Bathroom Suites - Help me please!

[CeeCee123]

Hi there,
I posted last week about where to buy bathroom suite online, but now I've had a chat with my builder and am a bit confused. He suggested buying branded bathroom suites - in particular he likes Grohe - rather than own brand from somewhere like The Bathstore.

I'm completely utterly clueless when it comes to bathrooms - is it necessary to buy a brand or will I get decent quality from somewhere like Wickes or Victorian Plumbing?
If brands are better, what are the decent ones that won't cost the earth? He also likes Villeroy and Boche but they seem to be mega bucks.
Grohe is all well and good but I can't seem to find a showroom or an online store.
I don't want anything other than a plain, simple suite in white. I just want it to be great quality and last me a long time.
Any help gratefully received!

Anyone? :)

Anything with working parts - toilet flush, shower, bath/shower drain etc - I would go for a plumbing name brand as they are less likely to break. Bathstore have a huge mark up on their own brand stuff, avoid Cooke & lewis (B&Q) terrible quality issues.
Have you got an independent bathroom store near you - we have a fab one in an old church.
We have just done a bathroom, shower room and downstairs wc last year, I am very happy with everything we bought.
1 Bath - Kadewei steel bath (I had one of these in old house for 10 years and it still looked brand new when we moved out) with Gerberit waste, can't remember tap
2 Showers - Abode shower with Pura fittings and A Mira shower
2 Shower cubicles & trays -Lakes
3WCs - Armatige Shanks & Roca (with Gerberit flushes)
3 basins, 2 under cabinets- www.bathroomsandmorestore.co.uk/product/bathrooms/travertine-top-with-ceramic-basin-choice-1160/ , Roca & Ikea
Tiles - Topps tiles
Rubber floor - rubber flooring store
Vinyl - Carpetright
Picking & choosing meant I got exactly what I wanted.

Our local bathroom store ended up being cheaper than anything we found online for branded stuff and comparable to all but the cheapest suites in the chain stores.

Whereabouts in the country are you? Perhaps someone could recommend a showroom.

What do you need? Shower?

Also meant to add I have specified lots of www.armitage-shanks.co.uk and www.twyfordbathrooms.com
For clean solid nothing fancy bathrooms for commercial clients because they last, they do do fancier ranges but not many of my clients want that they just want reliable.
There official stockists are www.twyfordbathrooms.com/professionals-area/uk-stockists/ & AS outlet store www.idealstandard-sales.co.uk

Don't know if this would be any help but Grohe have an online cheaper brand called Joyou, their website is...www.joyou.co.uk. I haven't used them myself but am planning on ordering from them when we finally exchange in the next few weeks (fingers crossed!)