTATIC-VALVE-SHOWER-HEAD-AND-HANDSET-/131543404980?hash=item1ea09911b4 but with a slide rail.  Looking through the trade catalogues makes my bank account nervous (yet to venture in and start haggling) so my question is - if you wanted to buy on line (to get a competitive price) where would you look?  We arent looking for cheap poorly made stuff but neither are we going to put in some mega expensive stuff - sort of good value, medium quality gear.

 

Any suggestions gratefully received.

 

CC

[lizzie]

Ive got exactly that shower arrangement going in with a 1600x900 flat floor wetroom (tiled over) tray.  I got all my bathroom stuff and tiles  from Porcelanosa in the 40% off sale. Very good value and you pay just 50% on order and the balance on delivery ...and they keep it in the warehouse until you are ready for it which in my case was 11 months. Happy bunny all round......I had the same brand same style in my last house so I know it works. Sale on until this Sunday I believe next one due in the summer.

Edited February 9, 2018 by lizzie
spell

[Ferdinand]

On the trays if you want opinions on that,  decent quality shower tray of 1400 x 900 or perhaps 1800 x 900 and fixed 8mm glass screen with a strong iverhead brace should be coming in at perhaps £350-400 delivered from a decent outlet on eBay. Waste etc may be included free.

 

The last ones I had were 1800x760mm from a manufacturer in Tewkesbury called mx-group.com, which have withstood 5 years of students so far.

 

Check their website then phone them up.  I think I bought via eBay or traced them back to their factory shop.

 

I am told stone resin trays are the ones to have, but others may have different views or prefer new fangled wetrooms.

 

On the showers, I think the Welsh Wizard recommended one recently.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 10, 2018 by Ferdinand

[Nickfromwales]

1 hour ago, CC45 said:

The time has come whereby we must make some decisions on bothrooms upstairs - otherwise it will hold up boarding.

 

The smallest shower cubicle is straightforward - 900x900 tray with a bar mixer.  Will get it all from a local merchant since I dont want to import & its convenient.

 

Main bathroom will have a free standing bath that can go in (with associated taps) after the bathroom is tiled / skimmed.  The shower will either be 1200 x 900 or perhaps 1400 x 900 and for this I'd like to give a dual outlet valve a go - this can be mounted such that no one gets wet turning the shower on.  This then feeds a wall mounted shower head plus a conventional slide rail (we arent sure whether we will like the water from above or not so want to have options).  This sort of thing http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CALLA-ROUND-CONCEALED-2-WAY-3-DIAL-THERMOSTATIC-VALVE-SHOWER-HEAD-AND-HANDSET-/131543404980?hash=item1ea09911b4 but with a slide rail.  Looking through the trade catalogues makes my bank account nervous (yet to venture in and start haggling) so my question is - if you wanted to buy on line (to get a competitive price) where would you look?  We arent looking for cheap poorly made stuff but neither are we going to put in some mega expensive stuff - sort of good value, medium quality gear.

 

Any suggestions gratefully received.

 

CC

They're so cheap it's a no brainer to buy two so you have one ready for spares. I have an even cheaper one, and it's in its 3rd year of service with just a little degradation of the thermostatic control. Still works fine but the hot / cold dial has to be turned slightly further to get the same temp as it did when I first fitted it. May just need cleaning / servicing. If your burying this into the tiled wall then buying a spare is sensible IMO. 

[Ferdinand]

I think there is an argument for buying 3 and using the same shower in both.

[CC45]

So no reservations about buying online then....

 

@Ferdinand thanks for that info - I will check their www out.  Plan was to use a fixed screen.

 

The plan is to sink it into the wall (which from an access point of view does make me nervous) so if I buy an unbranded 'cheap' ebay one then thats good advice @Nickfromwales and @Ferdinand.  So no issues with buying that one on the link above?

 

Off to site to get some jobs done before the game later on....

 

Cc

[Nickfromwales]

6 minutes ago, CC45 said:

So no reservations about buying online then....

 

@Ferdinand thanks for that info - I will check their www out.  Plan was to use a fixed screen.

 

The plan is to sink it into the wall (which from an access point of view does make me nervous) so if I buy an unbranded 'cheap' ebay one then thats good advice @Nickfromwales and @Ferdinand.  So no issues with buying that one on the link above?

 

Off to site to get some jobs done before the game later on....

 

Cc

The good news is they get serviced from the front. The control knob cover rings come off and then the square faceplate slides over them and off. Two inlet filters usually and then the thermostatic cartridge screw out for cleaning / replacement. 

Check if the one you buy has non return valves built in, for prevention of back flow ( but more importantly CROSS flow aka mixing ) as you'll need to fit en external inline one locally otherwise.