No experience, but I would think you'd want an access panel to get to the hose so that it can be changed out if needed. The image you show looks great. I would never again have a shower/tub without some form of sprayer option for the same reason you mentioned. But I always used a wash tub, filled it, and threw the water at the walls :) What a PIA! The access panel could be incorporated in the wood surround of the drop in tub.

Have you shown him lots of photos of beautiful, high-end handheld shower heads? I just can't imagine how some sort of recess could improve the look. It seems like an area to trap mildew and gunk.

We have both a handheld in the shower and a deck-mount on the tub. The deck-mount hoses are not quite long enough to be useful for cleaning a shower. You would be pointing it straight up--not a huge improvement over the cup/splashing method we have all HATED living with, I'm afraid. They are nice for rinsing your hair when you're in the tub, and rinsing the tub.

enduring - yes we will have an access panel because we will have an air bathtub (at least that is the current plan).

shanghaimom - Yes, DH has seen plenty of pictures of nice handheld showerheads, and we actually just purchased one for our masterbath. But he still doesn't like them and this bathroom will have marble walls (master is white subway) and I think he doesn't want anything hanging in front of the marble.

As for the hose length. I was looking at Newport Brass last night and you can purchase the hose, handheld and mount type (deck, bar, holder) all separately. The hose length is the same no matter what mounting method - 59" which seems long enough to me....our shower/tub is only 60"x30" so i think we will be fine.

So I take it, it can be done and there shouldn't be any issues???

The handheld deck-mounts are not seated "tightly" but should be plenty tight enough to avoid water leaking in as long as it doesn't get accidentally bumped. When it is sitting squarely in it's spot, no water will leak in, at least on ours.

That hose sounds plenty long for rinsing the walls.

Awesome. Just what I wanted to hear. This should make my DH very happy.

Awesome. Just what I wanted to hear. This should make my DH very happy.

Just in time for my remodel. I love the idea of installing the handheld in an alcove.

Another idea I got off of one of the plumbing forums for Roman faucet handhelds in order to service the hose more easily since most problems with Roman faucets are in the handheld hose- install a plumbing flexible hose directly to the rough in - one that will reach past the deck opening. And then attach the sprayer hose to that. This makes it such to where you don't have to get to the Roman faucet rough to replace the hose.

We have a Moen deck mounted hand-held sprayer. The hose is concealed inside the frame work around the tub. We don't ever see it until we pull the sprayer out. When done, the hose retreats back.

I am trying to replace my handheld deck mounted sprayer as we broke the spray head off. My problem is that I can't find a replacement that will fit through the hardware that is mounted on the tub deck. The connector on the one end doesn't come off and is too large to feed through the deck hardware. Not sure what to do?

Piscesgirl, where you able to get a deck mounted sprayer and a regular shower head for a alcove bathtub shower? I’m trying to remodel our hall bath and also don’t want to see a dangling long cord for the handheld part of the sprayer but don’t know how to get a set that also works for a tub.

piscesgirl, I wonder if you recall where you found that photo. Was that an "after" photo of a gardenweb/houzz member? I'd love to know how they set that up, what hardware they used. I need to do the same thing! I'm having a hard time finding a long-enough tub spout with built in diverter to make it work.