What Every New Bathroom Should Have
.... and probably won't, unless you ask

Installing these plumbing items while the house is under construction will save you thousands of dollars later on, and eliminate the inconvenience and mess of having to tear up the basement floor and/or foundation walls.

* All prices shown are based on Manufacturer's Suggested List Price

1. Stop (cut-off) Valves at Every Fixture & Faucet
   (on both Hot and Cold Water Lines)
   
   Stop valves cut off the flow to a designated fixture or supply run in the event of emergency so that repairs can be made without turning off all the water in the house.
   
   Every fixture and faucet, (including showers) should have stop valves installed.
   
   Ball Valves
   Less Than $5.25* each
   Ball valves offer the least trouble over time and usually work when they are needed. Ball valves rarely are harmed by sediment and furthermore their internal design allows full unimpeded flow of water through the valve.
   
   
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2. Access Panels Behind Tubs & Showers
   End Sheetrock Repair after Plumbing Repairs
   for Less Than $30.00*
   
   Cut-off valves won't do you any good, if you can't get to them.
   
   While not a strictly a "plumbing item", plumbing access panels can save you hundreds of dollars in repair bills should a faucet have to be replaced in the future.
   
   An access panel allows a plumber to gain quick access to all of the plumbing, both drainage and water supply lines, to almost all tubs and showers.
   
   Commonplace when walls were hand plastered, plumbing access panels are seldom found in new homes today ... even though access to plumbing is still needed for tubs and showers..
   
   In addition to plumbing access, these panels provide a service area for electrical, security systems, telephone, TV, computer cables and sprinkler system applications.
   
   Constructed of high-impact white ABS, these panels can be painted or papered, and are easily installed to eliminate unsightly sheetrock repairs..
   
   Careful planning will hide these panels inside an adjacent bedroom or linen closet if needed. Talk to your builder or remodeler about having these added before construction takes place. Better yet, have your architect add them to your plans.
   
   
   
3. Thermostatic Valves in Shower
   
   The most important element in the shower, is the valve. Temperature control in the shower (especially a multi-head custom shower) is much more than a performance consideration, it is a safety issue.
   
   Thermostatic Mixing Valves, sometimes called Tempering Valves, are valves that prevent scalding or thermal shock by controlling the temperature of the hot water passing through them.
   
   These valves can be preset to any temperature between 60°F and 120°F with flow rates between .5 gpm and 10 gpm.
   
   Installed on the hot water supply to any sink, lavatory, tub or shower where temperature control is required, these valves react to temperature changes, which makes them more accurate and allows a steady flow of water.
   
   They are different from pressure-balancing valves, which react to changing water pressure and the cut water flow to compensate. A pressure balance valve is not a high flow valve, and cannot be expected to replace a thermostatic temperature control valve, especially in a multiple shower outlet installation.
   
   The Kohler "Master Control Valve" shown here, combines both a pressure-balance and thermostatically controlled valve. Most shower valve manufacturers offer thermostatic valve options.
   
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4. Hand Held Shower Spray At Bathtub
   Starting at $200.00
   
   Separate hand held sprays have become very popular items in showers, but they're still not widely installed at tubs and whirlpools.
   
   Every tub and/or whirlpool should have one of these, since they not only provide a handy way to rinse the body while bathing, but they're invaluable in cleaning the tub afterwards.
   
   Hand held shower sprays are available from a number of manufacturers, and can be either mounted to the wall or deck mounted. Learn more »
   
   
   
5. Grab Bars in Tub, Shower and Toilet area
   Starting at $27.00
   
   Falls in the bathroom are a leading cause of injury. Grab bars can help reduce the risk of accidents.
   
   Grab bars are often thought of as only for the elderly, but all people can use something to grab onto in case of loss of footing.
   
   Unlike towel bars, they will support the weight of an adult person who loses their balance. In residential settings, grab bars must be anchored to the wall studs.
   
   Well worth the expense in any home.
   
   Learn more »
   
   
   
6. Bath Fan/Light Over the Tub/Shower
   Starting at $100.00
   
   Steamy mirrors in the bathroom. Fogged windows.
   
   These seemingly minor annoyances often signal much deeper problems:
   
   Mold. Mildew. Peeling paint and wallpaper. Warping. Ruined insulation. Even wood rot.
   
   Concentrated moisture problems like these demand concentrated ventilation.
   
   Broan-NuTone makes a UL approved, series of bath fans that can be placed directly in the shower ceiling. These fans remove the moisture before it has a chance to escape out of the shower area. Condensation from the steam is all but eliminated.
   
   The 100 watt ceiling light is covered with a frosted glass lens that provides light where you need it, without glare. Some models also have built-in, 7 watt night-light - a great convenience.
   
   An energy-saving fluorescent fan-light (no night-light) model is also available. Additional options include designer frames and polished brass or white grilles.
   
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7. ADA Height toilets
   Toilets come in a variety of heights from 10" to 19 1/8" (measured from the bottom to the top of the rim, not including the seat).
   
   The standard toilet is 14 1/2" - 15 3/8" high, which most people find too low to be comfortable.
   
   ADA height toilets are 16 1/2" - 17 1/8" in height, making it easier to sit down without falling, and stand up without putting stress on the knees.
   
   Increasingly popular for use in the Master Bath, these higher toilets should definitely be considered a standard for use in the Guest Powder Room.
   
   Marketed under different names such as Smart Height, Right Height and the Comfort Height™ by Kohler (shown here).
   Learn More »
   
   
   
8. Dual Flush Toilets
   The average person flushes the toilet 5 times a day.
   
   Even with the new federally mandated 1.6 gallon per flush toilets, that a lot of water being wasted.
   (8 gallons per day; 243.3 gallons a month, 2920 gallons a year)
   
   The newest of the high-efficient, water conserving, toilets are dual-flush, which allow you to select the amount of water that is used to flush the toilet.
   
   A "short flush" (0.8 to 1.1-gpf/3.0 to 4.0-lpf) is used to flush liquid wastes, and a "full flush" (1.6-gpf/6.0-lpf ) is used for solid wastes. Dual-flush toilets have two buttons, one for solid waste, and one that flushes at less than 1.6 gpf for liquid waste. Some dual-flush toilets are washdown models. High-Efficiency Toilets (HETs) - maximum of 1.3gpf/4.8-lpf The new high-efficiency toilets use 1.28 gpf (or less) - an average of at least 20% less water than a standard 1.6 gpf toilet. That translates into a total usage of 2,300 gallons/year per person. Although they use much less water, these toilets are very efficient.
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9. Urinal
   There is one only bathroom fixture that:
   
   • Is almost never mentioned in Home Design/Decorating books
     
   • Is affordable and belongs in every home, yet is missing in most
     
   • Men are usually too intimidated to mention it by name
     
   • Women never consider it when planning a bathroom ...
     but spend the rest of their married lives wishing they had it.
     
     
   That fixture is a urinal. ... a specialized toilet designed for urination only, which is used almost exclusively by a standing male.
   
   Early trend setters opted for a urinal in the master bathroom. Now they are beginning to appear in other bathrooms in the home as well ... especially where there are males in the household.
   Learn More »
   
   
   
10. Bidet
    The bidet is widely used around the world, but only recently has it begin to capture the attention of Americans.
    
    An invaluable aid to person hygiene, the bidet is gaining popularity among baby boomers, senior citizens, the disabled and those with impaired motor functions or incontinence.
    
    
    Learn More »
    
    
    
    
11. 34" vanities/sinks
    Left over from the days of wash bowls that sat on a commode (small chest), the standard vanity and bathroom sink is 30" high ... too low for most people to comfortably use with a recessed sink.
    
    34" vanities are the same heigh as kitchen base cabinets. Available with an open toe space, or with a 4" high drawer at the bottom, these cabinets not only provide more usable storage space, but are more comfortable when brushing teeth, etc.
    Learn More »
    
    
    

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