I am definitely no expert, so I would probably go with the plumber's suggestions unless you have a specific concern with them. On the rainshower, I think I've heard that you ideally want it about one foot from your head? So it may depend how tall you are (or anyone else using it). So long as nobody is much over 6 feet, then the proposed placement sounds fine. Is there a reason you're mounting it horizontally, though? I thought the ideal was to have the bar coming out of the ceiling vertically.

Risforremodel, I see that your holes are already drilled for the brackets so you must have decided on the height too. I was going to say that I don't know if having your shower curtain rod 7.5" from the ceiling (with the curtain being 2.25" lower because of the rings) will result in moisture problems or not. The light should be ok if it is damp/wet rated- which by code it should be. I think your best bet for possible steam or water vapor issues would be a super good bath exhaust fan possibly more powerful than the room size dictates. Make sure it vents to the outside and not into attic space. Some people actual hang there shower curtains all the to the ceiling from ceiling track. So having the 9.75 inches of space you have is more than those people would have. Whatever height you decide should be fine. Also don't be worried about that inch closer or farther for your rod. You will enjoy your new shower regardless of that inch. Make sure to do a reveal of your bathroom geoffrey_b, Sorry but I don't remember what make my rod is. I bought it more than 10 years ago from Marshalls/Homegoods. Whatever it is, it has held up well. Not one speck of rust on it. My daughter's double rod is very similar. She purchased hers from Signature Hardware. She is very satisfied with the quality of it. Here's a closeup of it from the website

Thanks for feedback- we have a tub in the guest bath on current main level. For the pop-up we can put a tub in the kids shared bath. They are getting to an age where they probably like standup shower like our current 3x5 but can do combo for family bath on resale if that is better for families to bathe younger kiddos down the road. I think it is a 50/50 mix in our area (NoVA/DC metro). The really small remodeled homes don't have them. The ones we may 'compete' against would be new builds which are larger square footage. So if no tub (which we are fine with) is to find a design for a really nice shower but feel airy and spacious in the room. If we go no tub, should we reduce space and widen walk in closet or do something with laundry closet? Or just make shower a little bigger - if shower at entrance would that be a wall or just go with frosted glass? Our master bath had entrance adjusted so DH could get his 'sitting space' and place a TV or something on a wall there (also to avoid door to door direct line Feng shui with opposite bedroom. Current laundry is in basement so we thought we should at least have a mini w/d upstairs. We are blowing out some walls on main level so don't want to lose storage space on main to place laundry there as a compromise option that had come up.

Ask your AHJ to provide you with the section of code to which they are referencing. Essentially, which part of the code are you in violation of? They are supposed to maintain a copy in office for review and for providing copies of pages as needed. Your best bet is to ask them directly. The link you provided to states that you are still under the 2011 version of the NEC. The NEC has been updated a few times since the 2011 version. However... While I no longer have a copy of the 2011 NEC, if I recall correctly, the 2011 NEC stated something along the lines of "...receptacles shall not be installed within or directly over a bathtub or shower stall." According to that, you would be fine with your installation as is. HOWEVER, your state or village may have language more restrictive than that in their local amendments to the code(s). Your AHJ can answer that question. The latest version of the NEC, the 2020 version? It states: "406.9(C) Bathtub and Shower Space. Receptacles shall not be installed within a zone measured 900 mm (3 ft) horizontally and 2.5 m (8 ft) vertically from the top of the bathtub rim or shower stall threshold. The identified zone is all-encompassing and shall include the space directly over the tub or shower stall. Exception: In bathrooms with less than the required zone the receptacle(s) shall be permitted to be installed opposite the bathtub rim or shower stall threshold on the farthest wall within the room." Because your receptacle is within 3' horizontally of the shower threshold AND within 8' of it vertically, its location would be a violation of the 2020 NEC. Good luck getting things figured out.