I recently bought my first home. It was built in 58 and looks great. Previous owner converted garage into master bedroom and added a bath.. Tub was painted which came off when I scrubed. Being allergic to mold I could no longer put off replacing. The tub is only 52 x 28 so contractor suggested remove tub, take tile rest of way to floor and make just a shower. This works great for me as I hate tubs. Scheduled as a 2 day job with approximately 0 materials and 0 labor including painting bathroom. Day 3 I had to fire him when showed up obviously on some type of drug, cussing, etc. He purchased all supplies at Lowe’s via contractor purchase where they call for my credit card. Found next day he bought an additional 0+ in tools on my credit card. When he removed tub he found had sand bags under tub over concrete foundation. The previous opwner had also cut 2 x 2 hole in outter concrete wall and only thing covering was vinyl siding. 1st contractor closed off hole in concrete wall w/ 3/4 PT plywood and brought out wall in that area 3 inches for a shelf in shower then built that shelf wall with concrete board. He built 2 x 6 frame work for shower floor covered with 3/4 PT plywood and sealed with flooring cement. He then tiled floor. This is where I fired him. New contractor said everything needed to be ripper out and redone as no liner was placed under floor. Price 00-2000. That was not in budget on top of 0 and 0 supplies already paid so he charged 0 to fix what he could and finish it. He did but told me it will only last 3 months then must all be ripped out as no liner was used under subfloor. I worried that he might not do a good job on capping tub faucet pipe figuring it would leak anyway so I made him stop half way and had plumber come out. 5 later plumber cut open new wall board and torch sealed the cap and said all looks good now. BTW – he left it leaking as it was only capped and taped. Anyway after that he finished floor and still says must be ripped out within 3-4 months as no liner and all showers leak. So with all that said here is my question. Why will it leak just because there is no liner? I understand the liner is in place IN CASE OF a leak but it will leak because there is no liner? Could this no be repaired IF it gets a leak. Also if it leaked I assume it would be via wall or floor leak as plumber says pipes are sealed and lookd good. So could I seal grout on walls or floors to prevent future leaks? Also if the water leaked and it got thru floor sealant and 3/4 plywood wouldn’t it just run down onto concrete foundation? If so would it not then run out the hole the first idiot cut in the outter wall as it’s only covered with siding?
Is there anyway I can save this 00 worth of worth without ripping everything out?
This wasn’t a full shower or bathroom job. Everything was already tiled except where he removed tub. Checked permits and inspections for original add on and it was not a closet. It was a corner of garage made into a bathroom. There is no way to make the shower area larger without removing 1 of 2 load bearing walls which is not an option. Only tile work done was where tub sat and floor. Kept all existing tile. I did not take the lowest bidder. Lowest 2 bids said remove tub, add shower pan and tile for 0 labor. Guess I’m really glad I didn’t pick them. And yes I have a contract but why throw good money after bad trying to sure someone for 5 plus stolen tools. It would cost me twice that. Unfortunately they used up my budget so I was hoping there was some solution except -3000 redo. Thank you all for the responses. I was hoping there was something I could do to prevent leaks before they happen.
My house flooded due to a malfunctioning a/c unit. The a/c repairman said either during the manufacturing process or installation, something wasn’t removed from the internal piping and that blocked the drain line. My laundry, kitchen, dining, hall, and garage were flooded. I saw water coming from under the wall, but there is only so much I could absorb, using every towel I had in the house. I tried to stay ahead of it with a wet/dry vac, but there was too much coming out from under the wall.
Within 18 hours, there was a company with industrial fan, drying out the walls, and ripping up the carpet. I saw water go under the cabinets, because when I wiped the water in front of the cabinets up, more seeped out from beneath the cabinets. My kitchen, hall, and laundry room floor is a floating vinyl floor. Only the perimeter is cemented. The original, fully cemented vinyl was replaced by the builder due to cracking in the slab with this floor. The insurance company says that my floor is fine, and they will not replace it. I say, I know water got under it because there was water damage in the pantry, and no water was on top of the floor there. The only way that the food and walls got wet was water coming under the vinyl flooring, since I didn’t see any water on the floor in that area. I am currently walking on concrete slab where the carpeting was. They said if the vinyl starts to split at a later date, then they will replace it, or if I find mold under the cabinet (how do I find it if the cabinet isn’t removed??), then they will cover it. My concern is beside the items getting wet in the pantry (and those walls are across the room from the flood/water and showed saturation levels when tested by the company), there is no proof the water went under the floor. The insurance company keeps saying that I probably splashed some water in the pantry trying to clean it up. I did not, since the closest I ever saw the water on top of the floor near the closet was 4 feet, and some splashing wouldn’t soak all the dry good boxes 3/4 of the way up (there is a water mark on the boxes). Accidental splashing wouldn’t soak the walls in the pantry to saturation either. The only way I can prove it is to rip the floor up. I really don’t want to fix everything now to later have to rip the rest up. I have to live in the mess again. I would have to live in the mess twice, and not know if mold is under my feet. I do have dry mold coverage, but am also concerned that if left alone and mold develops, they will say that that mold isn’t the type they cover and will deny coverage.
I think that the vinyl floors should come up and be covered to correctly complete the repairs. I can prove wall saturation and standing water that was enough to go under the walls and wet additional rooms. I took pictures. Is this floor a legitimate claim?? Any feedback is appreciated. This is the first time I’ve had to deal with damage to a house. Just because the floor looks ok, doesn’t mean it is ok and that water isn’t still under that flooring. A car can get flooded and look ok, but it never runs the same.
I’m getting ideas for my parents’ next Christmas present (yes, already, I like to start early because they are usually expensive). They are in need of a new kitchen floor and I was thinking of getting them one. It doesn’t need anything too extravagant, just something that looks good and will last awhile. I was thinking of something in a vinyl tile pattern. Their kitchen is about 20′x15′. I’m just looking for a ballpark estimate for now and I know that the price will vary by the material I select; I’m more focused on the cost for installation, plus an average cost for the vinyl. Thanks in advance!
