HELP! Brizo fixtures are plastic - need suggestions

10 years ago

I'm at my wits end with shoddy, expensive fixtures!

We are doing a forced remodel thanks to Newport Brass aka the outrageously expensive, piece of garbage, customer no-service, lousy warrantee, fixture duds - every single fixture except two lav faucets have failed!. (For my long sad story, see previous post entitled Newport Brass = Expensive Garbage...)

This time around I decided to focus on quality, reputation and warranty when selecting the fixtures for our shower. I was told that good old reliable Kohler, Moen, and Delta do not make the valves I need and the closest I can get is Brizo, Delta's high end line. The showroom didn't have Brizo for me to touch and see so I made my selections from their catalog.

The Brizo stuff arrived today. Imagine my horror to pick up the boxes and find them light as air! The rain shower head RP52090PC and the two in one shower head/hand held 86200-PC are almost 100% chrome colored plastic! Even some of the parts to the temp valve and the volume controls that go inside the walls are PLASTIC. They cost a small fortune - I'm shocked!

I need advice and I need it quick! Our shower has three heads. A rain shower coming directly from the ceiling (reusing our old one) a traditional shower head on the wall for the husband and a hand held on a mount for me (I love the idea of the two-in-one but its not a deal breaker). I have to have a temperature valve and three volume controls. I want to be able to run any combination of the shower heads, one at a time a couple at a time or all at once. Everything is set up as far as water supply and drain to handle the volume. I like traditional styling, cross hatch handles preferred (claw foot tub and lav faucets are cross hatch). Who makes a quality product that I can rely upon? I never want to wake up to water flooding down my chandelier through my dining room ceiling again. I'd like bomb-proof fixtures that are also pretty - is that too much to ask?

I hope you don't mind but I'm cross posting to the bathroom forum. I need to return these fixtures and order something else tomorrow!

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Comments (3)

jacqueline5
Original Author
10 years ago
Ugh. I just got off the phone with JW Wood, where we bought the fixtures. There is a 25% restocking fee! She is going to try to get it waived. I don't see how I should have to pay it when I was very clear about wanting high quality- who knew the high end stuff would be molded plastic? It certainly didn't look like it or mention it in the catalog! The gal from JWW said everything including Grohe is plastic now. I find that hard to believe.

I'm still looking for suggestions for our shower set up. Can I use Kohler or Moen valves and reuse some of my Newport Brass Bling on the outside of the walls? It's still pretty - I just don't trust the inside parts. Is there anyone who still makes quality stuff? Thanks!
jacqueline5
Original Author
10 years ago
Update: I went back to the showroom today to return all the Brizo parts. I was hopping mad after being told I would have to pay a 25% restocking fee. However, once I arrived the rep said she spoke to Brizo and they were going to waive the fee (good thing because there was no way in the hot place I was going to pay it). Anyhoo... She showed me that the plastic I was seeing on the valve bodies is to protect the cartridges during installation and will come off after tile is complete. Even she was surprised at the poor quality of the shower heads. They really are dreadful - I've seen nicer on the shelf at Walmart - seriously! I decided to keep the valves and handles which are nicely made, heavy metal and do what I need them to do. I returned the plastic shower heads. We searched the showroom for non-plastic shower heads. Even most of Grohe's heads are plastic now! I was able to find two that will work. The shower head is a Jado Hatteras shower head 842/083 and the hand held is Brizo Vesi wall mount hand shower RP41202. I was not able to see either in person in the chrome finish but I have been assured they will be all metal.

Next up - marble slab shopping tomorrow wheeee!
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PRO
Robin Ehlich Interiors
8 years ago
As a professional interior designer/ renovator, I have 1 experience with Brizo. I will never order again. I have had nothing but problems with the shower valve. Delta should stick to what they know. Basic fixtures. And FYI, when you order lavatory faucets the trim is additional cost from the faucet rough in. I have sold many high end products and this is not standard. I buy my plumbing from a local plumbing distributor, so I have local support. Never buy plumbing on-line or in big box stores.