Shower head, spout and valve height?

[GymBag]

Still working on my POS house, but making good progress. I'm in the process of re-plumbing the first floor bathroom and have the supply locations set, although I haven't made the connections to the existing pipes because some of it is galvanized and I have been hearing that some insurance companies have stopped insuring with this in place, even dropping coverage with new changes. It's bad enough the premiums are increasing so fast, the last thing I need is to be dropped, so I'm being proactive and the last time this was done, it was a cluster flop, complete with hot & cold supply valves for the Bathroom and an electrical junction box hidden behind the wall at the head of the tub. They also ran the pipes from the valves horizontally to the vanity sink with such bad joints that one leaked inside of the wall. Good times!

I'm not a plumber and didn't stay at Motel 6 but I have done enough plumbing that I can make good connections and install pipe more logically than what this place has (I think Rube Goldberg was involved)- I have also worked alongside several who were very good, so I have learned a lot by watching and occasionally helping them.

I bought a book on plumbing basics and it shows heights for valves, faucets, drains, shower heads, etc- I also know that the ADA requires some fixtures to be at some range of height and that grab bars should be installed in remodel, may be mandatory in new construction for MDUs, etc. I'm installing blocking for grab bars- messing up my left knee made me aware of the benefits in real time, not just as an observer.

Anyway, the book shows:

Tub spout height at 5" above the top edge of the tub
Valve assembly 5"-6" above the spout
Shower head 54" above the tub

What do you all do, just make it a comfortable height/install at existing heights, or does code require these, specifically?

Thanks, in advance.

 

[breplum]

ADA doesn't apply to residential single family dwellings. No code to worry about except tub spout has to clear the overflow top edge of tub by 1".
I like to stand and put my arm out to where I would like to be controlling any fixture serving a shower whether with, tub or not, since the normal use is as a shower.
In tall people's homes, we adjust for that. Always consider the length of the angled shower arm plus size of the shower head; MINIMALLY 60" above a normal height tub.
When in the field, I take my height (5' 8"), transfer to the wall and add 8".

 

[GReynolds929]

Spout 4"-6" above tub, valve >12" above spout (usually > 32" from subfloor), shower arm at 84" (most people I know don't like to squat to get under the shower head lol).

 

[GymBag]

Thanks, to both of you- it's a duplex, but at 6'-2", I have used too many showers with the head at armpit level to think that's a good height. Controls at the height shown in the book seem too low, so I'm going to leave the pipe for the head as-is (34") and cut the new spout pipe to 5" from the top of the tub. I replaced the pipe because some pieces had two couplers in 3' and I only want joints where the pipe changes direction and as few as possible inside of the wall- one elbow at the top and straight, unbroken pipe for every other piece.

The thought that spare parts and short sections were used inside of the wall just doesn't make sense, to me. Well, other than hiding the bad work from anyone else.