SOS!! Shower disaster!!

5 years ago

Two weeks ago we noticed two small cracks in our fiberglass shower pan so we stopped using it immediately. Ended up hiring a “professional” after told us he would be able to rip out the out shower and give us a brand new tiled shower for a pretty reasonable price. I said DO IT!!! I was so relieved.

UNTIL....this guy did an awesome job ripping everything out. Down to the studs. It looked great and I was excited for a clean slate. Boy was I wrong. On top of not showing up when he said he would and leaving for hours at a time and sometimes not even coming back, he left us with THIS. This monstrosity. As you can tell, this guy was no professional. I feel so stupid for putting our trust in this guy.

So my question is: it’s pretty pretty clear we’re going to have to rip EVERYTHING out and start from scratch. Am I right? The cement board he installed he just screwed directly into the studs. Is that protocol? Doesn’t there need to be some kind of support between the cement board and studs? Also, as you can tell the tiles look like they were installed by a 10 year old. Is there no salvaging anything?

I need help!! We have enlisted some family friends who we actually TRUST and who have prior experience in laying tile. But i need any advice I can get at this point. This is our ONLY shower in our house and we have been showering at the gym and I’m ready for this nightmare to be over. :(

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Comments (6)

Carrie B
5 years ago
I'm no professional, but is there no waterproofing?
Steph
5 years ago
How did you know this guy you hired is a professional? No waterproofing here and I would hate for you to keep repeating the same mistake with having your family member diy this.
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PRO
Dragonfly Tile & Stone Works, Inc.
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
Unfortunately you did not hire a professional. And family and friends who you trust and "have prior experience in laying tile" also do not sound like professionals. Building a proper shower system with an aesthetically pleasing tile installation on top of it is to be left to the real professional tile contractors (not a jack of all trades/handyman/friend who has tiled) You need to vet them carefully. You don't want to make the same mistake twice. A professional will answer all your questions, explain the methods and materials he/she uses and advise you on proper selection of tile for your application. Be ready to adjust your expectations regarding pricing. Now you see what you got from "pretty reasonable price" work. One place to start is to search the National Tile Contractor Assn. for members in your area. Another source is the Certified Tile Education Foundation where you can further search for certified installers in your area and other information for homeowners. You want a contractor who has been installing showers for a living for some time, has a verifiable business with all the proper insurance, licensed (if required in your area), and a documented history of installation successes including photos, and referrals.
PRO
Mint tile Minneapolis
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
"Is there no salvaging anything?"

Yes, your home by starting from studs/ joists with a proven tile professional. Id not gamble w friends of friends that you trust unless they've been building showers daily for a good decade or more. Youll also likely need a pressure balanced valve and drain (plumbing) upgrade if you are in the US, that also is not a project to diy or handyman for hire.

Careful now.

if you agree w dragonfly as we do, How do you plan to vette youre next hire.?
Sammy
5 years ago
The cement board he installed he just screwed directly into the studs. Is that protocol?

Yes, it is.

Doesn’t there need to be some kind of support between the cement board and studs?

Nope.
Steph
5 years ago
Don’t you need to pull permits for job like this? Is your family friend going to do that? Why would you chance something so important with non professional. It’s like having a bad roof and just sticking buckets in the attic. This is an investment that needs protecting, like anything else.