Where to install a hand shower with bar?

Hi, I realized that I didn't inform the plumber I would be using a hand shower that is held at a bar, and he set the pipes for a head shower.

I have bought a grohe hand shower set similar to this linked below and I am trying to figure out what to tell him. I assume that in order to have the actual shower on top of my head and aligned with the faucet and tub spout (there is a tub too) I need the pipe to be offset to the side, as well as the bar. Am I correct?

http://www.grohe.com/us/6363/shower...product-details/?product=27140-G173&color=EN0

- If I leave the pipe where it is not only the shower hose would start too high but the bar and shower would also end up offset and not aligned with faucet and tub faucet.

- In this shower there will be adults as well as child bathing, so I imagine we would want the hose lower (maybe aligned with the middle of the bar ?) so the shower would have more range.

Please let me know your opinion so I can talk to plumber.

Thanks so much

Depending on the angle you have the holder on the bar, most of the length of the handheld can extend beyond the top of the rod of the bar. Grohe also has more than one hose that will fit, so you can get a longer one (I picked up one since I have a 6' tub, and a 5' hose didn't allow me to use it to rinse things well when cleaning). Assuming you have the thing in hand, you may want to show it to the plumber and 'dry fit' it so that it's where you want. It's certainly easier to move things now, should you decide you need to rather than after the tile's up!

Hi, I am not sure if the shower should be on the right or left of the bar and if the hose is supposed to be on the same side of shower or other side of the bar.

He is a mock up of what I had in mind initially, but now I am not sure this is the optimum. I see some pictures where the hose is on the same side of the hand shower, not crossing like in this mock up.

I am now also unsure if the shower holder should be on the other side, the one facing the wall instead of the side I enter the shower. My initial thought was that I would want to easily access the shower with my right hand so it should also be on the right side of the bar. Do you agree?

And where should the hose be? And also at what height should the hose start?

Thanks

FWIW, if you're going to be moving the thing up and down, it's probably easier to have the adjustment knob on the dominant hand side (right for most people). Just pulling it out of the holder, you should be able to reach it with either, regardless of which side it is on. Most of them have enough standoff with the holder so that it can come horizontally out into the shower area as well, rather than to one side or the other. Maybe a little harder to reach the adjustment knob, but still doable. Since you can buy the hoses in various lengths, where it hangs can be an issue depending on where it comes out of the wall or valve. I find it nice to be able to get the handheld close to the back wall to rinse things when cleaning, so have a longer hose on mine (it's also a 6' tub, so longer than most). Mock up the install by having someone hold the end, and stand in the area and move the handheld around like you think you would, and try various positions. Also, if the handheld is at the low end, you do not want the hose coiling up on the floor, as it is a potential trip hazard. That's all I can think of for now.

I would install some backing in this location so you can anchor into wood verse's relying on plastic anchors. Keep in mind the adjust knob on the sliding bar.

Click to expand...

Do you mean to have wood behind the drywall behind shower bar so it's more secure?

Thanks

The bar is NOT designed as a safety bar, but still should be anchored well. One of the plastic T-shaped anchors designed for your wall thickness (includes tile, thinset and backer) is enough IMHO. Those are really hard to pull out, but depending on the thickness of the tile, a 'normal' one may be sufficient. Mines been up for 7-years with just plastic anchors and is as solid as it was the day it was installed. FWIW, John and Schluter are in violent disagreement over the use of drywall and Kerdi. Done right, and the test results agree, it is fine. Done wrong, and you have little room for error with drywall behind. Do it right!

Thanks jadnashua....I guess it might be too late for the wood blocking and for any changes.

I took long to get back to the GC and I guess he didn't tell his guys to wait, and the plumber already moved the pipes and the wall is cement boarded.

It ell was setup too low, so when the shower is set to a lower height hose might get tangled on the valve. I would have put it about a foot higher.

Thanks for all the feedback john.

I would spin the holder of the hand held so it's on the other side of the bar. The hoses never look great when they cross the trim plate of the thermostatic or control valve with the holder switched to the other side you should be able to keep the hose from crossing the trim plate. Wait till the tile is installed before placing it for good.

Click to expand...

The thing is that we are both right handed and we might be out of the shower needing to grab it to rinse our kid, so we need easy access without having to go around. If that's the case I rather request the plumber to move the nipple to the other side. They put the cement wall anyway knowing I still wanted to decide on the shower. BUT 95% of the time, the hose would cross over the valve plate, not under. See pic. Do you think it's still weird?

What's with the fasteners shown? Looks like you have less than 15 screws in that entire installation?

Click to expand...

I don't know. Maybe there still need to finish it?

Is the stud in the center of the fixture wall messed with. Looking close at the first picture it looks like it might have been Swiss Cheesed (butchered) (chopped) (hacked at).... What happens when you push on the wall hard? Do you wreck the other side?

Click to expand...

Not sure how you could tell it, but yes there is a stud behind the rough in and I saw the plumber had hacked it so it would fit. The pipe runs alongside the stud. Is that not ok?

Was the shower pan flood tested yet? Does it have a pre-slope?

Click to expand...

Don't know. What's the shower pan? I am trusting that between my GC and Plumber they know what needs to be done to make sure everything is waterproof. My GC said he has done these setups many times.

What does it mean a sistered stud?

Not sure if its poly but there was a black paper thing on top of insulation and below the durarock. Is that the Poly?

Thanks

When you sister a structural piece of material, it means you add a second piece alongside the original, and bond them together (nails, screws, maybe construction adhesive). They may have used tar paper, which works.