SMF

Got an older home, 1979, and we just bought it about 8 months ago. Galley type of master bath, with tub/shower unit. Replacing counter and sink, keeping the cabinet but painting it. Replacing flooring and shower surround, keeping tub. Want to get new faucet and shower handles and shower head.

1) Rainhead - worth it or not? I used one in a hotel and it was nice, but some say it barely rinses.

2) If I go with a non-rainhead shower head, then my choice is something that has multiple settings on a fixed head, to use with an "s-hook" so that it is more overhead or running a straight pipe horitontally and position it a bit higher. Or I can get a showerhead with an extension on an arm. That way the extension can have multiple settings and with the arm (fixed metal rod on the wall running vertically) and I can move the extension up and down on the arm and put it on massage setting and let it hit say my hip while I shower under the fixed head. My worry there is that since the water pressure runs to two heads, the massage effect of the extension would not be worth it. If so, then it is the fixed head with multiple settings - sorta like a Water-pik but in a nicer housing.

So, any experiences or comments?

When we re-did our master bath we removed the tub, since there's one in the main bathroom, and installed a large shower stall that is floor to ceiling glass on two sides. In the middle of the stall's ceiling we installed a 14" rain head shower; we also installed a handheld shower unit with a wall bracket and three spa sprays in the wall. In order to do this,however, we had to enlarge the capacity of hot and cold water pipes feeding the shower and instal three control valves (one for each of the rain head, handheld unit and sprays). This set up works very well and we particularly like the rain head. As for a single, adjustable shower head, you might want to look at the Speakman range. http://www.speakman.com/

I can see how the triple water supply would be a necessity for the volume needed. I like a lot of water when I'm taking a shower. The water-saving features are of zero interest to me. I'm not saving the world, I'm just taking an 8-minute shower.

When we redid our bathroom, we got rid of the tub entirely and replaced with a walk-in shower. It is SO MUCH safer. No more almost-tripping stepping over the tub wall and into the shower, and stepping out again when the surface is wet/slippery after showering. Even if you don't need a walk-in now, you will some day!

We are going to have to refurbish our main bathroom in the near future. This thread may be a bit off course, but because of Sam's initial question and the responses, I am thinking seriously about removing the tub and replacing it with a large walk-in shower when the time comes.

brothers wrote:We are going to have to refurbish our main bathroom in the near future. This thread may be a bit off course, but because of Sam's initial question and the responses, I am thinking seriously about removing the tub and replacing it with a large walk-in shower when the time comes.

The advise we were give by our estate agent friends was to remove the tub in the master en-suite only if there is a bathtub in another bathroom. Their reasoning is that the lack of a bathtub in a house can affect its saleability since a family with small children would want a bathtub. We have three bathrooms, two of which have large walk-in showers and one which has the standard tub and shower combo.

My choice so far is a fixed rainhead, the Moen Velocity, S6320. 8" head. Now to decide whether to add a second hand held and mounted on an arm

We've been in our house 25 years. I've never taken a bath. I love my walk-in shower.

Sam, every woman in my life has not had any luck removing shampoo with a rain shower head, always complained about the pressure. This was when we would be on vacation in an hotel.

If you go with multiple heads check your water supply piping size, for multiple head simultaneous use you will need a 3/4 water supply line to the shower, and have an 80 gallon water heater.

I have a similar set up as Bryan, I have a Speakman Heavenly shower (dual head) head as my main shower set at 7'6" a Speakman hand held on a bar for the wife that she can move up and down to her liking, and two body sprays.

If you like pressure the Speakman brand can not be beat, adjust to your hearts content.

This simple, plastic shower head from Italy delivers the best water flow of any shower head I have ever used. There is absolutely no flow restriction on this head. You will get every bit of pressure your pipes will allow. No rings or settings, just a nice, high-volume spray. I put it on all of my showers, both at home and at the beach. It works great for outdoor showers because there's nothing to rust.

https://www.amazon.com/Siroflex-Showerh ... hower+head

A few years ago I wanted a rain head shower. Costco, at the time had a kit with a rain head and a valve to a chrome side hose and wand. It had a beautiful side fixture to glue to the wand. The only problem was a mandatory water saving restrictor in the rain head. I got a screwdriver and pried that out and got all the water I needed. Of course, we get our water from the mighty Columbia river and all waster water is treated and dumped back there. We live in the desert and water the lawn with municipal water. The shower is a drop in the bucket.l