We have a corner cubicle shower that started leaking. It's a mixer shower with pipes chased in the walls behind tiles. I found the leak to be the outlet that connects to the flexible hose. It was leaking just behind the tiles so water was running down the wall and dripping on the skirting board and floor. Tiles were looking a bit old so was happy to start removing them and plane to replace with laminate board. Now the fun part...there are 2 layers of tiles, so someone in the past has done a quick repair/cover up job. Water was between the tile layers, as well as behind both layers. I don't know how much water has gone under the shower tray but it hasn't gone through the ceiling downstairs. If I remove the tray to inspect, I might as well replace everything with new.
Anyone have any experience with this? Is it unwise to keep the existing base and risk damp under the tray? Or is replacing the lot and unnecessary expense?
I'd rather just repair the leak and replace the tiles with laminate boards as we're going to move in a couple of years.
It sounds like a whole can of worms to me – replace the lot and it'll probably add a little bit of value when you come to sell anyway.
A long shot, but if you live nr Harrogate I did see someone on Freegle trying to gift a really nice walk in shower (tray, screen and showerhead) a couple of days ago.
It seems unnecessary to replace the tray with new. If you do lift it to have a look it'll be easy to clean up. I did that with our bath when I redid the bathroom and it came up like new. That said if you did nothing and just left it then it might be fine and and wouldn't be the worst thing a seller has left for for the new owner. If it hasn't gone through the ceiling it should dry and probably hasn't done any lasting damage. You could cut a hole in the ceiling and have a look, easy to patch and paint over. At least you are fitting laminate panels. Way better than tiles.
I hadn't thought about living it a little to inspect. Some of the tiles in the corner that was leaking leaking were black on the back. The tray is recessed about 10mm into the wall. Don't know if that helps.
Other issue I have is the ceiling of the bathroom is not flat. It slopes and cuts off one corner of the shower so think it was a custom build. The tray is 1000mm x 1000mm but the sides are 850mm x 850mm with a wooden spacer taking up the gap. This wooden spacer is angled at the top to make it fit. I'd have to avoid glass as can't cut it.
On further inspection it's leaking from the recessed mixer tap so need to replace that.
Tricky thing is the pipes coming up from the floor are about 22cm appart and most new mixer taps need the pipes 15cm appart.
The pipes are chased into grey brick and filled with what looked like filler and plaster. Any ideas on how I can access them to move one of them 7cm over? Or do I need to be creative with elbow joints?
Any ideas on how I can access them to move one of them 7cm over? Or do I need to be creative with elbow joints?
I'd just chase out a bit of brick and add in two elbow joints to move the exit 7cm across.
Yep, tectite sprint 90 elbows to bring your centers back to 150.
