Can I hide the pipework on this shower?

[phatboy]

Hi all,

I am buying a house in a weeks time and will be refitting the bathroom on a budget.

The pipes from this shower to the ceiling are ugly. Can I sink pipes into the wall, and somehow bring them back out just above the shower? Or is it possible to alter the shower so that the pipes enter via the back?

I think it's a Mira, but can't totally tell from the photo.

Thanks
Tim

 

[Burnerman]

You can Tim.....if you plan to retile. What's behind that wall......is it a stud wall, by any chance?
Its usually possible to swing the inlets back over so they enter through the wall but you'll need something to surround the pipes where they are seen.
John

 

[phatboy]

You can Tim.....if you plan to retile. What's behind that wall......is it a stud wall, by any chance?
Its usually possible to swing the inlets back over so they enter through the wall but you'll need something to surround the pipes where they are seen.
John

Thanks John,

I will be removing the tiles and replacing with aqua panels.

Can you see on this unit how they could be swung? It looks solid to me.

I'm sure I can come up with a way to hide a visible bit!

 

[SandyLyon]

It looks like a Mira Elements valve, if it is the inlets can be altered so it can be top, bottom or rear feed.
The H & C inlets rotate and are "locked" in place by a grub screw (Allen key) located adjacent to the compression fitting.

Found this, it may help identify the valve.

http://www.mirashowers.co.uk/onlinecatalog/pdf/1143423_w2_a_mira_element_slt.pdf

 

[Burnerman]

Good luck with your project! I'm just completing our guest room en suite with multiPANEL sheets......costs a bomb but the result is wonderful. The sheet edging trims are great too. I'm using the T&G lock together stuff and the join is nigh on invisible.......you just need to get your cuts right first time.....
John

 

[Madrab]

It all depends on what's behind the tiles/wall as burner mentions?

 

[JohnD]

It's possible that the current owner of the house has at some time had a pipe leak or a mixer need replacement, and has resolved never again to go through the effort and cost of digging out the wall and retiling.

 

[gasmanstu72]

It's possible that the current owner of the house has at some time had a pipe leak or a mixer need replacement, and has resolved never again to go through the effort and cost of digging out the wall and retiling.

i think thats what has happened, you can see a patch just below the mixer, perhaps where the old shower was,
is there a new(ish) combi installed? maybe they converted to mains pressure and it broke the existing shower that was concealed

 

[phatboy]

It looks like a Mira Elements valve, if it is the inlets can be altered so it can be top, bottom or rear feed.
The H & C inlets rotate and are "locked" in place by a grub screw (Allen key) located adjacent to the compression fitting.

Found this, it may help identify the valve.

http://www.mirashowers.co.uk/onlinecatalog/pdf/1143423_w2_a_mira_element_slt.pdf

Excellent, many thanks!

So I think all I need to buy is a pair of suitable covers to conceal the pipes? Plastic ones for Central Heating 15m pipes would do I expect? Ill see if I can locate some Mira ones online though.

 

[phatboy]

Good luck with your project! I'm just completing our guest room en suite with multiPANEL sheets......costs a bomb but the result is wonderful. The sheet edging trims are great too. I'm using the T&G lock together stuff and the join is nigh on invisible.......you just need to get your cuts right first time.....
John

I paid £300 for the pack, which is 3 linear metres x 2600 including trims. This stuff is T&G too - made by Swish.

Did you Sticks Like S*** the panels as you went, or pin the groove?

 

[phatboy]

It all depends on what's behind the tiles/wall as burner mentions?

Concerete block wall, but I have a chasing bit for my SDS drill and we are replacing all of the bathroom except the shower as it seems decent, so the mess isn't a concern.

 

[phatboy]

It's possible that the current owner of the house has at some time had a pipe leak or a mixer need replacement, and has resolved never again to go through the effort and cost of digging out the wall and retiling.

i think thats what has happened, you can see a patch just below the mixer, perhaps where the old shower was,
is there a new(ish) combi installed? maybe they converted to mains pressure and it broke the existing shower that was concealed

It was changed to a pressurised system a few years back I am told, so may be the case. It is an older house though, 1959 vintage, so I reckon it may have just never had a shower, and to avoid a load of work they just surface fitted the whole lot? The patch behind is a mystery, unless you are correct and there was an older unit, but judging by the age of everything else I am a bit sceptical!

 

[SandyLyon]

It looks like a Mira Elements valve, if it is the inlets can be altered so it can be top, bottom or rear feed.
The H & C inlets rotate and are "locked" in place by a grub screw (Allen key) located adjacent to the compression fitting.

Found this, it may help identify the valve.

http://www.mirashowers.co.uk/onlinecatalog/pdf/1143423_w2_a_mira_element_slt.pdf

Excellent, many thanks!

So I think all I need to buy is a pair of suitable covers to conceal the pipes? Plastic ones for Central Heating 15m pipes would do I expect? Ill see if I can locate some Mira ones online though.

Spare part numbers are shown towards the back of the PDF that I linked to. Looks like the covers come as a pack with the compression nuts.

Part ref. 1656.117 Inlet Connector Pack

 

[phatboy]

It looks like a Mira Elements valve, if it is the inlets can be altered so it can be top, bottom or rear feed.
The H & C inlets rotate and are "locked" in place by a grub screw (Allen key) located adjacent to the compression fitting.

Found this, it may help identify the valve.

http://www.mirashowers.co.uk/onlinecatalog/pdf/1143423_w2_a_mira_element_slt.pdf

Excellent, many thanks!

So I think all I need to buy is a pair of suitable covers to conceal the pipes? Plastic ones for Central Heating 15m pipes would do I expect? Ill see if I can locate some Mira ones online though.

Spare part numbers are shown towards the back of the PDF that I linked to. Looks like the covers come as a pack with the compression nuts.

Part ref. 1656.117 Inlet Connector Pack

Spot on, found it through showerspares.com . The schematic also shows 1656.164 - Multitool (https://www.showerspares.com/search/mira_multi-tool_1656.164/) , do you think one of these will be necessary?

Thanks again, your help has been invaluable!

 

[SandyLyon]

Might be handy to have and may make life easier, depends how much they are.