[Zeke]

One thing to note when buying plumbing fixtures and that is if it's for sale at a big box and the price seems good, that's because it's not the same item as what is distributed to and sold by plumbing supply houses, including Ferguson. I buy some things from Build.com but I won't buy name brand plumbing fixtures from them as I don't know what they are selling.

And the markup on the professional stuff is easily 100%. I know I buy the Kohler stuff that is sold for pros at 50% off and they still make money.

My shower has a mixing valve that stays set. The water is turned on and and the flow regulated by another valve and then it goes to a 3-way valve that supplies 2 heads and a rain head. You can dial in any ratio between any 2 heads, but never 3 heads at once. You can run one head if that's all you want.

So, all in all, there's 3 handles or levers in this setup and you need a manual to work it if you're a guest and never used a shower like this. It's a maze of copper pipes behind the walls. And at 50% off it ran me about $1500 for everything including the brushed nickle trim. The main mixer that retains the exact water temp regardless during many ons and offs, different water heater settings, etc., any day, any month, was 400 in 2014. So it listed for about $799 in the catalog. For one valve. It's a trick unit to be able to turn on the shower and know you can step in any time and the temp needs no adjustment from the last shower.

If I needed to pull back and buy one valve for one head, I'd still buy a Kohler in another model that has some of the temp regulating features that you can set inside the valve with a small external lever or handle. There is a max for safety as there is on all valves sold in the last 30 years. But you can dial it back to YOUR maximum temp. I think that one is just a tad more than the mixer valve that you use to set you favorite temp with the handle and leave it unless you want to change it to another fixed temp.

I have an older shower in the garage/laundry that has an ancient Moen and it's worked for the 22 years I've been here. But as the water heats up the pipes it gets hotter for the 1st 30 seconds and I have to nudge it back down a couple of times. Worse in the winter. That's why I like the constant temp valves. If you had a hot water circulating system you could just about step in and turn on the water and it would be the perfect temp every time.

I'd have to run a 3rd pipe to any fixture I wanted instant hot water. Since we are all re-piped in our 90 YO home, that ain't happening.