A guide of the process of hiring a tradesman to install a power shower, including the costs of labour and materials.
What exactly is the going rate to have a new power shower installed by a licensed plumber? And, is there a real difference between a power shower, and traditional showerhead? This is the starting point for you, a homeowner, to begin your search at, when you are considering installing one of these powerful showerheads.
Whether it is simply to increase pressure, choose from different stream settings on your showerhead, or to help improve your bathroom (for resale value), a new power shower can do all of these things. So, let’s start at the beginning, and work down to what goes into, and what costs you will pay for a new power shower.
Basically, a power showerhead is one which increases the flow rate, and which hot and cold water pumps through the piping system. In turn, water moves at a faster rate, so higher pressure setting options are available when you are taking your shower. A thermostat is also built-in, allowing you to easily adjust the temperature settings with the twist of a dial.
Electric showers don’t contain pumps, but rather heats water directly from storage mains (water storage tank). Therefore, to swap out a power shower, from a traditional showerhead, installation of the valves, allowing for increased water flow rates, is something which will be completed in most homes.
The issue of water pressure settings might be present. Since you presently don’t have the increased flow rate, some older homes might not have appropriate piping throughout, to have the power shower installed. If this is the case, additional plumbing work has to be done, in order to transition to this new power shower system.
Electric work might also be required, in the form of connecting the power shower, to the fuse box. Although this isn’t a complex task for a licensed plumber to perform, if the wiring is dated, electrical work might also have to be completed. If so, you might run into additional costs for electrical wiring or rewiring, prior to being able to install the new power shower into your home.
Changing knobs, replacing faucets, and other small projects might also have to be completed, once your new power shower is installed. However, this is not going to be the case in every home.
If rewiring or new electrical work has to be completed, you might choose to perform these jobs when installing the power shower. It will be easier for the plumber to connect the new shower system, and also help bring your home’s electrical wiring system up to code, if it presently is not up to code.
If you are planning on doing additional work in the bathroom, this is also a good time to do these projects. It is easier to replace a few faucets, do work on the tub, or even tiling work while you are changing the shower system, as opposed to doing the work at a later time. You can complete all these projects by hiring one plumber, and you will receive a discounted price for all of the plumbing and electrical work they are going to do in the bathroom.
Installing a new power shower is a project which will take a licensed plumber no more than 1-2 days max, to complete. Additionally, the cost of such project will run about £250-£350, for the price of labour alone. Depending on the actual power shower, the head, faucets and knobs, and other upgrades you choose for the bathroom, these prices are obviously going to increase in certain homes.
Depending on whether you are installing a power shower for the first time, or simply swapping out a previous system, for a new one, the project cost and additional hours required for the job, are going to increase in some homes as well. Extra piping work, as well as electrical work, might be done in the home if you are installing the new power shower system for the first time. In which case, you might have to hire an electrician, as well as the plumber, to complete the project in the home.
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Here is a list of commonly asked questions in regards to having a power shower installed.
Yes. Today most plumbers can install a new power shower in any home. This installation will either be in the form of replacing the old power shower or completely wiring the home for the power shower and possibly new electrical wiring and plumbing line installation. Depending on the system you currently have in place, the project might be complex in some homes.
Yes, this is the main purpose of installation. It has built-in power spray-heads , which allow you to manually adjust the temperature and power settings, so you determine the flow rate of water coming out of the showerhead.
Yes. Power showers have a built-in thermostat, allowing you to easily gauge the temperature settings, so water isn’t too hot or too cold when you are in the shower.
The actual price of the showerhead, will depend on the finishes, size, and upgrades or custom design features you want. The showerhead alone can easily run from £50 to more than £250, depending on the quality and finishes you would like to add in the bathroom space.
A few of the reasons include: increased water pressure, ability to control the heat/cold temperatures, more pressure settings in the shower, and the increase in resale value of your home. Bathroom
