DIY GUIDE · PLUMBING & HEATING · CHECKED OCTOBER 2026
How to replace a shower head, hose and riser rail yourself
An hour or two. €31–€128 for a head, a hose and a rail kit.
New head, new hose, new rail: screw on by hand, drill two tiled holes with care, fit the hose retainer. Leave the electric shower unit, the valve and the pump alone.
- Every step, start to finish
- Checked October 2026 — sources at the end
- Honest about when to call a pro
FIRST, THE HONEST ANSWER
Do it yourself, or get a fitter?
Do it yourself if…
- You are replacing the head, the hose or the riser rail, and the shower unit or valve stays as it is
- The hose screws onto a standard outlet at the bottom of the shower or valve
- You can drill tiles carefully, or the new rail uses the old rail's holes
- The shower works and the problem is spray, leaks at the hose, or a slipping holder
Get a pro if…
- The electric shower unit itself is faulty, tripping, or needs replacing
- The mixer valve in the wall drips, will not mix, or needs a new cartridge behind the tiles
- A shower pump is noisy, cutting out or leaking
- Water is getting behind the tiles or through the ceiling below
Safety first
- Switch an electric shower off at its isolator outside the room before you work near it, and never open its cover or touch its cable.
- Check for hidden cables and pipes before every hole, and take great care with a power drill in a wet room. The rail maker we read recommends an RCD when using power tools; the HSA's electricity guidance explains that RCDs are designed to trip at 30 mA.
- Wear safety glasses when drilling tiles; glaze chips fly. Wear a dust mask if you are drilling a lot of holes.
- Stand on a dry mat, not in a wet tray, while you drill. A slip in a shower tray with a drill in your hand is a real risk.
- Do not stand on the bath edge or a tray to reach the top bracket; use a stable stepladder outside the bath.
Stop here: Stop here: the electric shower, the valve, the pump and bathroom electrics
Under Irish law, S.I. No. 264 of 2013 makes any modification, installation or replacement of an electrical installation in a special location such as a bathroom or shower room restricted electrical work. Replacing an electric shower, even like for like, its cable, its isolator or a shower pump's supply must be done and certified by a Registered Electrical Contractor, and the CRU prosecutes unregistered work. A mixer valve, its cartridge and the pipework behind the tiles are a plumber's job, and anything on a gas boiler feeding the shower is for a Registered Gas Installer. How to hire a shower installer →
| MATERIAL | COVERAGE | FOR THIS JOB |
|---|---|---|
| Shower head | Suited to your shower type: electric, gravity, pumped or mains | One |
| Shower hose | Long enough to reach the top of the rail with slack, half-inch ends | One, with new washers |
| Riser rail kit | With brackets that cover the old holes if possible, and a hose retainer | One |
| Wall plugs and screws | Suited to the wall behind the tiles; often not supplied | One set per bracket |
| Limescale remover | For descaling the old head if you are keeping it as a spare | One bottle |
How long the hose needs to be
Hose length = distance from the shower outlet up to the slider at its highest point, plus a loop of slack. If the outlet is 300 mm below the bottom of the rail and the slider tops out 900 mm above it, a 1.5 m hose leaves a comfortable loop.
A hose pulled straight wears at the ends and pulls the slider down. A hose far too long hangs into the tray and gets trodden on.
Electric and low-pressure gravity showers deliver less water than a pumped or mains shower. A big rainfall-style head on an electric shower gives a weak, cool spray. Look at what your shower maker recommends, or choose a head sold for electric and low-pressure showers if that is what you have.
Shower hoses come in lengths from about a metre and a quarter upwards. Measure from the outlet to the top of the rail with the slider raised, and add a little slack. Both ends should be the standard half-inch thread, with a conical end that grips in the holder. Fit new washers in both ends.
When you change a rail, the old screw holes in the tiles are hard to hide. Some rails come with a choice of brackets or adjustable fixing centres to cover old holes. The maker we read supplies two bracket sets for exactly this reason. Measure the old hole centres before you buy.
A retainer is a ring on the rail or the soap dish that holds the hose so the head cannot hang down into a bath or tray full of water. The rail maker we read says it must be used, because without it dirty water can be drawn back into the supply. Fit it.
If the shower is weak because the electric unit is failing, a new head will not fix it. Replacing an electric shower, even like for like, is restricted electrical work in a bathroom. Keep the unit, change only what bolts on below it.
THE PART THAT DECIDES THE FINISH
Before you start — what kind of shower and wall you have
Look at the shower and the wall, and match it to one of these. Do its prep first.
Electric shower with a hose outlet at the bottom
The unit on the wall has a hose outlet underneath and its own on-off switch outside the room.
- Turn the shower off and switch it off at its pull-cord or wall isolator outside the cubicle
- Do not open the shower unit's cover or touch its cable
- Check where the shower's cable runs on the wall, often down to the unit from the ceiling
- Note whether the unit maker lists a particular head or hose
Mixer valve in the wall
A bar or built-in mixer with the outlet coming from the valve or from an elbow on the wall.
- Turn the mixer fully off
- If the outlet elbow is loose or drips, stop: that is behind-the-tile work
- Check what thread the outlet has; it is almost always standard
- Note where the pipes run, usually straight down or up from the valve
Tiled wall, new rail position
No existing holes to reuse, or the new rail's centres do not match.
- Use the detector over the whole area where you will drill
- Hold the rail up and mark both bracket positions on masking tape
- Check the marks are plumb with the level
- Keep the drill holes on the tile face, not on the grout lines, if the bracket allows
Old rail holes to reuse
The new rail has brackets that fit the old holes.
- Take the old rail off and clean the old plugs; replace any that spin
- Check the old screws are not rusted; buy new stainless ones if so
- Measure the hole centres against the new rail's brackets
- Clean old sealant or limescale round the holes so the brackets sit flat
THE JOB
How to replace the head, hose and rail
Set up and make it safe
10 minTurn the shower off. For an electric shower, switch it off at its isolator outside the room as well. Put a towel in the tray or bath so a dropped screw or washer does not go down the waste, and put the plug in. Lay out the new parts and read their sheets.
- Close the waste so small parts cannot disappear
- Have a towel to stand on in the tray
- Keep the drill and its lead out of the wet area until you need it
Mistake to avoid: Leaving an electric shower switched on at its isolator. Water and a drill near an energised shower is how bathroom shocks happen.
Do the prep for your wall
15 minThis is the prep from the cards above. Scan the wall with the detector, mark the bracket positions on masking tape, check them with the level, or clean and check the old holes.
- Scan at every hole position, not just once over the wall
- Mark the cable and pipe runs lightly with a pencil
- Take a photograph of the marks with the level on them
Mistake to avoid: Drilling without scanning. The shower cable and the hot pipe often run exactly where a rail wants to go.
Take off the old hose and head
10 minUnscrew the hose from the shower head and from the outlet, by hand. Slide the old head and holder off the rail if you are changing it. Clean the outlet thread with a cloth and look at it for damage.
- Turn anticlockwise as you look at the nut from below
- Keep the old washers to compare with the new ones
- If the outlet nut is tight, use a cloth and a gentle grip, not bare pliers
Mistake to avoid: Gripping the shower outlet with pliers. The plastic thread on many electric showers cracks, and the unit is then the problem.
Remove the old rail
15 minUndo the grub screws or cover caps on the brackets and lift the rail off. Unscrew the brackets from the wall. Pull out any plugs you will not reuse with a screw part-driven in and pliers. Clean the area and leave the holes to dry.
- Push trim caps off from the narrow end
- Catch screws in the towel in the tray
- Fill unused holes later with a matching sealant
Mistake to avoid: Levering brackets off with a screwdriver against the tile. The tile chips at the hole, and the chip will not be hidden by the new bracket.
Drill and plug the new holes
20 minPut masking tape over each mark. Start with a tile bit at low speed, no hammer, until you are through the glaze and the tile body. Change to a masonry bit sized for the plug and drill on into the wall to the plug's length. Clean the dust out and push the plugs in flush with the tile surface.
- Let the bit do the work; pressing hard cracks tiles
- Keep the bit cool with a drop of water on porcelain
- Use plugs that suit the wall behind: masonry, block or board
Mistake to avoid: Using the hammer setting on tile. The tile cracks from the hole outwards and you have a tile to replace before you can fit the rail.
Fit the brackets and rail
20 minScrew the lower bracket to the wall, sit the rail on it, and check it is vertical with the level. Fit the upper bracket on the rail, screw it to the wall, and tighten any grub screws that lock the rail. Clip on the trim covers. Fit the slider, the soap dish and the hose retainer on the rail as its sheet shows.
- Hand-tighten the screws first, then check plumb, then tighten fully
- Put the retainer on before the top bracket if the rail design needs it
- Check the slider locks firmly at a few heights
Mistake to avoid: Fitting the rail without the hose retainer. It is the part that stops the head dangling into dirty water, and the maker says it must be used.
Fit the hose and head
10 minFeed the hose through the retainer. Fit a washer in each end. Screw the hose onto the shower outlet by hand, then the head onto the other end. Seat the head in the holder: the conical end of the hose grips in the holder, so it fits only one way.
- Hand tight is enough on hose nuts with washers
- Check the washers are flat and centred before tightening
- Point the head away from you before turning the shower on
Mistake to avoid: Tightening hose nuts with a spanner. The washer crushes, the plastic nut cracks, and it drips.
Test and check
10 minSwitch the shower back on at its isolator and turn it on. Check both ends of the hose for drips, the holder for slipping, and the spray pattern. Move the slider up and down with the head in it and check it holds.
- Run it hot and cold to check the washers hold at both
- Look behind the outlet for any water running down the unit
- Check the head in the holder points where you want it
Mistake to avoid: Ignoring a drip at the outlet end. Water running down the shower unit can get into it, and on an electric shower that is a hazard.
Descale the old head and finish
20 minIf you are keeping the old head as a spare, soak it in limescale remover or white vinegar, rub the nozzles with an old toothbrush and rinse. Seal any old holes in the tiles with a matching sanitary sealant. Wipe the wall and clear up the dust.
- Many heads have rubber nozzles you can rub clear with a thumb
- Rinse descaler off thoroughly before reuse
- Fill old holes from the front so water cannot get in
Mistake to avoid: Leaving old holes open in a tiled shower wall. Water gets in behind the tiles through them, and that leads to damp in the wall.
The mistakes that show
- Drilling a shower wall without checking for the cable and pipes
- Using the hammer setting on tiles
- Leaving out the hose retainer
- Fitting a high-flow head to an electric or low-pressure shower
- Overtightening hose nuts with tools
- Leaving old screw holes unsealed
Stop here and get a plumber or electrician
- The electric shower unit needs repairing or replacing
- The mixer valve or its cartridge behind the tiles needs work
- A shower pump is faulty or needs replacing
- Water is getting behind the tiles or into the ceiling below
| WHAT YOU SEE | WHY, AND THE FIX |
|---|---|
| Drip from the hose end at the outlet | The washer is missing or not seated. Unscrew, seat a new flat washer and hand tighten. |
| Head slides down the rail | The slider is not locked or is worn. Lock it as its sheet shows; if it still slips, replace the slider. |
| Weak spray from a new head | The head is not suited to a low-pressure or electric shower, or it is scaled. Fit a head sold for your shower type. |
| Spray goes in all directions | Limescale in the nozzles. Rub the rubber nozzles clear or descale the head. |
| Tile cracked while drilling | Hammer action or too much pressure. Replace the tile; next time start with a tile bit at low speed. |
| Rail is not straight | The brackets were fixed without checking plumb. Loosen the top bracket and reset it with the level; fill the old hole. |
| Electric shower trips or flickers | A fault in the shower unit or its circuit, not the hose. Leave it off and call a Registered Electrical Contractor. |
| Water behind the tiles or through the ceiling | A leak at the valve, a failed seal round the tray or open screw holes. Turn the shower off and call a plumber. |
WHAT YOU SAVE
What it costs to do it yourself
| Shower head | €9.99–€59.99 |
|---|---|
| Shower hose, 1.25 m to 1.5 m | €20.59–€24.99 |
| Riser rail kit with holder | €39.99 |
| Limescale remover | €3.49 |
| Total | €31–€128 |
| DIY total | €31–€128 |
Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.
A simple head and a new hose cure most problems for the price of a takeaway. A complete rail kit and a good head is the top of the range.
RATHER NOT?
Shower installers near you, with prices shown
The ones who cover your area, nearest first, with one score from every review. No account needed to look.
Or post the job free and let them come to you.
In a hard-water area, rub the nozzles every couple of weeks and soak the head in descaler every few months. A scaled head on an electric shower also makes the unit work harder.
Look at the hose ends now and then for drips and the hose for splits or kinks. A hose is cheap; water down the wall behind is not.
An old metal hose and rail are mostly metal and go to the metal skip at your local civic amenity site; mywaste.ie shows which centre takes what. A plastic head and old washers go in your general waste bin.
Check the sealant round the tray and over any old holes. Reseal before water gets behind the tiles.
Replacing a shower head, hose and riser rail: questions people ask
Yes. They screw on by hand with washers at each end. Changing the rail means drilling tiles carefully. The shower unit, the valve and the pump are not part of the job.
Most heads and hoses use a standard half-inch thread. The question is flow: an electric or low-pressure shower needs a head designed for it, or the spray will be weak.
Yes. It stops the head dropping into a bath or tray of water, from which dirty water could be drawn back into the supply. The rail maker we read says it must be used.
No. Under the Restricted Electrical Works Regulations, replacing an electrical installation in a bathroom is restricted work that only a Registered Electrical Contractor may do and certify.
Rub the rubber nozzles regularly and soak the head in a descaler or white vinegar every few months, then rinse it well.
Locufy's Irish price guide puts shower installation at €250–€800 per install, typically €450. Fitting a new head, hose and rail yourself costs a fraction of that.
MORE GUIDES
More DIY guides
Sources — checked October 2026
- Triton — Ethan riser rail installation instructions: brackets, hose retainer, drilling warnings
- Triton — Kian riser rail installation instructions: fitting the hose and showerhead
- HSA — guide to Part 3 of the General Application Regulations 2007: electricity
- S.I. No. 264 of 2013 — Electricity Regulation Act 1999 (Restricted Electrical Works) Regulations
- CRU — RGI and Safe Electric schemes
- MyWaste.ie — DIY equipment: metal items at civic amenity sites
- Woodie's — shower heads (price check)
- Woodie's — shower fixtures: hoses, holders and rail kits (price check)
- Woodie's — plumbing tools, page 2: shower hose (price check)
- Woodie's — cleaning agents: limescale remover (price check)