Canberra Bathroom Leak Case Study: From a Major Leak to a Waterproof Bathroom
A major leak forced this Canberra family to replace their bathroom, not just patch it. We stripped it back, fixed the waterproofing at the source and retiled the whole room while the family kept living at home.
Project Overview
Location: Canberra
Property: Older family home, occupied throughout the renovation
Project: Full bathroom renovation: strip-out, waterproofing, tiling and finishing
Reason: Major leak in the existing bathroom
Result: Finished on time and on budget, with no surprise costs
The Challenge
This was not a simple retile. Several problems had to be solved at the same time:
Hidden water damage. The leak meant the bathroom had to be stripped back to the substrate. How far the damage went could not be seen until the old tiles came off, so the plan had to allow for surprises.
An older home. Behind the walls were old pipes and uneven surfaces that needed extra preparation before any new waterproofing or tiles could go on.
A tight bathroom with narrow access. The room was small and the only way in was down a narrow hallway, leaving little space to work and move materials in and out without damaging floors and walls.
A family living at home. Demolition is dusty and noisy, so the work had to be contained and kept to reasonable hours to keep the house liveable and avoid disturbing the neighbours.
Young children in the house. The work area had to be safe and fully closed off at the end of every day.
How We Worked Around a Lived-In Home
Before starting, we agreed a plan with the homeowner for keeping the rest of the house usable:
Challenge | What we did |
Narrow hallway access | Laid floor protection and covered walls along the access path, and re-checked it every day |
Dust and noise | Sealed off the bathroom to contain dust and scheduled the loudest demolition for agreed times |
Kids at home | Closed off and secured the work area at the end of each day, with tools and materials cleared away |
Daily routine | Kept to reasonable work hours and told the family each day what was happening next |
Our Process
Fixing a leak properly means fixing the waterproofing underneath the tiles. These are the steps we followed, and why each one matters:
Step 1: Strip back to the substrate. We removed the old tiles, bedding and failed membrane so we could see the full extent of the water damage and repair it, rather than tiling over the problem.
Step 2: Prepare the surfaces. We dealt with the uneven walls and floor of the older home so the new membrane and tiles had a sound, flat base.
Step 3: Set the correct falls. We built the floor so it slopes towards the drain. This stops water from sitting against the walls, which is where many shower leaks start.
Step 4: Waterproof and let it cure. We applied a new waterproof membrane and gave it the full curing time before any tiles went down.
Step 5: Tile and seal the joints. We tiled the room and used flexible sealant at wall and floor junctions. These joints move slightly as the house moves, and rigid grout there tends to crack and let water in.
Step 6: Keep the homeowner informed. We updated the homeowner at every stage and discussed any cost change before that work went ahead, so there were no surprises on the final invoice.
The Outcome (results)
A fully waterproof bathroom. The leak was fixed at the source, with a new membrane under the new tiles.
A shower that drains properly. Water runs straight to the drain, with no pooling against the walls.
A level, safe floor. The new tiles sit flush with the existing floors and doorways, with no lip to trip over.
On time and within budget. The job was finished on the timeline and within the budget agreed at the start, with no surprise costs along the way.
A returning client. The homeowner was happy enough to ask us back to renovate a second bathroom and the powder room.
Client Review
“Rob is a delight. Honest, trustworthy, meticulous and a great communicator. He came in on time, on budget, no surprises. Our bathroom is now beautiful, and most importantly, waterproof. I was so impressed by Rob and his team that we had another bathroom and powder room upgraded.”