Totally new to the world of remodeling a bath with a shower here.

We would like a handheld shower head on a sliding bar that is also a grab bar. This is for a shower only and we do not want any other shower heads. I saw a post here where someone had used one of Jalco's slider/grab bars, which look very nice.

I want something that will last a long time. The vibe I'm going for is roughly a 1920s vibe, but this is not a period perfect project. I plan to use chrome finishes.

I gather that one can buy each piece of this separately? What brands should I be looking at?

Hansgrohe?
Speakman?
Moen?

and what pieces do I need (so I can comparison shop apples to apples)?

Bar
Shower head
Flexible tubing
Hardware to attach shower head to bar
What do you call the piece you use to turn on the water?
Thermostatic valve?
What else?

We will hire a contractor but all three we have talked with want us to pick out the shower heads, etc as they feel (and I agree) it is a matter of personal taste. We will run whatever we pick out by whichever contractor we hire before buying to make sure there aren't compatibility problems, or such, but I think I need to get started researching.

Thank you for putting me on the right track!