Thanks for your reply. I do not like chrome finish, I mean at all. We have chrome fixtures now and I am looking forward to replacing them with BN or stainless.

The combination you mentioned is as expensive as Hansgrohe since we need everything you mentioned + handheld shower with a bar + similar system for the shower stall.

Shop around, prices vary depending on the site. Try Amazon, I found their prices to be a little better. I got my Hansgrohe ibox and all other valves and trims there. Or you can ask Build.com to price match (they did that for my Kohler apron sink).

Thank you, I will definitely shop around for each part.

My question was rather about the strategy - should I stick with this higher quality system knowing that I will not get back my investment or I should go with a cheaper line?

Alina,

I would go to a local plumbing supply place. Like you, I wanted (and got) brushed nickel finishes. I ended up with Riobel fixtures primarily because my plumbing supply place highly recommended them AND because BN was the same price as chrome for all their lines. What I learned during this reno is that plumbing supply places will price match. I saved quite a bit by researching and having other quotes.

I have Hudson Reed in my basement guest BR and am really happy with the quality and the price, however, they only did chrome, so I didn't use them for this BR. You definitely don't need to spend close to $3K to get good quality.

BTW, anything designed by Philippe Starck will have a hefty price tag, you're definitely buying it for your own pleasure, not for resale value! :>)

I also found our local plumbing supply matched the best price we could find online. One thing... See if they will charge you a restocking fee. If I had ordered our shower stuff from Amazon there was no fee for return but our local company charged a 25% restocking fee. So I made sure it was what I wanted.

Search for reviews on the Delta Vero before you go with a less expensive solution. Also on the Hansgrohe. Just because it is more expensive doesn't mean it holds up. Plumbers around here like Delta and Moen because the supply houses don't always have parts for the others.

I switched from brushed nickel to chrome for our reno because the microgrooves in the brushed finish tended to hold calcium deposits and become impossible to clean. Of course chrome shows water spots so it's a trade off.

Thanks a lot for your input guys!

I am leaning towards Delta now. After some additional research, it turned out that both Grohe and Hansgrohe have lots of plastic parts too, including internal parts. It sounds like we are paying for the expensive German labor here...

Delta Vero has excellent reviews and good warranty. I got a quote for the similar system in brilliance stainless: $1,786.56.

I will check the local plumbing stores too. This is a new idea to me - at the time of our last reno they were much more expensive than Internet stores.

I found a manufacturer promotion for Delta - 2% off. Does anyone know if there could be better promotions? I vaguely remember seeing 10% off once..

I clicked on the OP's link and the system was under $900 in brushed nickel. Was the figure of $2700+ including other items and/or install charges?

That quote included parts only, no installation. Below are the system I requested:

For the tub:

Handheld shower with a bar
Wall mount shower head
Control
Spout (not plastic)

For the shower stall

Handheld shower with a bar
Wall mount rain shower head (10"-12")
Control

Alina, thanks, I didn't realize you have more than one installation.

Sorry that I did not clarify this before :)
Both quotes were for the same configuration. The link was for the kit we took as a base and then customized the system for our needs.

What did you go with???
Installed??
Pictures??

I spent 150.00 on my Moen Ashville brushed nickel shower set. It looks beautiful and has a lifetime guarantee. Now it is just your standard shower. It really doesn't have all the neat features many of the more expensive systems do.
When I look at each of the elements of my bathroom remodel I weigh the cost of each in terms of how much enjoyment I get. I looked at some cool shower systems. Since we had a 25 year old shower head, an upgrade of a current standard shower head would be a huge step. If you currently have a standard, you may have to spend more to get the feeling of upgrading.

It all comes down to what is important to you. If you have to buy a metal you don't like to get the features you want in your price range, then you have to decide what is important, or go ahead and spend the money to get the combo of both.

This is something none of us can decide for you. The shower is a matter of quality of life. My new shower makes a huge difference in my life. Make sure you are going to be happy.

Here is a link that might be useful: moen Asheville brushed nickel shower kit

marinmaven

I believe the biggest difference is the Moen you went with is a pressure balance valve and the one op looked into is thermostatic. There are three basic differences between the two therefore thermostatic will be more expensive then pressure balance.

I'm going to be starting a bathroom basement reno, (thread has been started) and I believe I'll go with the Pfister line of thermostatic shower systems, based on the sale pricing available and how easy it is to customize it.

P.S.

marinmaven, I saw your recent bathroom reno and it looks great, thanks for posting.

This post was edited by Renosarefun on Sun, Oct 19, 14 at 15:03

Splurge or Save? If I knew I was moving in 5 years, I'd save. We splurge, but, we built this house as babies (21 and 22) and have lived here 33 years. We don't ever plan on moving till we're forced to leave :( So we built, (and remodeled) to our own taste and splurged when we could :) Example...$2400+ for just the 36" vanity with countertop/sink/faucet. I didn't think that was too bad seeing that we got what we wanted and it's all quality items.