Temporarily stop shower

[hunter27]

I retiled mine last year and I removed the Mira surface mixer and just fitted 15mm compression caps on the existing chrome nuts 15mm compression caps - Google Search
Your shower may be 15mm compression ends but sometimes the mixers have a 3/4" offset tapered fitting. If yours is not 15mm compression you could take the mixer to a plumbers merchants to see if they have anything to cap it but it will probably be a bit hit or miss using half of one fitting with the same taper and a BSP cap. Some of the old traditional ground faced 1/2" radiator valves had a similar set up and may fit.

 

[Thingybob]

I've found often it's just a lack of thought or intelligence. I've come across loads of jobs that if done properly would have taken no longer and cost no more.

We have been here a year now in this house I have fitted isolation valves to all outlet pipes then as we get older if we have a problem we can isolate that pipe work and leave the rest of the house fed with water as you say minimal cost to do and peace of mind

 

[joseph67]

Could be.... Recently I needed to install a new shower tray which had stands on the existing one.

At the time the plumber advised not to use the existing leg stands but to build a wood frame, place the new shower tray on that and he will silicone it off and install the shower tray. Silicone was industry standard.

For this work he quoted £500! I thought that I could do the frame by drilling into the wall with standard wood blocks from B&Q for around £20 but I couldn't understand why such a high cost when the item itself is around £300, even then he was rejoining the waste bit in the tray and the pipe under it.

Two possibilities re: quotes. 1) Think of a number and see if punter is daft enough to go for it or 2) I really don't fancy this job so will quote OTT in the hope it puts customer off and if it doesn't then I'll be coining it in. I had one quote £3500 to install a basic bathroom (bath, wash hand basin, toilet) and that was just his labour. He claimed it took ten days to do a tiny bathroom. This was by no means my first bathroom and I have never known one take that long to do.

Slightly related, I had a plasterer in to quote for repairing a water damaged ceiling. He quoted £120 to patch up the affected area. I think that came under option 2 outlined above and he was maybe surprised I accepted it without quibble. He went off to check his diary for availability. That was two weeks ago and I've not heard from him since.

 

[BucksDad]

Sometimes for small jobs like this you are better off finding a handyman rather than a plumber.

 

[MorrisWoodman12]

@JamiePattison Where on Earth are you? Someone here maybe able to give you some direct help.
Martin

 

[Stevekane]

Looking at that shower mixer I think that behind the decorative covers you will find large captive nuts which come off with the mixer bar, you will then be looking at a couple of threaded ends and you will I think be able to buy a couple of brass blanking nuts (which have a nice rubber disc washer inside) from screwfix, pop these on and reinstate the water.
Sounds like its going to be a steep learning curve so go carefully and good luck.
Steve.

 

[MikeJhn]

The mixer is not in the wall, the picture you posted is the mixer, there will be just two pipes sticking out of the wall, as Stevekane said above, couple of blanking nuts will do the job.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

We have been here a year now in this house I have fitted isolation valves to all outlet pipes then as we get older if we have a problem we can isolate that pipe work and leave the rest of the house fed with water as you say minimal cost to do and peace of mind

There's often little thought involved in the installation. I had my wiring modified so that I could isolate the upstairs lighting from the airing cupboard rather than the C.U. which was in the basement, and also so I could leave the lighting in the roof while everything else was off. Saved a load of time, effort and frustration over the years and cost very little.

 

[paulrbarnard]

I always add stop valves to any plumbing work I do. Costs very little and always rewards you in the future.
The tap in my daughters kitchen went bad (corroded through…) a couple months back so I added stop valves when I replaced the tap. It makes so much sense as you can get the water back on as soon as you fit the stops. Saves the “But I need the water on now” whining when you discover the damed rubber washers have fallen out of the packet never to be seen again, needing a trip to the local screw fix for some replacements.

I can fully isolate the bathrooms individually in our house to maintain ‘normal’ functions when working on the new what ever the wife wants this month in one of the others. This is in addition to individual stops on the bath, basins, toilets and showers

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Fit isolators on everything, just be aware that some things need full bore ones or the flow will be restricted. Sometimes it matters, sometimes it doesn't.