Shower Leak and Tile Repair in North Wilmington, DE
- Stall Showers Tested From Above and Below
- Pans, Drains and Curbs
- Rot Under the Shower Cut Out
Leave a light on in the basement under the shower for the visit.
The basement under a stall shower is where its leaks end up. Water that gets past the floor tile heads for the pan, the drain fitting, the subfloor and the joists. In a one-level North Wilmington house where the basement under the shower is unfinished, that path is in plain view.
A water test then confirms which part of the stall is letting go, and Jimmy and his son make the repair from whichever side reaches it best.
Insured, Bonded and Working Under Your Shower
Drain seal checked
The joint where the pan meets the drain body is part of every stall test.
Subfloor rot reached from below
The soft subfloor under the stall is cut out and reinforced on the basement side.
Curb corners resealed
The caulk where the curb meets the walls is cut out and run fresh.
Eight Parts of a Stall Shower, Checked and Repaired
| Part of the stall | Repair | When it turns into more |
|---|---|---|
| Floor grout | Cleared from the joints and replaced | Water already sitting in the pan below it |
| Cracked floor tile | Cut out and replaced | A floor that flexes underfoot |
| Pan or liner | Tested and traced to the leak point | A failed pan means a rebuild |
| Drain fitting and its seal | Seal at the drain body repaired | A cracked drain body under the pan |
| Curb top | Slope checked; whether it gets reset is decided at the visit | Soft framing inside the curb |
| Caulk at the curb and inside corners | Cut out, cleaned and recaulked | Grout cracking beside it |
| Wall tile and grout | Reset, replaced or regrouted | Backer that gives when pressed |
| Subfloor under the stall | Rot cut out and reinforced from below | A soft joist is talked through at the estimate |
We don't paint walls, ceilings, or trim. Any wall we open is left ready for paint.
Drying a soaked subfloor and removing mold come first and are handled by others; our repair starts after.
Already bought the fixture or the material? We can usually install it, as long as it suits the job. On customer-supplied materials, our warranty covers the labor only.
Under the Floor of a Stall Shower
How the floor is meant to drain
Some water always soaks through floor grout. Under the tile, the pan catches that water and slopes it to the drain. With a traditional liner, the drain has small weep holes at the level of the liner so the water under the tile can get out. When those weep holes clog, the water has nowhere to go; the bed above the liner stays wet, and it finds the weakest seam, such as a fold in a corner or the joint at the drain.
The curb and the doorway
The curb is the low wall you step over. Its top should slope back toward the shower so spray that lands on it runs inside. A curb top that has settled flat, or tilts outward, sends water over the edge and under the bathroom floor every time the door opens. The corners where the curb meets the walls are caulked, and a peeled joint there lets water into the framing inside the curb, which can be wood and rots where nobody can see it.
Starting under the shower in North Wilmington
In a one-level North Wilmington house, with the primary shower over an unfinished part of the basement, the floor beneath the shower is visible. A slow leak marks the subfloor and joists there long before any stain shows in a finished room. So the work starts downstairs, and the pattern of the marks narrows the search. A dark ring around the drain body points toward the drain seal or the pan. A stain along one edge of the stall points toward the curb or the joint where a wall meets the floor. Wet wood below the valve wall points toward the plumbing. Each of those is then confirmed with water before anything comes apart.
Above the Floor and Below It
Take a look underneath first
Where you can reach the framing under the shower, note any stained or damp wood, then call or text Jimmy with what you saw.
The estimate visit
Jimmy looks at the stall and at the framing under it, checking the floor and walls for tile that has come loose from its setting bed.
One section at a time
Floor, curb, walls, and valve are wetted separately while someone keeps an eye on the underside.
The path to the primary suite
Before tile or grout is touched, runners and drop cloths are laid from your entry to the bathroom.
Repairs from both sides
Tile, grout, curb, and drain work is done from the shower, and subfloor work is done from underneath.
A check after the cure
Once everything has cured, the shower is run, and the subfloor and drain are checked again.
Stall Shower Repair Pricing in North Wilmington
- Work
Shower leak and tile repair
Range$1,000 to $3,000 - Work
Stall replaced by a custom tile shower
Range$6,000 to $12,000
One question weighs on this price: is the ceiling under the shower open or finished? Where it is open, the test reads quickly, and subfloor work goes ahead directly. Where it is finished, it has to be opened to reach the framing, and closing it again is a separate repair.
Jimmy prices every project in person at your home, never from a photo or a text. Project estimates are free and are usually scheduled in the evening.
Our warranty
Our work carries a one-year workmanship warranty, dated from the day the job is finished.
What People Ask About Stall Shower Leaks
A leak that runs when the shower is off is under pressure, in a supply line or the valve, and it won't stop on its own. Shut the water off at the main if it's steady, and say so when you call.
Floor grout that stays dark long after a shower, darkest near the drain, is one sign water is sitting in the bed under the tile. A wet ring on the subfloor around the drain body is another. The test and a look at the drain from underneath confirm it.
Either one. Water from a failed pan or drain seal runs down the outside of the pipe, while a joint in the pipe itself drips. Watching it during the test shows which, and Jimmy repairs a drain joint himself.
The curb top or the floor near it has lost its slope, or the caulk where the curb meets the wall has opened. Both are checked during the test, along with the door's own seal.
Water escaping over the curb or past the door wets the subfloor beside the stall. A soft spot there is probed at the visit, and from underneath you can see how far it runs.
That depends on how the door is fastened. Where its track sits on the curb tile, the door comes off while the curb is reset and goes back on afterward.
Yes, when the walls test sound. The bottom joint between the walls and the floor is cut free and recaulked once the new floor tile is in.
Google Reviews of Our Shower Leak Repairs
More reviews from our customers, straight from Google.
Book a North Wilmington Shower Leak Test
Call or text with what you've seen under the shower. Whether the fix stays in the stall or reaches the framing below, the test shows which.
Precision Home Worx · Based in Claymont, DE · (302) 321-3577 (call or text) · Monday through Sunday, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Delaware business license #223872998 · General liability insurance and RLI surety bond #LMS1971327
Serving Wilmington, Claymont, North Wilmington, Hockessin, Pike Creek, Greenville, Newark, New Castle, Bear and the rest of northern Delaware.
