Day 6 - Installation of Rainshower and the Throne

Today, the plumbers came to replace the pvc pipes with stainless steel pipes.

Out of 10 contractors, 9 would tell me that my master bedroom bathroom had to have an instant heater installed as the structural beam which the pipe went through was too small to run another pipe through.

I didn't want an instant heater that I have been using all my life. I wanted a rain shower. And a Grohe rainshower at that.

And we all know that a rainshower needs a storage heater to work.

Alan was the one who said that another stainless steel pipe could go through as stainless steel pipes were slimmer than pvc pipes. And in order to achieve that, he would have to open up the L-box which the pipe was hidden. That was the main reason that I wanted to engage him, on top of the fact that he was one of the cheapest and no hidden cost. 

Although it didn't happen, I was thankful that he had given me the knowledge, as well as the courage to request for an additional stainless steel pipe to go through the thick beam.

When I told Dorothy's plumber what I wanted, he was quite sure it wouldn't work, but he kindly cautioned me that in the event that it didn't work, I would still need to pay for the making good of the L-box since they would need to open up the L-box to check if that could be done.

I was apprehensive - to destroy part of my L-box to 'try' and see if what I wanted would work, but perhaps I had confidence in Alan's suggestion, so I gave the go-ahead.

Tearing up the L-box

The plumber is cute. He asked me why I was taking pictures of them doing work and I replied that I blogged. He immediately asked me to advertise for him by turning around.

The passageway leading to my master bedroom. 

Sigh ...

The torn L-box

It was a good thing that it did work.

The L-box wasn't torn in vain.

The electricians were here too.

They were adding an extra light point for my cove lights.

Very humble and soft spoken, they would tell me what they would do and asked if I was alright with it even though I didn't have any option.

Fixing up the throne

At the end of the day ...

The plumber cautioned me against using the throne today as the glue had not dried yet. 

"It will topple," he said.

My beloved Grohe rain shower

We ran into a problem when the plumber was due to install the rainshower: Xiao Hei had created the niches too low, such that my rain shower had only two options:

1) Have the thermostat installed below the lower niche and have a low rainshower that is too low for William

2) Have the thermostat installed beside the lower niche, and have a rainshower that is too close to the side wall

It was a huge dilemma for me. 

I am particular about the aesthetic aspect of the rainshower. Everybody installs a rainshower in the centre of the wall, right? It would look awful to have it on one side. My niches would look so stupid beside it. I had meant for my niches to be above the thermostat, not beside. However, by doing that, it would be way below the recommended 1m clearance from the ground and it would be too low for William.

I know the rainshower has a swivel function. However, I really cannot suffer the look of a rain shower too close to the side wall.

I was in such great dilemma that the plumber said,"I don't install lah. Very stressful leh. If wrong, I cannot take it out leh."

In the end, the plumbers went for lunch first while I mulled over it.

I was frustrated that the tiler did not have the foresight when building a wall from scratch. The whole purpose of a wall was to install a rainshower with holders for shampoo and shower cream! What is the point of having a wall that is no good for a rainshower?

I watsapped Dorothy and told her that the rainshower could only be installed at the side and that it looked awful.

Her reply: You decide. After that, cannot change.

Guess how I felt then.

When the plumbers returned to install the rain shower, they gave me a nice surprise.

The rain shower was installed somewhat in the centre and somewhat below the lower niche!

I asked the young plumber why he told me he could not do it earlier on.

He replied that he was taking a risk that the tile would break since the area nearer to the niche could be more fragile.

And he said this,"You want 100%. I give you 100% lah!"

I like people who take pride in their work.