How difficult is it to fit an electric shower in a bathroom thats never had one?

[Fizzylizzy]

prob is the bathroom all been decorated and got the wet wall on and the current shower ( not electric) is a bit of a drip and could do with a bit more power , what's the cheapest option to get a bit more water coming out, new pump? or electric shower?

 

[plumber0808]

If its on gravity hot and cold feeds then adding a pump would be your best option especially as its a finished bathroom.

 

[tomplumb83]

I second that....

 

[Fizzylizzy]

Can I ask a silly question? Well where would the pump be fitted ?

 

[plumber0808]

In the airing cupboard next to the hot water cylinder

 

[Fizzylizzy]

I had a guy out but he said best option was to change the boiler ??? £1000s surely not

 

[Fizzylizzy]

The guy said that a new pump would charge the whole system and i'm better just to get a new boiler

 

[plumber0808]

Get a second opinion. Post the job up on the forum and someone on here will help you out.

 

[wetdrip]

If it's a tiled wall, then you could remove a vertical section of tiles: chase out, pipe-up and re-tile assuming you have matching tiles, or can get under the original tiles and prise off.
You'd need to chase out on the outside wall, hall wall, for power switch which would mean redecorating the hall and add an R.C.D. to fuse box.
Just depends on customers wishes and pocket.

 

[Fizzylizzy]

ok thank you

 

[Fizzylizzy]

on wetdrip think the pump would be best then, sounds like a lot of disruption, thanks for your advice

 

[wetdrip]

Ray's replied to a thread here regarding your type of problem:
http://www.ukplumbersforums.co.uk/bathrooms-showers-wetrooms/67964-electric-showers-built-pumps.html

 

[tomplumb83]

Your looking at £500+ for pump. Plumber may be advising you to put a combi in if the boiler you have at the minute is on its way out. You have to decide if your happy with your current system before pressing ahead with a shower pump

 

[Meady]

I would say that if he is recommending a new boiler then don't get him back. Both a electric shower and fitting a pump aren't going to be easy as you need to get a cable from the shower back to te fuse box plus a mains cold water pipe to the shower if you want an electric one, and if you want to pump it you need to get pipes from the pump to the shower.

best bet is get your location up on here so someone can help out

 

[Fizzylizzy]

The plumber was saying better off with a new boiler, but at present its all in working order, I think long term prob better with a new combi boiler but not planning on having this house long term, so didn't really want to be out £1000s

 

[Fizzylizzy]

do you think that fitting a new boiler would gurantee better water pressure coming out the shower, praps he's trying to save the disruption?, just not sure where he's coming from

 

[Leemckie91]

If you wanted an electric shower you could just run a chrome pipe up the wall externally? it would look a bit naff but would be easy enough to do.

 

[Aquablu]

If you are not planning on staying. Maybe just a cheap booster pump would be the best option £400 ish maybe less. I see what the plumber was saying about a new boiler but if you don't want that expense a booster pump might be the way forward.

 

[AWheating]

A pump sounds like a good option, but. If you have to upgrade the cold water tank then the cost will be a fair bit.

 

[Rybo_1]

Is the current shower just on a head and flexi hose from the bath taps? You could potentially fit a pump under the bath. Could be easier to run power to it under the floor?