Baker Estates

Background

Baker Estates is a regional housebuilder based in Newton Abbot, producing high quality two to five-bedroom homes across the West Country region. Established in 2015, the company is committed to building a legacy of houses and apartments which are contemporary, practical and fit effortlessly into their surroundings. The housebuilder is currently working on six sites, ranging from 32 to 300 plots.

Trevor Prouse, Head of Procurement for Baker Estates said: “We are always looking to stay ahead of the curve with our developments and this means keeping our eye on the latest trends and also listening to feedback from our customers and visitors to the show homes.

“Initially, our bathroom specification had a two-way valve, offering an overhead shower with a bath filler. But the feedback we were receiving was that people also wanted a shower handset which they could use for rinsing the bath down and washing their children’s hair, for example.”

Solution Providers

Based on the market trends and customer feedback, Baker Estates decided to update the bath/shower specification on its latest developments. The developer wanted to upgrade the spec to a three-way valve but this was not the straightforward product swap they had hoped it would be.

“Unfortunately, our existing shower provider didn’t make a triple valve shower so I had to do some market research to find another reputable manufacturer who could deliver the product,” said Trevor.

Trevor’s research led him to Bristan and he called the customer services team to have an informal chat about product options:

“Right from the beginning, I was so impressed with the Bristan team. I spoke to someone in customer services and their product knowledge was exceptional. They talked to me about the Prism range, product specifics and even advised on stock levels and installation. This really gave me confidence in the products.”

After seeing the product for himself and working with the specification team at Bristan, Trevor upgraded the Baker Estates’ bathroom specifications to the Prism thermostatic recessed shower valve with two outlet diverter and a single stopcock.

Product Selection

The sleek and contemporary Prism shower valve has three controls allowing end users to switch effortlessly between the overhead shower, shower handset and bath filler. Finished in luminance chrome for a bright and modern look, the shower is operated using lever handles which are easy for the whole family to use. 

Supplied with a metal back plate and handles for added durability, the Prism triple valve shower is suitable for working pressures of 0.2 to 5 bar and a maximum hot water supply temperature of 800C. It can be used on all plumbing systems, ideally balanced, and is fitted using 15mm inlet connections.

Baker Estates’ bathroom installers are really happy with the new Prism shower product, even finding it easier to fit than the previous shower valve.

Trevor added: “There is always a bit of a learning curve when you change to a new product, but the support we’ve received from Bristan has been brilliant and our installers were very quickly up and running on the new shower valve.

“One added bonus for them has been the Prism’s shallow connection depth – it only needs a 35mm deep cavity space and with plasterboard and tiles, it has a fitting depth of no more than 75mm. The previous valve we used had a 90mm projection which meant we had to pack out the stud wall to accommodate it. We don’t need to do that now, so it makes first fix much easier and less time consuming.”

Peace of Mind

The Prism showers are easy to maintain and are fully serviceable from the front. They also come with a 5-year guarantee, for added peace of mind for homeowners that they have many years of hassle-free showering ahead.

Trevor concluded: “We are always looking for the edge – whether that’s great locations, eye-catching and original home designs or aspirational yet practical products that enhance our offer and help our buyers to really see themselves in a Baker Estates home. Bristan’s product innovation has certainly helped us to elevate our bathroom offer and truly reflect the needs and wants of our customers.”

Louise Smith from Bristan said: “We have one of the most extensive bathroom product ranges on the market to ensure that whatever the specification, we can provide high quality options to our existing and prospective customers. We are always changing and developing product types and adding new lines so that Bristan is a brand which remains relevant and trusted in the industry.”

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