Quick answer
We swap shower heads and tub spouts, fix spouts whose diverter won’t lift or leaks while the shower runs, and add handheld heads. The spout type is matched to your pipe, slip-on or threaded, so it seals against the wall.
Photos to text us for a quote
- The tub spout from the side, showing the gap to the wall
- The underside of the spout, where a set screw might be
- The shower head and arm
- A clip with the diverter pulled up
- The new head or spout box
What’s included
- Fixed shower heads replaced, including water-saving and rain models
- Handheld showers and slide bars added to the existing arm
- Shower arms that leak at the threads replaced and resealed
- Slip-on and threaded tub spouts matched to the pipe
- Diverter spouts that leak during a shower replaced
- Wall flanges seated and caulked to the tile
What we don’t do
- Relocating fixtures, or running new water or drain lines.
- Gas piping, apart from reconnecting the same flex connector.
- Main sewer lines, under-slab leaks and buried pipes.
In Alhambra homes
A city housing report puts about 77 percent of Alhambra homes as built before 1980, so many tubs still have the spout and shower arm from an earlier decade. The EPA’s WaterSense program says showering is nearly 17 percent of residential indoor water use and that labeled showerheads must use no more than 2.0 gallons per minute. California’s Title 20 appliance standard limits showerheads made on or after July 1, 2018 to 1.8 gpm at 80 psi.
Get a quote in one text
Send photos of the shower head and arm, the tub spout from the side and underneath, and the handle on the wall. Our number for photos is (310) 628-9399, and the price comes back before any work is booked.
Slip-on or threaded
Look under the spout. A small set screw means it slides onto a smooth pipe; no screw usually means it threads on. We measure the pipe sticking out of the wall before buying a replacement.
Diverters
The diverter is the pull-up knob or lever on the spout. When it wears, part of the water keeps coming out of the spout during a shower. A new spout is the usual fix.
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Handheld for bathing kids or older parents
A handheld on a slide bar can be set low for a child’s bath or used seated. A diverter lets you keep the fixed head as well.
Scale
Hard water can leave white mineral on shower faces. A vinegar soak clears light buildup; a cracked face or a head that still sprays unevenly gets replaced.
Spray performance
WaterSense labeled heads must pass EPA criteria for spray force and coverage, not just flow, so a lower-flow head is still built to feel like a normal shower.
Protecting the pipe
We hold the pipe while unscrewing an old arm or spout so the fitting inside the wall doesn’t twist loose.
Rain heads
A large rain head may need an extension or angled arm to clear the wall and reach the right height. We fit it on the existing outlet.
Finish match
Tell us the faucet and valve brand and finish and we match the head and spout, or help you pick a set.
Water off
Changing a shower head needs no shutoff. A threaded spout sometimes needs the water off too; we’ll tell you after seeing photos.
Condos
In condos we work only on the fittings in your bathroom. Building risers and shared shutoffs stay with management.
Where our part ends
Raising the arm, replacing pipe behind the tile, or opening the wall to trace a leak is outside our scope. Cartridge and valve trim work is on our shower valve page.
In older Alhambra houses this job often turns up next to shower drain cleaning, shower door repair, shower valve and cartridge replacement, caulk and grout repair, pressure regulator and expansion tank and grab bar installation, so mention those when you text and we can price them together.
Sources: City of Alhambra, housing needs report (age of housing stock); U.S. EPA WaterSense, Showerheads; California Energy Commission, Title 20 toilet, urinal, faucet and showerhead regulations.
Shower head and tub spout replacement questions from Alhambra homeowners
Why does my tub spout leak when the shower is on?
The diverter inside the spout has worn out, so water escapes both ways. Replacing the spout with one that matches your pipe, slip-on or threaded, fixes it.
Can I replace a tub spout myself?
Often, if you know whether it is slip-on or threaded and the pipe length matches. On older Alhambra tubs the pipe may be corroded, which is where we come in.
Why does my shower head have low pressure?
Mineral scale clogs the nozzles and flow restrictor. Soaking the head in vinegar helps; if pressure is low at every fixture, we check the house regulator.
Why is my tub spout diverter stuck?
Scale builds up on the gate inside the spout. Sometimes cleaning frees it, but spouts are made to be replaced, and a new one usually costs less effort than repairing the old.
Can you install a shower head with a handheld hose?
Yes. A handheld either replaces the fixed head on the arm or adds a diverter so you have both. We add a wall holder at a height that works for you.
Related fixes worth a look
- Shower valve and cartridgeFor drips at the handle.
- Caulk and grout repairSeal around the spout.
- Grab bar installationSupport in the tub.
- Water softener installationLess scale.
Before you text: our notes on low water pressure, for anyone booking shower head and tub spout replacement.
Repair guides for this job
- Replacing a toilet without harming a vintage tile floorReplacing a toilet in an Alhambra bath with original 1920s or 1930s tile: measuring the rough-in, repairing the flange and protecting the old floor.
- Low water pressure at one faucet, shower or toiletWhy one faucet, shower or toilet in an older Alhambra house runs weak, the quick checks you can do first, and what a repair visit looks like.
- Replacing a garbage disposal under an older kitchen sinkWhat to check when a disposal hums, leaks or will not turn on, and how we fit a new one under the deep vintage sinks found in older Alhambra kitchens.
- Fitting a new faucet to an old sinkHow to tell which new faucets fit an older sink, why vintage wall-mount and widespread sinks need care, and what our faucet replacement visit involves.
Looking for a handyman in Alhambra for more than one job? Send the whole list and we’ll price it together.
We serve Alhambra first, plus Monterey Park, San Gabriel and other nearby cities. Have a question? See the handyman FAQ.