Hello everyone,
We want to upgrade our shower to a rain shower.
When searching online, you find many options, but most include the shower mixer.
However, we want an external shower riser rail.
Do you have any recommendations?
Or do you have tips on what to consider when retrofitting?
Stainless steel or brass components?
Square or round showerhead?
We want to upgrade our shower to a rain shower.
When searching online, you find many options, but most include the shower mixer.
However, we want an external shower riser rail.
Do you have any recommendations?
Or do you have tips on what to consider when retrofitting?
Stainless steel or brass components?
Square or round showerhead?
We have the Grohe Rainshower System SmartControl 360 Duo shower system (with a thermostatic valve for wall mounting) in chrome, model 26250000.
And it’s pretty cool. It was on display at the bathroom showroom for a mocking 2500€ (around US$), but our general contractor was kind enough to install the one from Amazon if he could keep the one provided by the developer. Deal, I would say.
Alternatively, there are ones at the local hardware store for about 80€ (around US$), where the original valve remains in place, and the system is connected with a hose. We had that setup in our rental apartment, and it improved the shower experience for 5 years. A handheld showerhead was also included.
For example, the AuraLum stainless steel shower system with 5 functions handheld showerhead, adjustable shower with a 10-inch (25 cm) rain shower, shower set with a riser rail adjustable from 880 to 1260 mm (35 to 50 inches) in height, shower fitting without valve for the bathroom (all from Amazon).
And it’s pretty cool. It was on display at the bathroom showroom for a mocking 2500€ (around US$), but our general contractor was kind enough to install the one from Amazon if he could keep the one provided by the developer. Deal, I would say.
Alternatively, there are ones at the local hardware store for about 80€ (around US$), where the original valve remains in place, and the system is connected with a hose. We had that setup in our rental apartment, and it improved the shower experience for 5 years. A handheld showerhead was also included.
For example, the AuraLum stainless steel shower system with 5 functions handheld showerhead, adjustable shower with a 10-inch (25 cm) rain shower, shower set with a riser rail adjustable from 880 to 1260 mm (35 to 50 inches) in height, shower fitting without valve for the bathroom (all from Amazon).
fragg schrieb:
...
Alternatively, there are some at the local home improvement store for about €80, where the original faucet stays in place, and you just connect them with a hose. We had one like that in our rental apartment, and it improved the shower experience for five years. It also included a handheld showerhead.
For example, AuraLum stainless steel shower system with 5-function handheld showerhead, adjustable shower with 10-inch (25 cm) rain showerhead, shower set with shower column and shower rail adjustable in height from 880 to 1260 mm (35 to 50 inches), shower kit without faucet for the bathroom (all Amazon) AuraLum, Bonade... ours is now Woohse and costs under €80 (AuraLum we only considered the one with the rail adjustable from 92 to 135 cm (36 to 53 inches) @fragg)
It features a telescopic flow, so the existing drill holes can be used.
They seem to be mostly the same or similar models, sometimes square, sometimes round.
Yesterday we decided, after browsing the internet for rain showers and seeing them on Amazon, that we can save time by skipping the showroom visits, especially given the price.
Ratings on Amazon are around 4.6 out of 5 stars, and the others are similar.
If the showerhead is too small for us, we’ll upgrade it along with the handheld showerhead.
The photo is from Amazon.
We have a similar one from Amazon in the granny flat! I believe I bought it for around 70 euros, and compared to Grohe or Schulte, there is a world of difference. The plug connection from the rod is made of plastic, the handheld shower is plastic, and the fittings on the hose and the showerhead are plastic as well.
But the price is excellent for that.
But the price is excellent for that.
tomtom79 schrieb:
We have a similar one from Amazon in the granny flat! I think I bought it for around 70 euros, and compared to Grohe or Schulte, there’s a huge difference. The plug connections on the bar are made of plastic, the handheld shower is plastic, and the fittings on the hose and the showerhead are also plastic.
But the price is unbeatable.The connections are made of brass; only the handheld showerhead is plastic, which is also true for my Grohe part. Otherwise, it would be too heavy.
We had the alternative of spending over 300 and drilling new holes. But honestly? I don’t live in my shower; we don’t even touch it much, at least not the bar or the overhead shower... if it turns out bad, we can just uninstall it again.
These are all things that can be retrofitted.
Even your expensive rain showers might not have a spray head like the ones currently available. Or it might be too small, or whatever else.
That’s exactly the case with our shower, which back then was not yet compliant with current rain shower standards. I once had an experience at a hotel that made me lose all confidence in that type of fixture, so I didn’t install it. That was only because it was a faulty system and I assumed that’s how it was supposed to be.
Now that I have reviewed our plumbing invoice to see what was installed, the expensive 470€ (around $500) drain channel caught my eye again.
Since it doesn’t add any real value besides visual appeal, we will now be replacing it with a more functional component.
Yesterday, my husband and I watched a 45-minute YouTube video showing a man installing a similar part. After that, we placed our order.
I understand your urge to look for flaws or to compare the quality of your bathroom shower against a cheap Amazon version. I would do the same.
But after some years, you start to see your home differently, just like priorities shift as you get older.
I will definitely report back here!
Even your expensive rain showers might not have a spray head like the ones currently available. Or it might be too small, or whatever else.
That’s exactly the case with our shower, which back then was not yet compliant with current rain shower standards. I once had an experience at a hotel that made me lose all confidence in that type of fixture, so I didn’t install it. That was only because it was a faulty system and I assumed that’s how it was supposed to be.
Now that I have reviewed our plumbing invoice to see what was installed, the expensive 470€ (around $500) drain channel caught my eye again.
Since it doesn’t add any real value besides visual appeal, we will now be replacing it with a more functional component.
Yesterday, my husband and I watched a 45-minute YouTube video showing a man installing a similar part. After that, we placed our order.
I understand your urge to look for flaws or to compare the quality of your bathroom shower against a cheap Amazon version. I would do the same.
But after some years, you start to see your home differently, just like priorities shift as you get older.
I will definitely report back here!
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