faucets, valves, fittings for standard tub/shower to roman tub/shower

[renejobe]

I have been given a beautiful, huge 60"X42" roman tub. It has three holes in the outside corner of the deck. I will be installing it after ripping out the existing tile and tub (all standard and very ugly). I need to keep the shower with the tub. My problem is this: I can only find valve/faucet assemblies that are just for a roman tub, or that have a diverter for a hand-held shower. Those all seem to require 5 hole installation. I don't want a hand-held. Can that type of faucet be connected to the existing shower pipe in the wall? As an alternative, I've thought about replacing the existing 2-handle tub/shower valves/faucets with a new set (all wall-mounted) and putting undermounted soap/shampoo dispensers in the holes in the deck of the tub. Any advice/thoughts/ideas would be GREATLY appreciated!

[hj]

One problem with your plan is that unless the Roman tub was designed to mount in an alcove, it will not have tile flanges around its perimeter and unless some provision is made to create them the tub will leak where the tile sits on it. You can use a wall faucet with a shower and the spout on the rim of the tub. Then you need something to fill the other two holes. Or you can use a Roman tub faucet designed for a hand held shower but connect that opening to the shower pipe in the wall.

[renejobe]

Thanks for the input. It does not have tile flanges, and after talking with a lot of folks on the John Bridge tile forums, I have decided to go with the KERDI waterproofing system for this install. Also, we've decided it would be most cost effective to just put a new shower/tub valve trim set in the wall, and do something decorative and/or functional with the holes in the deck of the tub. Again, thanks for your post.