Advice needed - water pressure

[TangoSierra]

Hi all, any chance of some advice please?

We've had a plumber in recently who has done a wonderful job cosmetically with a new en suite shower room for us but the water pressure from the new shower is awful. So much so, you can't wash the soap out of your hair.

We're now being told we need a twin water pressure pump but my query is the shower they took out ran perfectly and that didn't have a pressure pump. It's a gravity fed tank system and not electric.

I don't get why it would be any different?

Thanks

 

[Old Account]

Hi all, any chance of some advice please?

We've had a plumber in recently who has done a wonderful job cosmetically with a new en suite shower room for us but the water pressure from the new shower is awful. So much so, you can't wash the soap out of your hair.

We're now being told we need a twin water pressure pump but my query is the shower they took out ran perfectly and that didn't have a pressure pump. It's a gravity fed tank system and not electric.

I don't get why it would be any different?

Thanks

The engineers or bathroom fitter you had should have included the pump or should have installed a low pressure shower due to the fact you have a gravity fed system.
If he came to quote he should have checked it prior to the installation.

 

[TangoSierra]

The engineers or bathroom fitter you had should have included the pump or should have installed a low pressure shower due to the fact you have a gravity fed system.
If he came to quote he should have checked it prior to the installation.

This was my thought to be honest. He openly admitted to not checking the water pressure prior to installation but I still can't work out why my old shower didn't need a pump but this new one does??

 

[Riley]

As has already been said the old shower was likely designed for low pressure set up. By the sound of it the new one isn’t

 

[chris watkins]

This was my thought to be honest. He openly admitted to not checking the water pressure prior to installation but I still can't work out why my old shower didn't need a pump but this new one does??

Larger bore connection typically 3/4" rather than your 1/2" & internal water ways that are not restricted so they allow more water to pass through it you then get more flow with less head pressure. High pressure mixers typically require minimum of 1 bar (10 metres) to operate correctly.

 

[chris watkins]

Your installer has, by the sound of it, created a new swanky looking bathroom, shame it doesn't function correctly. I would ask them to make it work correctly please, and without additional cost to you. You after all would have selected the next more expensive installer who had allowed either for the more costly low pressure equipment or had allowed for a pump to be added.

 

[TangoSierra]

As has already been said the old shower was likely designed for low pressure set up. By the sound of it the new one isn’t

Apologies, I misread the original answer. Thanks for highlighting

 

[TangoSierra]

Your installer has, by the sound of it, created a new swanky looking bathroom, shame it doesn't function correctly. I would ask them to make it work correctly please, and without additional cost to you. You after all would have selected the next more expensive installer who had allowed either for the more costly low pressure equipment or had allowed for a pump to be added.

Agreed. He's now telling me it will be next Friday before he can install this new pump and I've yet to be told how much he expects me to pay. Assuming it's next Friday them the whole thing would have taken 3 weeks!

You would've thought anyone giving a quote would have checked the water pressure first, surely?

 

[Scott_D]

Who supplied the shower?

 

[TangoSierra]

Who supplied the shower?

He did... think it's an iflo?

 

[TangoSierra]

Before he left he was talking about a salamander twin pressure pump but wouldn't I be better just buying a low pressure shower unit or am I better to get the pump fitted? We also asked him for a quote to put a shower in our family bathroom which would be electric I'm guessing so would we be better just biting the bullet and getting a twin pump installed as the family bathroom is some way from the tank - make sense?

 

[Welder]

Okay let's look at this objectively.

You as a homeowner are not expected to understand the intricacies of plumbing. You asked an expert to attend and quote you. Hopefully you did that to more than one supplier.

When you chose, the onus was them to supply a product fit for purpose. However, there was ALSO an onus upon you to clarify, why there was difference between different quotes.

If the job you have had done is not fit for purpose, then the best thing you can do is agree a way forward. However, you must share some of the responsibility for its remediation.

If the plumber is going to install a pump, then this is normally quite a substantive change in spec IF it is to be done correctly. Being fair and equitable, I would expect YOU to pay for additional parts (as you would have originally), but I would expect HIM to contribute his time to fit as that should have been included originally.

Hopefully, that way you can get what you need, he learns a lesson but doesn't pay a daft price, and you get to keep a good plumber. #MutualRespect

 

[TangoSierra]

Okay let's look at this objectively.

You as a homeowner are not expected to understand the intricacies of plumbing. You asked an expert to attend and quote you. Hopefully you did that to more than one supplier.

When you chose, the onus was them to supply a product fit for purpose. However, there was ALSO an onus upon you to clarify, why there was difference between different quotes.

If the job you have had done is not fit for purpose, then the best thing you can do is agree a way forward. However, you must share some of the responsibility for its remediation.

If the plumber is going to install a pump, then this is normally quite a substantive change in spec IF it is to be done correctly. Being fair and equitable, I would expect YOU to pay for additional parts (as you would have originally), but I would expect HIM to contribute his time to fit as that should have been included originally.

Hopefully, that way you can get what you need, he learns a lesson but doesn't pay a daft price, and you get to keep a good plumber. #MutualRespect

That's fair for sure. I went with his quote because it was the best and I'm now assuming the others were higher because they understood the need for a pump or at least a low pressure shower system. Now i know why my old shower worked better than this new one i accept I need to pay for a pump as his quote didn't cover this.

My original query was to understand the difference in my old and new shower and now know why this is. I guess I'm also frustrated that I have to wait another week for it to be finished whereas if he had checked the water pressure at the time of quote, it would be finished now, albeit more expensive.....

 

[chris watkins]

Note to self never go with the cheapest (at least not with the knowledge that they are like for like)

 

[SimonG]

Maybe the previous shower was not thermostatic. But still, anybody worth their salt would be highlighting the pressure issue and ways to give you a decent showering experience.

 

[Welder]

That's fair for sure.

You'll go far

Sooo many people come on here with a perspective of 'entitlement' that it's genuinely a genuine to see someone behave in a decent, empathetic & balanced way. Thank you.

Next time you have some work done, come on here first and we'll arm you with what you need to know 'first'. Take care

 

[TangoSierra]

Quick questions, guys, if you don't mind....

The plumber has been back in touch and is quoting me £524 to have pump fitted. This is £284 for pump and fittings, £120 Labour and £120 for electrician - my question is, is this a realistic price? Thanks in advance.

 

[Harvest Fields]

Why an electrician?

 

[TangoSierra]

Why an electrician?

I work in an office lol, no idea. But now you say it, I can't see why we need a sparky? Thanks for coming back to me so quickly.

 

[Harvest Fields]

I work in an office lol, no idea. But now you say it, I can't see why we need a sparky? Thanks for coming back to me so quickly.

Where are you based?
Also what pumpnis he fitting.
To be fair he may not legally be able to do the wiring himself. You may need a fused spur wiring in to power the pump.

 

[TangoSierra]

Guys, sorry to drag this out but an additional £524 later I now have a powerful shower but should the pump in my airing cupboard sound like a moped? I can hear it downstairs! He's still telling me that "it's these new showers......" 're the poor performance previously....

 

[Stigster]

They are far from silent but it'd be worth making sure that the pump is on its padded feet and is not touching anything other than the pipework directly connected to it and the padded feet it sits on. What make and model of pump did he fit? Some are noisier than others.

 

[TangoSierra]

I'll check. He's coming back as when we came downstairs morning there's a huge leak from the mains water tap. It really is a noisy unit and if i dont respond , it's because I've been arrested!

 

[TangoSierra]

They are far from silent but it'd be worth making sure that the pump is on its padded feet and is not touching anything other than the pipework directly connected to it and the padded feet it sits on. What make and model of pump did he fit? Some are noisier than others.

Not sure if this helps? It's on some rubber padding. Pic below:

 

[TangoSierra]

What it looks like: