Thanks OldTimeCarpenter1. Any thoughts on Santec or Sigma brand? Our two local plumbing supply stores don't carry California Faucets, which makes me curious as to why. I will have to see if I can find them somewhere to see them in person. I can say that based on what I see online I am not a fan of their logo imprint on the shower trim plate. I hate big logos (another reason why I like newport brass) I will be honest, I don't know much about fixture components. From what I have seen all the brands have plastic parts and from what I have read almost all have at least some components made in China. All I can see and know is how it looks and feels in the showroom. Some brands definitely feel more heavy and solid where as others feel light thin and plastic. I was actually surprised how many shower heads were actually plastic and not metal. I guess as with anything it is a balance between style, quality, and cost. My husband eliminated about 80-90% of the brands & styles when he insisted on a high neck victorian faucet that had a thicker trunk spout. He also did not want any shower trim plates where you could see screws. I want a stylish tub spout, so that eliminated the Delta, Moen and Kohler tub spouts which to me look like clunky builder grade Home Depot/Lowes specials. I also prefer that the shower trim plate have a built in diverter on the trim plate or a separate matching diverter. Kohler had nothing that fit our criteria until they came out with the new Artifacts line, however it is on the pricey side for Kohler. I wouldn't describe it as a "value" line, as it is coming in about 15% more than the newport brass. A quick look at Sigma, Santec, Graff, Calfornia, Rohl, etc....they are all priced higher than Newport Brass. Some by a lot. Are they a much higher quality in comparison?

You'll need to stick with trim that is the same brand that's on the shower now to avoid changing the valves. If you have problems finding the parts, call the manufacturer directly and they should have what you need. We're going thru the same thing and are dealing with Delta directly to buy the necessary trim parts. You can also take the old handle with you to a plumbing store and they may have a replacement in stock.

First, I'd pull one of the stems, take it to a REAL plumbing store and see if they can identity the manufacturer, American Standard, Kohler, whatever. They can probably order replacement handles that will fit your needs. Sounds like your plumber is on the young side. I just got replacements for my 1950's AS. If you wind up replacing the tile (depending on how many you need), you can get 8 full tiles by pulling down the tiles above the shower and just leaving the bullnose trim (that's how mine is and it's original). Patch the drywall and continue the crown molding around the corners to meet the other crown. It looks like pretty standard crown so it should be pretty easy to match. You might also get some extra tile from behind the side panel of the vanity where it meets shower. Just a thought.

The text disappeared... Here again: My main shower is old and in need of updating. The shower is a single handle valve. The gold finish plate over the valve has a SA stamped on it which apparently stands for American Standard. At any rate, the valve works fine but I was wondering about update or upgrade options. Without tearing into the wall can I find the correct updated trim packages available today? I suppose I would have to tear into the wall to replace the valve? The existing main bath is entirely builders grade fixtures and I would like to upgrade but dont want to tear-out. What to do?