Bathroom remodel.

bjorn_toby_wilde

Don’t know any to avoid but I have a Grohe which has been very good for quite a few years now.

WIAWSNB

ohreallƳ said:

I'll work on the basis of a thermostatic shower is way to go.

Any to avoid?

I don't know what size combi you have, but assuming it's 28kW or more, you are going to love your new shower.
Grohe and Hansgrohe are good makes, considered high-end I believe, so carries a commensurate price tag. If you are going to DIY your bathroom refit, then you'll be saving £ks, so may wish to treat yourself.
You also can't go much wrong with, say, Mira or Aqualisa; good, solid mid-range makes, and some of their upper models are also pricey - 'digital' controls, temp readouts, push button, etc.
Decide on the style you are after. Things like 'concealed' (flush) controls, or exposed.
Style of control - the most common are 'bar' type, but you may prefer round plate, square, separate, etc.
What I'd def suggest - obviously 'thermostatic' (almost all are these days) - but also a separate 'flow' rate control. Some, surprisingly, only have an on/off, so it comes on full-flow each time. This 'full-flow' could be preset using isolating valves on the H&C (do fit these) if needed, but I'd personally never choose a mixer without an adjustable flow; jump in, a good blast, turn down whilst 'pooing and lathering, a further blast to finish...
Oh, and whether to have both a rain head and handset. 
Once you decide, you can often get a bargain from looking at eBay - I picked up one there a year back for my own refurb, and I got a Triton, new & unused (but without warranty) for under £60 - typical new price was around £200. Rain and handset. It's the 'dull' bar design, tho' slightly nicer by being angular, and that part is impressively heavy, silky in use, and well finished.
If you don't have hard water, it should give many years of good service before, say, the thermostat cartridge needs replacing.
Even the stupidly-cheap ones you see actually work well, but are bound to compromise on finish and durability.
Anyhoo, start by deciding on style, looks, and features.
What combi do you have? If you set the DHW flow at, say, 60oC, then by the time cold water is blended in by the mixer, you'll be getting a near 20lpm shower, and that will be coming out a proper hole sized head. If you want even more, then tweak the combi up to 65.
You are going to be amazed at the difference between a combi shower and your leccy.

ohreallƳ

Costco £323inc. Vitalio Joy 260

And

bjorn_toby_wilde

I haven’t heard of the second make.

I only mentioned Grohe because they were recommended to me, I like mine and because when I used to work away a lot almost every large chain hotel I stayed in had them fitted. I guess they wouldn’t do that if they weren’t reliable.

You can get Grohe online for around the £130 mark.

Mira also have a good reputation I believe.

ohreallƳ

The boss spotted a matte black Mira in a showroom that caught her eye, I can be flexible over choices, I just want to avoid spending on something that is junk but happy to consider recommendations.

Supplementary Q.

I've remembered there's a tank (long disconnected) in the attic from pre-combi days, could that be repurposed for anything useful relating to this?

WIAWSNB

ohreallƳ said:

Supplementary Q.

I've remembered there's a tank (long disconnected) in the attic from pre-combi days, could that be repurposed for anything useful relating to this?

No. It can't. Get rid. Turn it into a pond. Just stop it, you :-)

WIAWSNB

ohreallƳ said:

Costco £323inc. Vitalio Joy 260

And

I haven't heard of that second make either. I bet it'll work 'just fine', and then it'll start to have 'issues' - tricky to control the temp, or the original control smoothness becoming rough. But, that's just an opinion - I don't know. 

Grohe is a top make. You don't have to go there, tho'. You should be able to pick up a decent make for around the £200 mark. That's what I'd aim for. 

vic_sf49

More a comment about the cubicle, is there a reason you're going narrower, from 900 to 800? It doesn't sound a lot, but it can feel it. 

ohreallƳ

Yes, space in that dimension is a little tight and has a knock on effect on the size and position of a wash hand basin.

vic_sf49

Ah, I totally understand the space issue, if you change things around.