Help plumbing a walk in shower please?

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Fidoprincess

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Redwood, You are right! Originally I just wanted those 3 items-regular shower head, handheld shower on a bar and a rainshower head. I wanted to be able to run each one by itself or all together at once. I also didn't want all those knobs on the wall and didn't care about the "thermostatic", just really needed pressure balanced so if someone flushes, well..you know. I also only wanted to spend around $800-$1000.

The trouble is that I can not figure out how to get everything to "match"-at least not the knobs. I finally figured I could live with 3 mixers on the wall if I had to but by the time I picked out each individual piece, it was less expensive to just order 2 of these "sets" and forget the rainshower.

I'm so confused...can you show me what you would get? I didn't place the order because when I was calling around to price compare locally, everyone said Moen was terrible ("plumbers only love Moen cause it keeps them in business doing repairs!" and I should go with Hansgrohe or at least Grohe, etc. but geez, I can't find anything comparable for anywhere near the same price.
 

Redwood

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Get one pressure balanced Moen with the 3 function diverter like I posted earlier. Then set that up running the overhead rainshower and the shower arm coming out of the wall. On the shower arm coming out of the wall put the Alsons 3 function diverter and that will allow you to switch between the showerhead mounted on the shower arm, and, or, the hand held shower as they both feed of the Alsons diverter.

All this will run off the one valve instead of having multiple valves.
 

Fidoprincess

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Thanks so much Redwood! I am off to the plumbing store this morning and am taking printouts of your posts with me so I should have good luck! Any tips for picking nice showerheads, go with the Moen? What did you think of them telling me Moen was awful and I needed Hansgrohe?

No more ordering off the internet, the fan came yesterday and it's the wrong one-ack! I'm so mad but have enough time to find it locally.
 

Redwood

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I highly recommend the Speakman line! http://www.speakmancompany.com/products/list/Shower
The more jets the better!

S-2008-BP 80 adjustable spray channels plus massage... Oh Yea Baby!
892


A rain shower 8" Dia. with 96 spray streams... Oh Yea Baby Bring it on!
888


VS-2007 50 adjustable spray channel plus massage... Oh Yea Baby I'm Done!
1320


I stayed at a Marriot Hotel last weekend... Moen and Speakman used there!
Maybe thats why I stay there!
 

Fidoprincess

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Thanks so much Redwood. I like the look of those Speakmans!

I went to the plumbing store and oh boy, my head was spinning. It's probably "unethical" but the salesman wrote everything down I would need and I came home and ordered it in nicer versions for 1/2 price on the internet. I know I said I wouldn't do that anymore but when I called this morning about the fan, they were so nice and switched it out with no problem and took off more money and gave me reduced prices off the plumbing too!

I finally understood more about what I needed/wanted for the shower so I kind of went "simple". I ended up doing 2 "whole" sets. Pressure valve with trim (one handle) for the shower head and then the same valve and trim for the hand held shower on the bar. I realized that I didn't need the rainshower since we all have very long hair and the spray is well, just like rain...not enough to justify the expense. It just looked cool!

This way, my little one can use the handheld and make it colder while I have the regular one my temperature. I probably could have done it a million different ways but this seemed the easiest. I went with Grohe brand and really liked the shower bar thing. It looks like this:
http://images1.hdpi.com/product_enlarged/28574000.JPG

Now, I have to decide it I want them side by side on the same wall (which is easiest and cheapest) or put them on opposite walls. Any thoughts?

I can not wait until this is done. We live at the beach and yesterday the went swimming and almost had a fit having to wait for the one and only shower-ugh! Thanks again for all of your help and hopefully the installation will go well or I will be back to ask about that!
 

Redwood

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