Shower question

BoxerfanUK

kev_pecker wrote: »

Thank you for all your replies.

I hadn't thought of this Boxerfan, I've attatched a photo, it doesn't take up too much of the tray, but it may make the difference!

I've realised one of the water pipes isn't attatched to the wall behind the plasterboard, this means that the concealing plate won't go all the way to the wall. (even after tiling) He also hasn't used the wall mounting brackets that came with the thermostatic bar valve. I shall be giving him a call tmorrow to see what he thinks about the two issues as they'll be easier and cheaper to sort before I tile and seal.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e206/kev_pecker/IMAG1308.jpg

Small details I know, but you would've thought he'd have fitted the end piece of p'board with the paper wrapped finished edge rather than a cut edge, but maybe I'm just overly fussy.


I know it's too late for you now but I fitted a wireless digital shower with the gubbins in the loft space and the spray head coming through the ceiling so no pipes hidden behind walls and everything accessible via the loft space. I know some folks aren't keen on digital showers stating reliability issues but my Triton has been fantastic.

andyhop

BoxerfanUK wrote: »

Small details I know, but you would've thought he'd have fitted the end piece of p'board with the paper wrapped finished edge rather than a cut edge, but maybe I'm just overly fussy.


I know it's too late for you now but I fitted a wireless digital shower with the gubbins in the loft space and the spray head coming through the ceiling so no pipes hidden behind walls and everything accessible via the loft space. I know some folks aren't keen on digital showers stating reliability issues but my Triton has been fantastic.

Fussy and lacking knowledge

It makes zero difference which way the board edges are fitted . Wet area walls should be tanked if you want a 100% sealed substrate

BoxerfanUK

andyhop wrote: »

Fussy and lacking knowledge

It makes zero difference which way the board edges are fitted . Wet area walls should be tanked if you want a 100% sealed substrate

Hmmm fussy maybe, where's the 'lacking knowledge'?

andyhop

BoxerfanUK wrote: »

Hmmm fussy maybe, where's the 'lacking knowledge'?

Sheets go tallest edge up. Only the longest edges are papered !

kev_pecker

Thank you for all your replies again.

Well, he popped round tonight, removed the plasterboard and fixed the pipe to the wall. It's a pretty good job I noticed otherwise it would have made a right mess if it hadn't been done until after I had tiled!

He took some of the bits from the enclosure box to the bathroom and checked, then assured me it would fit despite the overhang. He said he overlapped the plasterboard because the wall was 'pi**ed'.

Does this sound about right, or should I insist that he does it properly with the plasterboard behind the tray? I'm a bit reluctant to play hard ball if it isn't going to make much difference either way.

BoxerfanUK

andyhop wrote: »

Sheets go tallest edge up. Only the longest edges are papered !

I'm fully aware of that thanks. However, I shan't spoil the OP's thread any further by engaging in pointless dialogue with someone who makes ill founded assumptions about someone's 'knowledge' or indeed lack of. You know naff all about me!

MisterBaxter

I would say that the positioning of the sheets is less of an issue than the fact that any water penetration in the future will cause standard plasterboards to disintegrate. There are proper cement based tile backing boards designed specifically for this purpose; they are water resistant so will not disintegrate. A poor or porous grout joint or broken seal will quickly allow water through to cause damage.

andyhop

I would insist that the wall be correctly located . You are going to end up with the shower frame sitting on or close to the edge of the tray . Silicone must be used on be front edge of the trim to tray joint and not on the underside that blocks the drains in the channels

Grout will not stop water penetration. Green plasterboard is also false economy. Standard board with a homelux membrane or 3 coats of Mapei paint on membrane will ensure the area is watertight . Cement boards are good but given the cost for your average domestic bathroom are overkill and still require joints to be sealed

Ensure all expansion edge are silicone sealed rather than grouted .

kev_pecker

Thank you again for you replies, if I could please trouble you for a little more information it would be very much appreciated.

This is a pic of the shower tray in place, just so you get a better idea.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e206/kev_pecker/IMAG1338.jpg

1) I am going to request that the wall is done properly, would it still be ok to use green plasterboard, the reason I ask is that he said 'green plasterboard' on the quote, so if I was to insist on something else then I'd be buying it I would imagine? When he moves the tray ~15mm should he use a new sheet of board, or would it be ok to just put a strip in the bottom where a gap will appear?

2) This one is just out of curiosity really, when the skirting board was removed there was a gap where it hadn't been plastered behind, the guy left it like this. I ended up filling the gap with some bonding plaster, but would it be acceptable to leave it like this normally, or was he just being lazy?

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e206/kev_pecker/IMAG1290.jpg

3) He has done the pipe work behind the sink and then it's gone under the floorboards then run it to behind the new wall. The hot and cold water pipes are butted up against each other, is this acceptable?

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e206/kev_pecker/IMAG1340.jpg
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e206/kev_pecker/IMAG1325.jpg
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e206/kev_pecker/IMAG1324.jpg
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e206/kev_pecker/IMAG1323.jpg
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e206/kev_pecker/IMAG1319.jpg

4) What do you think of the general state of the soldering and pipe work he has done, to my amateur eye it just doesn't look very professional. Particularly the lumps of solder left on the pipe and the joint above the isolation valve.

Many thanks for your time.

MisterBaxter

If he did all of the soldering in the pictures I would question just how good a plumber he actually is. It looks like he has somehow managed to solder the compression fit isolation valves and then there are all the snots over the joints. He must spend a fortune on solder for the amount he wastes.

I would have the wall taken down and started over, a small gap is fine but I wouldn't accept just throw a bit of board in to fill it. Also make sure that the wall is properly waterproofed before the shower tray is installed and the tilings is done. I prefer tile backer boards but as 'andyhop' has stated there are other methods (cheaper) of making the wall waterproof. The tiles and trim will form an overlap on the tray to make the watertight seal.

Doing it this way will ensure that the shower enclosure sits properly on the rim of the tray with the proper overlaps.

If you're paying for the work to be done it should be done properly, not bodged.

EDIT: Just looking at the soldering again - hard to see but a couple of those elbows don't look like there is any solder at all in them, perhaps makes up for the overflows elsewhere.