Browse Forums Building A New House 1 Jun 07, 2014 11:25 pm Hi, We've just moved into our newly built home to find both showers leak into the adjoining rooms. The solution the builder has suggested is to re-grout the shower tiles as the grout has shrunk causing cracks. Does this sound like a patch up job rather than an actual repair? Shouldn't there be a waterproof membrane to stop any water that gets behind the tiles leaking into the adjoining rooms? Any opinions appreciated, I feel like the builder is trying to pull the wool over our eyes!! Kind Regards Sallie Build Blog: http://sallieandlukeshouse.blogspot.com.au/ Build Thread: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=65860&p=1053758&hilit=bendigo#p1053758 Re: Water Proofing - Help! 2Jun 08, 2014 3:19 am It sounds like a patch job and you are right that water shouldn't have been leak into adjoining rooms given your house is newly built. Wet areas should have some kind of waterproof in place and shower is definitely one of them. Also grout and tiles are definitely not for waterproof. I would suggest you to look at other wet areas as well, chances are that if showers are not done properly, other areas are not as well. Re: Water Proofing - Help! 3Jun 08, 2014 9:33 am Sounds odd to me - tiles aren't really there for water-proofing. Surely they did something under them ? Re: Water Proofing - Help! 4Jun 08, 2014 1:09 pm Usually a waterproofing membrane is applied to the concrete and this 'membrane' is to be protected and not pierced. It may be possible that during construction or fit off that someone has broken through the membrane or it was not applied properly. Hope that helps! Re: Water Proofing - Help! 5Jun 08, 2014 3:06 pm The grout is not the problem, a shower shouldnt leak into the next room even if there was no grout between the tiles, or even if there is no silicone in any of the joins. A simple test you can do is take the grate out of the shower floor. Get a party balloon and stick down the hole and inflate it and tie it off. Now using a bucket, from another source poor water into the shower tray up to a level about 20mm below the tile hob. Leave it over night and see what happens, or if water starts pooring into the next room drain the water. This will show it the fault is in the tray. The other place it could be is in the plumbing, the only sure way of testing this is cutting a hole in the wall behind where the taps are. Re: Water Proofing - Help! 6Jun 08, 2014 7:46 pm Thanks for all the replies. The plumber did cap the end of the shower rose and took a meter read and left it turned on for half an hour, did another meter read but no water had been used so pretty sure it's not the plumbing. I think you're right that the waterproof membrane has been compromised. We pulled the skirt tiles off next to the shower and you can see the water is leaking out both sides of the shower. I called the builder today and told them we will be getting an independent building inspector to have a look at it and make recommendations to resolve the issue (as the builder has had 4 attempts to resolve the issue, the first one was spraying a sealer over the cracked grout!!). He said he hopes my inspector can resolve the issue LOL. Build Blog: http://sallieandlukeshouse.blogspot.com.au/ Build Thread: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=65860&p=1053758&hilit=bendigo#p1053758 Re: Water Proofing - Help! 9Jun 09, 2014 7:34 pm 95% chance that water is leaking around the plumber's tap, unscrew the tap cover and see if the plumber has siliconed around the tap and tiles. No water should be getting behind the tap, if it does then it travels on the wall and passes the shower screen and goes left or right. This is major issue that most plumbers skip when they install their taps. Also Waterproofers make mistakes when waterproofing around the tap, they usually waterproof around the "CAP" which sits on the tap until the tap leaver is screwed in, plumbers undo the "CAP" and they leave massive hole around the tap, if they don't silicone it water will travel straight in. Every job i ever did i had to check and fix this, because either waterproofer or the plumber will not do it properly around the tap. I Also blame your builder for not knowing this. Re: Water Proofing - Help! 11Jun 10, 2014 5:26 pm sal032 can I suggest not getting an independant out and keep pestering the builder untill they find the cause. If its a waterproofing issue they are the ones who need to come in and remove tiles untill they locate the problem. The waterproofer has to certify there work, so if it fails they are responsible. Other things that can cause a water leak is the shower bed is too high and water can run over the top and out onto the floor, or behind the wall tiles. Water can get into the join where the shower screen fixes to the wall and run down on top of the hob and get out that way. The top of the soap dish may not be sealed against the tiles, if you turn the shower rose onto it water will run behind the tiles and come out anywhere it finds a way. The other issue of around the tap body not being sealed against the villaboard by the plumber means if you direct water straight onto the wall it can run inside the wall. Apart from the last issue where the tap body has not been sealed or if its a plumbing issue inside the wall. Under the waterproofing code no water should escape the bathroom. Re: Water Proofing - Help! 12Jun 11, 2014 3:25 pm If you are going to get an inspector to check this out make sure you get him to check the remainder of the house while he is visiting. Chances are there are other issues. Do you have tiled shower bases by the way or the one peice unit. Re: Water Proofing - Help! 13Jun 12, 2014 11:00 am I had a look at your blog and noticed that the waterproofing was done. However in the inside corner of the shower above the base there looks to be an issue (a hole/opening). Maybe go back through your photos and have a look. Re: Water Proofing - Help! 14Jun 12, 2014 12:02 pm sal032 Thanks for all the replies. The plumber did cap the end of the shower rose and took a meter read and left it turned on for half an hour, did another meter read but no water had been used so pretty sure it's not the plumbing. I think you're right that the waterproof membrane has been compromised. We pulled the skirt tiles off next to the shower and you can see the water is leaking out both sides of the shower. I called the builder today and told them we will be getting an independent building inspector to have a look at it and make recommendations to resolve the issue (as the builder has had 4 attempts to resolve the issue, the first one was spraying a sealer over the cracked grout!!). He said he hopes my inspector can resolve the issue LOL. This is a straight out warranty issue and your builder is playing games with you. Your inspector should be able to crunch him. Foremost Building Expert in Australia,assisting with building problems/disputes, building stage inspections,pre-contract review advice for peace of mind 200 blogs http://www.buildingexpert.net.au/blog thanks Chippy, i hope they have applied sealer but i am doubt to be honest, so i am gonna do this job after handover. 8 16288 It worked for me in getting all non notified rain days removed from the builders claim, although the LDs was only $50/day 7 5954 Scientists have used random matrix theory to demonstrate theoretically that the neutrino mass hierarchy can be explained mathematically. When a substance is fragmented… 21 20661 |