Bath shower question

[gabbybaby]

Opinions needed urgently please. In our bathroom we have a separate shower & bath. We have bought a shower handset that fits into the bath to be used for cleaning and rinsing (so the builder has to drill into the new bath to fit it). The builder is refusing to fit it because he said they always cause problems with leaking into the back of the bath. He wants us to return it and change it for a normal shower over the bath. The bathroom guy says that as this particular one drains directly into the waste, that doesn't happen. Has anyone got any experience of this particular shower hose, and can confirm either way if it's going to cause us problems? Do we need to take it back and change for a normal shower over the bath, which we don't particularly want to do as we have a separate shower, but we don't want to be having to pull out the bath in a couple of years time because of water collected at the back. This is what we've got:
www.crosswater.co.uk/product/crosswater-showering-handsets/follow-me-shower-handset-sk812c/
TIA for opinions and experience of this particular model.

[wowfudge]

That looks like a great product. I suspect he doesn't want to fit it because he's never fitted one before and doesn't want any come back if it doesn't work or fails at some point.

[origamiwarrior]

Does he actually understand that the model you want to fit does away with the exact issue that makes him reluctant to fit bath surround showers? Maybe he is assuming you want to fit a standard one.

[Etak15]

I have a shower over the bath but have never used it for cleaning the bath with I just use the tap? It looks a handy little device though I agree with pp the builder is probs just unfamiliar with them and is scratching his head. How about a mixer tap/shower head instead? That would be quite a simple solution, is that what your builder means or does he mean an actual proper shower?

[Etak15]

Like this, seems a shame to have to drill into the bath when they do the same job ?

[gabbybaby]

Etak - he means a proper shower, which I don't want as it won't get used as a shower.
I'm going to check with him today that he realises the model that we have bought drains back into the waste

[TreadSoftlyOnMyDreams]

I reckon he just doesn't want to drill the bath too. We have the same solution as Etak. Works fine.

[wowfudge]

Etak - it's pretty standard to have to drill into the bath to fit taps these days and it's far less neat having a shower attachment on the taps imo, especially if the taps aren't at one of the ends of the bath. It also means you have a shower hose dangling into the bath or you have to drill into the tiles to fit a hook for the shower head.

[Etak15]

Mmmmm hadn't thought about the dangling hose, you can get some that sit in their own cradle though? The builders idea of a proper shower is silly isn't it - is he trying to bump his fees up!

[PigletJohn]

I'm not surprised he thinks it will leak.

Sign a document absolving him from all responsibility for ever under all circumstances, and have the shower panel fitted with easily-removable screws so you can look at it from time to time to see if it is leaking yet.

[gabbybaby]

I've spoken to him. He has fitted that particular model several time and he has had problems with it a couple of times and has had to replace it. He will fit it if we insist, but doesn't want to be held responsible for future leaks. He is talking instead about getting a shower on a hose that will dangle into the bath, but he says is safer from the potential leak point of view. I now don't know what to do!
It's not a money thing! He's here doing a huge extension job, and the price is set. It won't change whichever option we go for!

[Etak15]

If it's only for cleaning the bath you could just not bother with the shower bit get a nice powerful tap will be sufficient for rinsing & cleaning along with a cloth? It's a shame you can't get the big kitchen hose type taps for bathroom that would be ideal - would look a bit funny in the bathroom though!!

[TreadSoftlyOnMyDreams]

Correction - we have a similar model to Etak but it's a free standing bath so the dangling hose hangs down between the bath and the wall. It would drive me crackers to have it hanging in the bath collecting soap scum and limescale. Much better not to have one at all.

It's proving very handy for washing children's hair in the bath especially if they've been doused in nit removal creme.

[gabbybaby]

Piglet John - is that a no then?! We won't install it if there is a good chance we will have problems.
TreadSoftly - exactly what we want it for (not the nit shampoo - but general hair rinsing !! ) as well as cleaning the bath. It will drive me mad hanging in the bath too.

So if we've decided it's safer not to go with that, I still don't know what our alternative is

[PigletJohn]

if he used it before, and ended up having to do hundreds of pounds worth of work for nothing, to repair, it, why would he want to do it again?

if you want to take the risk, put it in writing.

It looks to me like it will leak.

[Bearbehind]

I have a shower head attached to the taps like the one above and just hook the hose over the shower head when not in use so it doesn't dangle in the bath.

I can see why he's reluctant to fit the one you've chosen too- it looks like a recipe for disaster as you are always going to be pulling at a hose you can't see.