Most "shower panel" systems are really not much more than a very elaborate shower head with many more shower options than could be made available in a conventional shower head. "Upgrading" a shower head is the single most popular DIY bath plumbing improvement project. So these shower panels systems represent a way to enhance the options available to this large market of customers as well as drive up price point.

But if you will already be opening up walls and rebuilding wet-wall plumbing than this kind of system my have few advantages to a real custom shower system, and perhaps a few disadvantages. Repair, replacement parts for panels may not be available, as compared to the vast array of trims, and repair cores available for standard custom shower components from major manufacturers. And panels can be difficult to keep clean when compared to tile or acrylic walls.

Combining a shower tempering valve with a multi-port selector valve and then the appropriate outlets for drop elbows, nipples, and arms can make any conceivable combination of shower sprays available to the user.