[ashleyberq]

I saw a similar thread on here, but it didn't answer my question.

Right now we are on week 5 of a contractor tiling or 4'×6'×8' basement shower. The latest problem is that they seem to have no plan for the drain. We are remodeling a preexisting shower (that was not correctly installed and had standing water in corners causing a leak through to adjoining room). In the old shower, the floor was tiled and the drain was flush with the floor. They just finished tiling the floor and the drain now sites a good 1/4 inch below the tile. When asked how they were going to remedy this, they didn't have any idea except to maybe shim the cover. I need help! I don't want to spend tons of money just to have water draining under the tile when this is done. I attached pictures of what the drain looks like at the moment. Thanks!

 

[WhatRnsdownhill]

all you did was put lipstick on a pig...youll have the same problem as before, shoulda ripped the old shower out and started from scratch..what did they do to seal the shower base?

 

[ashleyberq]

We had to gut the whole thing to studs and bare concrete. The old shower was tongue and groove cedar with a fiberglass paneling nailed to it and a tiled floor directly on the concrete. They reframed one whole wall due to rot and unsquare, but never said anything about the drain. We've never had an issue with it draining, just that the previous owners didn't correctly slope the floor and water puddled in the low corner, then seeped through the improperly finished, unsealed walls. We had to fight to install at least a paint on waterproof membrane (tec)...there still isn't a shower pan.

 

[SHEPLMBR]

The drain should have been changed when you tiled the shower. Please tell me by the looks of it they are not done right?

 

[ashleyberq]

No, they haven't grouted yet, but the tile is set with thinset.

 

[SHEPLMBR]

Why didn't they change the shower drain? That tile is beautiful. That looks more like a floor drain

 

[ashleyberq]

Thanks! I don't know why they didn't recommend changing the drain. The only reason I can come up with is he is a general contractor, not a plumber. But now I have to figure out what to do because it's going to be stupid to have the drain recessed like that and the potential for water to go under the tiles...

 

[Ghostmaker]

You do know that thin set is not water proof right?

 

[ashleyberq]

There is a waterproof membrane beneath the thinset.

 

[SHEPLMBR]

Thanks! I don't know why they didn't recommend changing the drain. The only reason I can come up with is he is a general contractor, not a plumber. But now I have to figure out what to do because it's going to be stupid to have the drain recessed like that and the potential for water to go under the tiles...

I should not have been recommended but done. As a GC he should have know that or got someone who was a plumber to change it. Then it could have been brought up to grade. Otherwise, shimming is just like someone said before, putting lipstick on a pig. It will eventually seep through. That isn't what you want. :vs_no_no_no:

 

[firehawkmph]

I can't believe that someone would go through the trouble of tearing almost everything out and looking at that old drain cover and think, "yeah, that'll be ok." That wasn't a general contractor you hired, more like a putz. Just goes to show you there's a lot of people out there doing work that have no clue what they're doing. The information on how to do any job is easily found in today's day and age. No excuse for sub par work.
Mike Hawkins:smile:

 

[ct18]

Is the membrane they installed under the tile incorporated into the drain. This is in case any water leaks through the tile the membrane catches it and sends it down the drain. Putting the membrane on the shower floor will do nothing unless its tied into the drain.