New Shower Fixtures with Goofy Wand Question

[Tileworks]

Hello everybody, this is my first post to this forum. A particular question has brought me here.

I am a tile setter by trade. I recently took on a job where I will be ripping out the current tub/shower surround and building a custom shower in it's place. I have a buddy with some plumbing experience lined up to center the mixing valve and shower head according to the new showers dimensions.

However, the customer recently informed me that he purchase new fixtures that has a handheld piece with some sort of mounting bracket, and thinks he wants it on the opposite wall so that he and his wife could shower simultaneously if they wanted to.

I informed my handy-man buddy of this, who in turn spoke with a plumber buddy of his, and he was told that all the 1/2" pipe would have to be replaced with 3/4" pipe as far back as we can go (which isn't very far without gutting more than we desire too, as this is a 2nd floor bath). It's 1/2" as far as the eye can see.

My question is, is this true? Do we need to make it all 3/4" as far back as we can go, even if it ends up connecting to previously existing 1/2" pipe?

I'll see if I can attach a picture (some forums require a minimum amount of posts before you can attach a pic).

- Bob

 

[Tileworks]

Alright, here is a pic.

- Bob

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Jadnashua]

It depends...assuming you use legal max 2.5 gallon/minute heads, a 1/2" supply line should be able to supply two heads. If you want more heads, no, I think you'd be dissatisfied.

 

[hj]

faucet

The valve is what determines the pipe size, NOT the number of heads off it. 1/2" will be adequate, but don't forget to have some kind of control unless they want both showers running simultaneously every time. Years ago the contractor at the Minot, N.D. missile silo base installed the bathrooms. When he was done, they wanted operating instructions for every fixture, including the showers. He gave them a step by step routine from getting undressed to soaping up. One instruction was, "in order to save water, you might consider multiple users at the same time". Your customer sounds like they read that recommendation.

 

[Gary Swart]

HJ, is that the guy who went on to design the bathrooms in the Playboy Mansion?

 

[MikeFromHC]

HJ, is that the guy who went on to design the bathrooms in the Playboy Mansion?

Yes. The bad news is that he died shortly after.
The good news is that he decided a written manual was not good enough and died demonstrating the procedures to the 37th bunny.