Help! Shower Head attachment to water supply

Hi All -

Due to some poor planning by my plumber, I've got an issue to resolve concerning the connection of my shower head arm to the water supply line in the wall.

The water line was roughed in and the threaded elbox, to which the shower head arm should connect is roughed in about 4" behind the wall. The plumber insert a nipple into the elbow after the rough in, so the water could be turned on and I could finish the tiling. I cut the tile so the opening is barely big enough to let the nipple pass through.

Unfortunately, the plumber failed to inspect the shower head arm before locating the water line in the wall. the arm has a large curve to it, so it cannot be turned to screw it into the elbow, due to the size of the opening in the tile. I need to figure out some way to extend the water line out from the elbow and provide a female end for the shower head arm to screw into. any ideas?

thanks in advance for your help!

You might have to search for a different shower arm. Too bad it is that far in the wall, it will also make it kind of hard to thread in the new arm, especially if it isn't perfectly true. Any way to get to the back side - open up a closet wall for example?

How about using the nipple the plumber gave you,or a longer one if needed,and screwing a 1/2 inch coupling onto it.

They do make an extra long arm. You could also tweak the tile enough to fit a nipple with a coupling attached.