Plumbing fixtures - shower - which ones?

[newbury]

Having a shower put in. Told to pick out the fixtures, my first choice was a Moen Adler Shop Moen Adler Chrome 1-Handle Shower Faucet with Multi-Function Showerhead at Lowes.com for $84 until I read up on it and find it doesn't control volume.

I've got till Sunday to pick one out and have it in hand for the plumber.

Looking further Kohler offers similar KOHLER Fairfax Pressure-Balancing Tub and Shower Faucet Trim Only in Polished Chrome (Valve not included)-K-T12007-4S-CP at The Home Depot for $110, but requires a KOHLER Rite-Temp Pressure-Balancing Valve-K-304-K-NA at The Home Depot $81 valve.

Any good recommendations?
thanks

 

[EddieWalker]

All the name brands are pretty similar in quality and function. Most of what you pay for is style and finish. If you like chrome and a simple design, then just find the one for the best price that includes the valve assembly. The valve is what your plumber needs right away for the shower. It's part of the rough in plumbing and one of the first things that have to be done.

Eddie

 

[belliott]

I like Delta and that's pretty much all install when I supply the fixtures. Moen would be my second choice.

Price Phister is ok, but I work on alot of their pressure balanced cartridges. They are also the hardest to get decent pressure out of.

I tell everyone to stay away from Kohler, They make a nice looking funtional product. The issue I have is they change designs so often it makes it hard to find the replacement parts.

Any plumber or hardware store will have replacement cratridges for Moen or Deltawhen you need them. Look around your area for replacement parts for Kohler and see what you find.

 

[V1Rotate]

I like Delta and that's pretty much all install when I supply the fixtures. Moen would be my second choice.

Price Phister is ok, but I work on alot of their pressure balanced cartridges. They are also the hardest to get decent pressure out of.

I tell everyone to stay away from Kohler, They make a nice looking funtional product. The issue I have is they change designs so often it makes it hard to find the replacement parts.

Any plumber or hardware store will have replacement cratridges for Moen or Deltawhen you need them. Look around your area for replacement parts for Kohler and see what you find.

I am planning to replace the kitchen faucet. Does this advise also apply?
Anything special to look out for when buying a kitchen faucet?

 

[Richard]

For my basement shower (which was accused of being a car wash) I installed a control valve and a seperate temperature "valve".

The temp valve (looks just like the on/off volume valve handle) adjusts the temp, has the anti-scald feature and tends to be left alone. All you have to do is crank the volume control valve to the flow you want and the temperature is already set unless someone has changed it.

I don't remember the brand...but they weren't cheap. They are all 3/4" internally and had to be ordered as I recall. Went with 3/4" since I'm on a 100+ gallon well with plenty of flow. Wanted to make a really nice shower and everyone loves it.

I like the seperate flow valve. Shower has a traditional shower installed, several body sprays on the opposite wall and a hand held on the third wall. Each one has its own volume control valve and all are controlled by he single temperature valve on the main wall.

 

[belliott]

I am planning to replace the kitchen faucet. Does this advise also apply?
Anything special to look out for when buying a kitchen faucet?

For the most part yes.

Stay away from Price Pfister. Their finish holds up well, but they have flow problems and the diverter that controls the sprayer is usually the culprit. Out of all the faucets I have worked on the new Price Phisters get more complaints for low water pressure than any of the others.

Kohler makes nice stuff, but impossible to get parts for.

I rarely work on Delta or Moen kitchen faucets and parts are availible everywhere. If you are looking for a faucet with a pull out sprayer that comes out of the spout, then the Delta's are hard to beat. They have a magnet at the top of the spout that pulls the sprayer head into the correct position and holds it there. Alot of the other faucets do not retrieve and hold the spray head.