Electric shower/shower bar pros/cons??

paulmapp8306

Having a new bathroom soon, in a house Ive recently bought. I had planned on updating the existing electric shower (which is 7.5Kw) with a new 10.8Kw shower - a Mira Sport Max with airflow boost (and yes I know I need 10mm cable and an uprated breaker), however I had a guy round to price up a kitchen this weekend - who will also do the bathroom 6 onths or so later. We had planned on doing the shower with the kitchen, as the rest of the bathroom isnt as urgent.

Aaaanyway, he had a look and said we'd really need a new tank for the new bath (as it would be a bigger P shaped, the current tank wouldnt hold enough water to fill it) and preferably a pressurised one (so it didnt take an age to fill). He said if we were doing that we'd be better off with a shower bar rather than the Electric.

the Pros are pretty obviouse, however I have some concerns.

1. We hardly use any hot water. We generally shower not bath (though the kids still have a bath once a week or so and me/the wife do on occasion to unwind), and use littel hot water from the taps (just for lkitchen cleaning really). i heat one tank of water a day, but often done use much of it at all. I had planned - when needed - to replace my boiler with a combi as that would be much more cost efficieant (ie only heating water when I needed it) - but this would mean I couldnt have a pressurised tank (AFAIK). This desicion needs making before the shower one is - so Pros/Cons of combi over vented? cost of running each system (keeping enough water for potential showers/baths)?

2. Obviously there are potential issues with water for the shower. If the tank is emptied or if the boiler breaks theres no hot water. With an electric shower at least we still have that. So, how easily is availability managed? (cost included).

3. Shower temperateure?? In past rented houses (some years ago) we had a power shower, and the hower going cold or hot when another appliance was used (toilet/tap/washing machine etc) was annoying (and potentially dangerous with kids). Im assumning a thermostatic shower bar (rather than a manual) overcommes this issue?

Basically - which works out best from a cost/reliability/useability POV. From a pure funcional POV (ie how good the shoer experience is) the bar wins hands down.