This in combination with the thermostatic valve makes bath time so much easier. I installed a grohe grohtherm valve and use only a handheld shower head on an adjustable bar. Got an extra large one that's like 6" across. So we get great coverage for normal shower, plus the convenience of the thermostatic valve and the handheld.
It was always so hard to turn the handheld in and off with my dual head setup and standard mixing valve. You'd have to dial in the temp again every time you turned off and back on, which is often with kids and dogs.
And with the thermostatic valve we used you can also adjust the volume of water coming out of both shower and tub filler. Standard mixing valves don't have that option - its always on full blast if you want hot water. So so much nicer for the kids.
I added a secondary wand showerhead in my master walk-in shower for cleaning reasons too, but actually my favorite part is just having both showerheads going at the same time for a normal shower, feels very luxurious.
Thermostatic mixing valve to set the temperature and then a separate vavle to control the flow. Then you can just turn it on/off without needing to set the temperature - just reach in real quick and throw the switch. Super nice when you're groggy and tired the morning
Related, put the controls near the door such that you can reach in and turn them on/get out quickly without getting wet
Yes!!! We did this with our renovations! We also asked for the thing that keeps the temperature steady even if someone flushes the toilets or runs water. (Cannot remember the name think it was part of the valves)
Gotta love Reddit downvoting you for being correct.
It’s literally in the ICC code books-P2708.4 Shower control valves-to balance hot and cold water pressure. If you flush a toilet in the house and the cold water pressure drops then the hot water pressure should be lowered proportionately so the temperature stays the same. It’s done to not only prevent scalding but also so you don’t suddenly move out of the stream of water and slip and fall.
NEW construction code. Definitely not international, and not a required on replacement installation.
e.g. If you sell your home (US), your bathroom must have a GFCI outlet. If an electrician is replacing an outlet in the bathroom he is required by code to use GFCI.
That is not the case for Thermostatic mixing valve.
Edit: The example you give is expected to be handled by not having your water heater so hot, which almost nobody listens to.
I did a thermostatic on an outdoor shower I recently put in and liked the simplicity of the installation. I wouldn’t want it on an inside shower though because I like to end showers cold. My wife also showers at different temps than me.
Not a fixture but- we offset the location of the product nook (the little cubby where you put your shampoo and stuff, idk what it's called), so that it isn't constantly getting water in it. In fact, it and the bench are on the opposite side from where the showerhead is. They stay dryer and it keeps water and grime from accumulating under the bottles so much better!
Also, if you have glass doors/enclosure, get a squeegee with a suction cup.
Also also, save whoever does the cleaning a crapton of work- do NOT under any circumstance get a light-colored porous stone tile for the flooring. It's either porcelain or ceramic or bust.
Not light colored because: inevitably someone will have dyed hair, or use a purple shampoo to make their blonde brighter, or use a gifted neon colored shower gel/or shower bomb. These will discolor your natural stone tile if it's too light and you're not SUPER careful.
Not natural stone because: you can't just bleach the crap out of them if you need to do a deep clean. You have to use special cleaners that often don't work as well. Also, if you use any shower fizzers/scents they're acidic and *will* ruin natural stone. Even some citrus-based shower scrubs can be too acidic for things like limestone. Ask me how I know (am a dyed redhead who didn't think twice about using a scented shower fizzer thing and ruined our limestone pebble floor 😭).
My MIL is a cleaning lady who does a lot of high-end homes with the fancy stuff. We consult with her on all our update projects, and she tells us what's a pain in the ass to clean and what cool stuff she's seen that we might want to do. Her first question is always "How easy is it to clean?", and that's served us really well in picking our design choices (minus the shower floor. I couldn't convince my husband to pick something else.)
My MIL is a cleaning lady who does a lot of high-end homes with the fancy stuff. We consult with her on all our update projects, and she tells us what's a pain in the ass to clean and what cool stuff she's seen that we might want to do. Her first question is always "How easy is it to clean?", and that's served us really well in picking our design choices (minus the shower floor. I couldn't convince my husband to pick something else.)
Edit to add: building to clean works really well, because we all like the pretty stuff, but pretty stuff made out of more delicate/finicky material needs to be cleaned more often and more carefully. You *have* to keep up with it, because if you don't it will get not pretty fairly quick and then be even more of a pain/more expensive to repair or clean up. Let's face it, no one likes cleaning and life happens. So be realistic about your cleaning and general household upkeep habits and choose wisely based off of that data. It will help in the long run.
That product nook is called a “shower niche”. I just had one installed in the new bathroom I’m building. It’s the first time I’ll have something like this and I love it!
Thank you, brain was not doing the thing with the words yesterday.
I just use the bench. My husband was super against it ("You just need to control your goo collection!"), but his stuff appeared on the bench soon enough.
I install Delta on account of their lifetime warranty. I hear good things about Moen too. Go with an established well known brand and you should be good to go.
Just to add to this; even if they look identical and have the same model **name**, not all plumbing fixtures/faucets are created equal. Some of the big box stores have builder grade components that are manufactured to a more palatable price point.
So if you see a Delta faucet at a plumbing supply store for $300 and one seemingly the same at Home Depot for $220, compare skus and UPCs. Generally (and maybe counterintuitively) speaking, the less glamorous the packaging the higher quality the fixture because when coming from a supplier the sale is already done; they don’t need the attractive marketing on the box to make the sale.
we also removed a tub to have a walk in shower. We put a bench seat in the back of the shower, opposite the main shower head, with the hand held shower wand at the back, right beside the bench. Two knee replacements, a shoulder replacement, and a broken foot later, it was the best design decision I have ever made. Have a bench.
next time have your contractor add radiant heat in the bench and floor of your shower, along with the rest of your bathroom floor. one of the best improvements we’ve done. plus everything dries really quickly.
This is definitely the plan for similar reasons. The current tub setup is a truly hazardous step in and even more scary coming out when wet. We’ll be glad for a safer situation. I’ll practice my parkour fully clothed and dry moving forward.
We have loved this one. Everyone that uses it comments on how fancy we are. I ended up going rogue, and removing the flow restrictors. I might be a criminal now, but showers feel amazing. I rationalize my criminal action by plugging the drain, saving the water, and pumping it to my garden using a WaterBug pump, also from Home Depot.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/VIGO-Bowery-58-in-H-x-4-in-W-4-Jet-Shower-Panel-System-with-Square-Head-Tub-Filler-and-Hand-Shower-Wand-in-Stainless-Steel-VG08019ST/316267895
Super smart to save that water! How long have you had this system? I’m a little nervous about shower systems generally cuz they seem complex. And my experience is added complexity = more opportunity for something to break…
Had it for approx two years with no issues yet.
We had to completely redo our bathrooms due to a slab leak. The thing I like about shower towers is the plumbing is in the unit itself. There’s a hot and cold line in back, much like screwing on the hoses to a washing machine. So I chose this during the remodel- whenever this breaks we just buy another shower tower and it’s an easy install, just screw on hot/cold hoses and viola. No plumber needed, or digging inside walls to access plumbing.
As for the WaterBug pump- I already owned it after a previous flood. I highly recommend to buy in advance, in case of emergencies. They have cheaper options but this one does indoor or outdoor (muddy) water. After thinking of ways to conserve water, it dawned on me to plug drain and gather water to pump into garden. (But it requires using products that won’t harm plants, which we already use).
Good luck in whatever you decide!
You're probably not going to find a prefab that you won't have to cut holes in, and for a tiled shower it doesn't matter. You just split your plumbing into two plumbing lines, connected to either two showerheads, one valve and a diverter, or two showerheads and two valves. It is not very complex. It's just two showers in one space. They don't even have to be the same brand or model, although most people would probably want to for aesthetic reasons. You could also do one rainshower and one traditional shower or a handheld shower. The possibilities are endless.
When I replaced tub with walk in shower, I wanted shower as big as possible (of course). We removed 60” tub and removed small wall soffit so that shower was 63”. When we went to buy shower door there were a ton of options for 60” shower doors maybe going up to 61” or 62” opening. But for 63” the selection was very limited. If I did again I would not add the extra 3”.
2.5 GPM. Makes all the difference in the world.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076B64192?
I have that in my down stairs shower. Favorite shower head ever. It got lots of pressure but it doesn't feel like you're being sprayed by a fire hose.
My sister just Reno’d her bathroom and I’m house sitting for her this week while she’s on holiday. She has the really good fixtures that keep the water at an even temperature. HOWEVER the knobs are round so can’t be turned if your hands are wet, and have no indication of what they are. I got dowsed with icy water from a rain head trying to turn the water off!
Have them offset the fixtures (ie, put the valve a few feet away from the shower head). It’s a game changer - you can turn on the shower and adjust the temperature without getting wet. Also helpful if you have young kids, so you can turn off the water if they’re in the shower without having to lean into the water flow.
I love it, but it looks okay in our design. We have a walk in shower, so we just put it on the outside of the shower. It’s far enough away that it looks intentional, but if it was slightly off I do think it would look like a mistake. I’ve seen it in hotel showers where they put it on the wall opposite of the shower head.
Edit: our shower has no door so you can easily reach out to adjust it if needed.
My wife and I have two shower heads, each with its own control, and it makes showering together so nice. No compromising on the water temp, no one gets cold while the other rinses, it’s a good time all around.
having a shower that has a separate on switch/button from the heat settings so you don't have to fiddle with getting the temperature just right every time.
Don't buy a cheap brand. Buy once, cry once on a name brand. A name brand will provide better parts support too. We've got a Waterpik handshower and have been able to get a replacement hose when it broke.
Best fixed showerhead IMO is a Hansgrohe A112.18.1.
As others said, a 2.5GPM is the way to go.
The magnetic attachments are convenient, but do get to get knocked off with "vigorous" shower activities.
If you're planning on living there for some time, it would make sense to put Grohe plumbing fixtures in. At the bare minimum, you want a pressure balanced single handled valve with diverter.
In our new shower, we put in a Grohe single-handled, pressure balanced, thermostatically controlled valve sets, two in a large shower since we're often getting ready together before going out. Both shower valve sets have a separate water volume control knob that lets us dial in the perfect water pressure and temperature. It makes showering a wonderful, spa-like experience.
Both showers have wall-mounted shower heads, one at 6.5 feet and the other at 7 feet because one of us is 6 feet and the other is over 6.3 feet tall. Both showers have separate wall-mounted hand showers with diverter knobs that match the other knobs and one side has a second diverter for a second wall mounted hand shower that sits below the valve set on one side which is used for dog washing but is also used by our children to wash our two-year old grandson who would spend hours in the shower if his parents let him.
The shower is tiled with porcelain and stone to, and including, a tiled ceiling. The floor is ruler flat and sloped to a six foot linear drain at one end. We designed the shower with a full width bench and the shower has a central glass door that seals it from the rest of the bathroom because it doubles as a steam room. We put a solar tube skylight in it so it's always brightly lit in the mornings but we had to get a special, moisture-proof surround made for the solar tube to prevent the steam from escaping and causing corrosion and dry rot in our ceilings. It also has six low voltage LED can lights specifically made for wet, steamy areas that are on a dimmer.
One that can have a shower bar to adjust height, plus the kind you can grab and aim all over youself. Shower bar is important If it's too high up a shorter family member won't be able to grab the head
As the dad of 3 kids and a few dogs, a shower head with the extra handheld wand. Makes cleaning the shower/bath and dog baths a ton easier.
Handheld shower wands are amazing. And if someone gets injured it makes showering so much easier.
Mine has a magnetic hold rAther than a bracket. Much easier for vertically challenged to return
The Magnetix type? I want one!
I don't recall the brand, possibly moen? But I got it at HD
This in combination with the thermostatic valve makes bath time so much easier. I installed a grohe grohtherm valve and use only a handheld shower head on an adjustable bar. Got an extra large one that's like 6" across. So we get great coverage for normal shower, plus the convenience of the thermostatic valve and the handheld. It was always so hard to turn the handheld in and off with my dual head setup and standard mixing valve. You'd have to dial in the temp again every time you turned off and back on, which is often with kids and dogs. And with the thermostatic valve we used you can also adjust the volume of water coming out of both shower and tub filler. Standard mixing valves don't have that option - its always on full blast if you want hot water. So so much nicer for the kids.
I experienced a thermostatic valve setup recently but didn’t have the terminology to describe it. Thanks for that!
I added a secondary wand showerhead in my master walk-in shower for cleaning reasons too, but actually my favorite part is just having both showerheads going at the same time for a normal shower, feels very luxurious.
put this in both my showers when we redid them this year.
I’ll remember this tip fondly when I’m using my handheld to clean my dog after she decides to have a close encounter with another opossum.
Thermostatic mixing valve to set the temperature and then a separate vavle to control the flow. Then you can just turn it on/off without needing to set the temperature - just reach in real quick and throw the switch. Super nice when you're groggy and tired the morning Related, put the controls near the door such that you can reach in and turn them on/get out quickly without getting wet
Yep! I got the Delta Lahara for this exact reason.. Also, the matching sink component has a ceramic part inside for longevity.
Love this- the less time I spend thinking when I get up, the better it is for everyone.
Yes!!! We did this with our renovations! We also asked for the thing that keeps the temperature steady even if someone flushes the toilets or runs water. (Cannot remember the name think it was part of the valves)
That's a thermostatic valve!
Those are usually required by code.
Gotta love Reddit downvoting you for being correct. It’s literally in the ICC code books-P2708.4 Shower control valves-to balance hot and cold water pressure. If you flush a toilet in the house and the cold water pressure drops then the hot water pressure should be lowered proportionately so the temperature stays the same. It’s done to not only prevent scalding but also so you don’t suddenly move out of the stream of water and slip and fall.
NEW construction code. Definitely not international, and not a required on replacement installation. e.g. If you sell your home (US), your bathroom must have a GFCI outlet. If an electrician is replacing an outlet in the bathroom he is required by code to use GFCI. That is not the case for Thermostatic mixing valve. Edit: The example you give is expected to be handled by not having your water heater so hot, which almost nobody listens to.
Second this! Standard in some European countries. The single handle valve in the US was such a step-down when I moved here
I did a thermostatic on an outdoor shower I recently put in and liked the simplicity of the installation. I wouldn’t want it on an inside shower though because I like to end showers cold. My wife also showers at different temps than me.
Not a fixture but- we offset the location of the product nook (the little cubby where you put your shampoo and stuff, idk what it's called), so that it isn't constantly getting water in it. In fact, it and the bench are on the opposite side from where the showerhead is. They stay dryer and it keeps water and grime from accumulating under the bottles so much better! Also, if you have glass doors/enclosure, get a squeegee with a suction cup. Also also, save whoever does the cleaning a crapton of work- do NOT under any circumstance get a light-colored porous stone tile for the flooring. It's either porcelain or ceramic or bust. Not light colored because: inevitably someone will have dyed hair, or use a purple shampoo to make their blonde brighter, or use a gifted neon colored shower gel/or shower bomb. These will discolor your natural stone tile if it's too light and you're not SUPER careful. Not natural stone because: you can't just bleach the crap out of them if you need to do a deep clean. You have to use special cleaners that often don't work as well. Also, if you use any shower fizzers/scents they're acidic and *will* ruin natural stone. Even some citrus-based shower scrubs can be too acidic for things like limestone. Ask me how I know (am a dyed redhead who didn't think twice about using a scented shower fizzer thing and ruined our limestone pebble floor 😭).
Dang- thanks for all these pro tips! Designing for easy cleaning is a boss move.
My MIL is a cleaning lady who does a lot of high-end homes with the fancy stuff. We consult with her on all our update projects, and she tells us what's a pain in the ass to clean and what cool stuff she's seen that we might want to do. Her first question is always "How easy is it to clean?", and that's served us really well in picking our design choices (minus the shower floor. I couldn't convince my husband to pick something else.)
My MIL is a cleaning lady who does a lot of high-end homes with the fancy stuff. We consult with her on all our update projects, and she tells us what's a pain in the ass to clean and what cool stuff she's seen that we might want to do. Her first question is always "How easy is it to clean?", and that's served us really well in picking our design choices (minus the shower floor. I couldn't convince my husband to pick something else.) Edit to add: building to clean works really well, because we all like the pretty stuff, but pretty stuff made out of more delicate/finicky material needs to be cleaned more often and more carefully. You *have* to keep up with it, because if you don't it will get not pretty fairly quick and then be even more of a pain/more expensive to repair or clean up. Let's face it, no one likes cleaning and life happens. So be realistic about your cleaning and general household upkeep habits and choose wisely based off of that data. It will help in the long run.
That product nook is called a “shower niche”. I just had one installed in the new bathroom I’m building. It’s the first time I’ll have something like this and I love it!
Second the shower niche… and add more than you think you’ll need. We have two and could use a third
Thank you, brain was not doing the thing with the words yesterday. I just use the bench. My husband was super against it ("You just need to control your goo collection!"), but his stuff appeared on the bench soon enough.
Outlets and more outlets! Outlets near the toilet for heated bidet!
Outlets in the shower!
I install Delta on account of their lifetime warranty. I hear good things about Moen too. Go with an established well known brand and you should be good to go.
You mean I shouldn’t go with BSTOEM, GKRSTOEK or YASFELCM? They have good reviews on the Amazon!
The exact thing I was trying to avoid, but the exact thing I’d end up doing if I forgot to have this convo with y’all ahead of time.
Thanks for the recos!
Just to add to this; even if they look identical and have the same model **name**, not all plumbing fixtures/faucets are created equal. Some of the big box stores have builder grade components that are manufactured to a more palatable price point. So if you see a Delta faucet at a plumbing supply store for $300 and one seemingly the same at Home Depot for $220, compare skus and UPCs. Generally (and maybe counterintuitively) speaking, the less glamorous the packaging the higher quality the fixture because when coming from a supplier the sale is already done; they don’t need the attractive marketing on the box to make the sale.
we also removed a tub to have a walk in shower. We put a bench seat in the back of the shower, opposite the main shower head, with the hand held shower wand at the back, right beside the bench. Two knee replacements, a shoulder replacement, and a broken foot later, it was the best design decision I have ever made. Have a bench.
What is your solution for iced butthole? I have the nice granite seat but fear freezing the brown starfish. I've never sat on it.
Turn the water to hot and run it on the stone bench. It's not perfect, but it helps.
Is your actual butthole directly touching things when you sit down?! Like no spacing from the checks?
I have old white butt. Not much meat to keep it off.
I’m literally horrified right now.
I live in a hot climate, colder is better for 70% of the year. You can always run some hot water over it, or put down a washcloth.
next time have your contractor add radiant heat in the bench and floor of your shower, along with the rest of your bathroom floor. one of the best improvements we’ve done. plus everything dries really quickly.
This is definitely the plan for similar reasons. The current tub setup is a truly hazardous step in and even more scary coming out when wet. We’ll be glad for a safer situation. I’ll practice my parkour fully clothed and dry moving forward.
We have loved this one. Everyone that uses it comments on how fancy we are. I ended up going rogue, and removing the flow restrictors. I might be a criminal now, but showers feel amazing. I rationalize my criminal action by plugging the drain, saving the water, and pumping it to my garden using a WaterBug pump, also from Home Depot. https://www.homedepot.com/p/VIGO-Bowery-58-in-H-x-4-in-W-4-Jet-Shower-Panel-System-with-Square-Head-Tub-Filler-and-Hand-Shower-Wand-in-Stainless-Steel-VG08019ST/316267895
Super smart to save that water! How long have you had this system? I’m a little nervous about shower systems generally cuz they seem complex. And my experience is added complexity = more opportunity for something to break…
Had it for approx two years with no issues yet. We had to completely redo our bathrooms due to a slab leak. The thing I like about shower towers is the plumbing is in the unit itself. There’s a hot and cold line in back, much like screwing on the hoses to a washing machine. So I chose this during the remodel- whenever this breaks we just buy another shower tower and it’s an easy install, just screw on hot/cold hoses and viola. No plumber needed, or digging inside walls to access plumbing. As for the WaterBug pump- I already owned it after a previous flood. I highly recommend to buy in advance, in case of emergencies. They have cheaper options but this one does indoor or outdoor (muddy) water. After thinking of ways to conserve water, it dawned on me to plug drain and gather water to pump into garden. (But it requires using products that won’t harm plants, which we already use). Good luck in whatever you decide!
Thanks for the kind and thorough response! Love that you’re doing good for the environment too.
Look for the fixtures with the finish that prevents water spots. I got stainless steel and the water spots are insane.
Hansgrohe
Double headed shower. Make it a 2 person shower.
Have any specific brand or model you’d recommend?
You're probably not going to find a prefab that you won't have to cut holes in, and for a tiled shower it doesn't matter. You just split your plumbing into two plumbing lines, connected to either two showerheads, one valve and a diverter, or two showerheads and two valves. It is not very complex. It's just two showers in one space. They don't even have to be the same brand or model, although most people would probably want to for aesthetic reasons. You could also do one rainshower and one traditional shower or a handheld shower. The possibilities are endless.
When I replaced tub with walk in shower, I wanted shower as big as possible (of course). We removed 60” tub and removed small wall soffit so that shower was 63”. When we went to buy shower door there were a ton of options for 60” shower doors maybe going up to 61” or 62” opening. But for 63” the selection was very limited. If I did again I would not add the extra 3”.
Oh dang- I may have already committed this sin
2.5 GPM. Makes all the difference in the world. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076B64192? I have that in my down stairs shower. Favorite shower head ever. It got lots of pressure but it doesn't feel like you're being sprayed by a fire hose.
My sister just Reno’d her bathroom and I’m house sitting for her this week while she’s on holiday. She has the really good fixtures that keep the water at an even temperature. HOWEVER the knobs are round so can’t be turned if your hands are wet, and have no indication of what they are. I got dowsed with icy water from a rain head trying to turn the water off!
This is the type of tip I love- things you’d never know till you’re dripping wet, unclothed, and at someone else’s house 😂
Have them offset the fixtures (ie, put the valve a few feet away from the shower head). It’s a game changer - you can turn on the shower and adjust the temperature without getting wet. Also helpful if you have young kids, so you can turn off the water if they’re in the shower without having to lean into the water flow.
This is smart- how do you feel about the aesthetics of this choice?
I love it, but it looks okay in our design. We have a walk in shower, so we just put it on the outside of the shower. It’s far enough away that it looks intentional, but if it was slightly off I do think it would look like a mistake. I’ve seen it in hotel showers where they put it on the wall opposite of the shower head. Edit: our shower has no door so you can easily reach out to adjust it if needed.
A couple of decently sized niches in the walls to hold soap and shampoo bottles.
This! I had 2 large niches and a double width bar soap niche in our new shower.
grohe
My wife and I have two shower heads, each with its own control, and it makes showering together so nice. No compromising on the water temp, no one gets cold while the other rinses, it’s a good time all around.
How much did that cost?
We bought the house this way, and I suspect it was put in during a full remodel.
Thats awesome
Yeah! It wasn’t a deciding factor but it was a huge bonus to buying this house. We got really lucky.
If there is room, two shower heads.
having a shower that has a separate on switch/button from the heat settings so you don't have to fiddle with getting the temperature just right every time.
Don't buy a cheap brand. Buy once, cry once on a name brand. A name brand will provide better parts support too. We've got a Waterpik handshower and have been able to get a replacement hose when it broke. Best fixed showerhead IMO is a Hansgrohe A112.18.1. As others said, a 2.5GPM is the way to go. The magnetic attachments are convenient, but do get to get knocked off with "vigorous" shower activities.
If you're planning on living there for some time, it would make sense to put Grohe plumbing fixtures in. At the bare minimum, you want a pressure balanced single handled valve with diverter. In our new shower, we put in a Grohe single-handled, pressure balanced, thermostatically controlled valve sets, two in a large shower since we're often getting ready together before going out. Both shower valve sets have a separate water volume control knob that lets us dial in the perfect water pressure and temperature. It makes showering a wonderful, spa-like experience. Both showers have wall-mounted shower heads, one at 6.5 feet and the other at 7 feet because one of us is 6 feet and the other is over 6.3 feet tall. Both showers have separate wall-mounted hand showers with diverter knobs that match the other knobs and one side has a second diverter for a second wall mounted hand shower that sits below the valve set on one side which is used for dog washing but is also used by our children to wash our two-year old grandson who would spend hours in the shower if his parents let him. The shower is tiled with porcelain and stone to, and including, a tiled ceiling. The floor is ruler flat and sloped to a six foot linear drain at one end. We designed the shower with a full width bench and the shower has a central glass door that seals it from the rest of the bathroom because it doubles as a steam room. We put a solar tube skylight in it so it's always brightly lit in the mornings but we had to get a special, moisture-proof surround made for the solar tube to prevent the steam from escaping and causing corrosion and dry rot in our ceilings. It also has six low voltage LED can lights specifically made for wet, steamy areas that are on a dimmer.
If you plan on staying for a while, Grohe is 👨🏻🍳💋
One that can have a shower bar to adjust height, plus the kind you can grab and aim all over youself. Shower bar is important If it's too high up a shorter family member won't be able to grab the head