Fitting electric shower

[gunthos]

We will be having an electric shower fitted but also need the full bathroom re plastering. Does the shower need to be plumbed in and wired up before plastering or doesn't it really matter?

 

[Blasphemous]

Unless you are planning on boxing in the cable and pipework then it depends on where the shower is going.

If there is access from 'behind' where the shower is going (such as an Airing cupboard on the other side of the shower), then the electrical and plumbing connections can be made after plastering. If however the shower is going on say a wall which is an outside wall, then the sparks and plumbing need to be run before plastering because the wall will need chasing to take the cable and the pipe. Unless as I say, you plan on boxing in the cable and pipe run.

If you're plasterer is filling in the cavity left by the chasing make sure the pipe and cable are protected and avoid any joints in the cavity.

 

[gunthos]

So would you run the pipes up from the taps or would it have to come from the water supply in the loft?

 

[Blasphemous]

You could 'Tee' into the tap supply but I'd probably run from the loft.

 

[Tom JE]

My electric shower needed mains pressure and as my cold tap wasnt fed from the mains i had to take it from the loft.

 

[gunthos]

I am sure my plumber mentioned he was going to run it from the taps where as a few people i have spoken to have said it should come from the loft.

 

[JohnD]

I would say, anything that has to go into the wall, do before plastering. Anything that goes on the surface of the wall, fit after plastering. That will give you a smooth wall when the shower fails and you want to fit a new one of different shape and size.

Not being a plumber, I have found it much easier to repair or replace showers that are on the surface than ones that are buried and plastered and tiled over or round. You will want chromed pipes if they are on show.