How much is involved in adding a hand held shower to this bath (see photo)

[OnePotato]

We are buying a new house and just noticed there isn’t a handheld shower on the bath! This is the stage it’s at. What would I be asking of the builders if I asked for a handheld shower at this stage? They would obviously charge it as extra (parts and labour) so I’d like an idea so I can decide ASAP whether to ask! I’d really miss one for rinsing and cleaning the bath!

It's just a change of taps, but note they're at the back of the bath - I'd want tiling too, even if just a splashback.

Ah ok so they literally would just have to take that tap off and could replace it using the same with one with shower attached? What do you think the cost difference would be?

Re tiling - this pic is the show home. It will be tiled like this.

Literally a 15minute job and the replacement tap with shower shouldn't be too expensive - say a min £100ish depending which one/where from.

Ok that doesn’t sound like i would be asking for anything too onerous. I’m going to ask the builders now I know - thank you!

A lot of recent hand held showers I’ve seen on baths are separate (ie the slim shower comes out of a different hole to the taps. If their range did that would it then be much more tricky to do?

Yes more difficult. You are adding a shower attachment. They put in the cheapest fitting possible to maximise their profit. Hope you can sort out what you would like.

Not much more difficult though - they'd need to cut an additional hole in the bath edge.

more difficult than you think, because they have foolishly put the taps where you can only get at them by taking the bath out, or cutting a hole in the wall behind it.

Is there a hot-water cylinder?

I just had a new tap with shower attachment fitted in my bath, small job for the plumber plus the cost of the tap. However the tap is at the end of the bath and there is a shower screen. In the middle you couldn't really use it as a shower?

The OP has said it's for rinsing and cleaning. Also handy for hairwashing without getting in the shower.

Piglet John yes there is a hot water cylinder like this...

And downstairs a boiler (see pic)

and i doubt that it’s relevant but there is also underfloor heating (for downstairs only)

that's fine, it's an unvented cylinder, so the hot and cold water pressures will be the same.

Otherwise, a mixer shower would be tricky.

You still have the problem of the inaccessible bath taps.

I see the plumber hadn't got any pipe lagging the day he fitted it.

So do the inaccessible taps mean that me asking for a handheld shower to be added isn’t a quick job afterall? They have a habit (fairly enough I guess) of charging for anything extra and that would include extra labour costs.

Where should there be pipe lagging (what even is that?! Is it that insulation tube thing that goes round pipes? If it’s something we can do easily ourselves I’ll do it when we move in. Unless they are remiss by missing it off in which case I’ll tell them and ask for it to be done!

Yes and yes.

Building Regulations, probably Part L1 (there may be a later version) para 1.39
<a class="break-all" href="http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20150728221100/www.planningportal.gov.uk/uploads/br/BR_PDF_ADL_1995.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20150728221100/www.planningportal.gov.uk/uploads/br/BR_PDF_ADL_1995.pdf

there are some lazy or old plumbers who maintain that uninsulated pipes are OK because they help to heat your house. On a hot July day you might not agree, especially when the wasted heat is costing you money.

Just had a look at those Building Regs, does that mean all the pipewotk coming off the boiler / hot water tank should be insulated?

I'd say "should" is right. I don't know if the installer can be compelled to do it. All those copper pipes act as radiators. You lose a lot of heat from long, thin radiators that are kept hot summer and winter, regardless of need.

Could the builders cut some sort of access flap on the other side of the wall so you can get at the taps in an emergency?

Thanks for tip re lagging the pipes. I do like a warm airing cupboard for drying bits and keeping towels warm but can see it’s rather wasteful.