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How to remove shower hob and fix leak?

Hi all, first time poster.

This bathroom was constructed 31 years ago at my single story home. Recently I noticed wet and damaged subfloor timber under the corner marked with red arrows. Damage below will be dealt with. My objective here is to remove the hob, repair the leak, and reinstate the shower, with a narrow (200mm) acrylic panel to protect the timber door frame. I do not want a full shower screen or curtain. I still have a few boxes of those wall tiles in the back shed, and I can source adequately-matching floor tiles. There is clear evidence of original water-proofing around the hob, I saw no evidence of original water-proofing on the leaking side, although it maybe hidden by the screed. The screed level inside the (former) hob is 15mm higher than outside.

I attached 3 photos indicating my current status.

How should I proceed?

Fun fact: this home is in a high-rise development zone, and is likely to be demolished within 10 years.

Any advice will be valued. Thank you in advance.

Status todayLeaky cornerOverview

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EricL

Hello @Roq

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's sensational to have you join us, and thanks for sharing your question about your shower hob.

Generally speaking, using current rules and regulations regarding shower revamps, all of the tiles inside your shower area will have to removed. The reason for this is that a homogenous waterproofing membrane will have to be applied to that entire area. This membrane is applied to prevent leaks such as the one that has just happened to you. The waterproofing membrane will have to be applied by a trained, council certified waterproofing agent as it will need to be sighted and signed off.

This guarantees that your waterproofing is covered under a warranty, and you can also claim in your insurance that it was installed by a professional should any leaks occur. I propose speaking to a builder regarding the screed whether it should be modified, removed or left alone. If the builder happens to know a certified waterproofing agent, it would be best to have them present as well to determine how far up and how wide the waterproofing will need to be.

Let me call on our experienced members @Nailbag and @AlanM52 for their recommendations.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric

Nailbag

Hi @Roq

I would say 30yrs ago they probably didn't apply any waterproofing membrane and would have replied purely on the masonry itself with possibly an additive instead.

Bearing in mind the apartments are set to be demolished, is it worth considering a cheaper and easier all in one invigorated shower base and walls? Bunnings have quite a range available which you can check out from here.

Nailbag

Roq

Thanks both, for highly relevant ideas.

I want to clarify. My reason for removing the hob is to eliminate a safety hazard which becomes significant as I grow older. My home is not an apartment. It is a single-storey federation house in an inner Sydney suburb adjacent to a train station. A rear extension built in 1994 accommodates the subject shower. This neighbourhood is earmarked for high-rise development and the developers are circling. Nonetheless I'm hopeful to live out my life in this home. As an age pensioner, my liquid financial resources and my physical strength are limited. My awareness of building codes and my DIY skills are moderate, although I have never done waterproofing. I have time on my hands so would like to do this project myself.

I have toyed with prefab tray and wall solutions, but I am inclined to proceed as follows:

Scrape out residual debris around the shower perimeter
Make good the subfloor timber damage to ensure the FC substrate is fully supported.
Fill with cement/screed the void created by hob removal, strategically shaping the new surface.
Pack deeply with silicone the gap along the 3 enclosed sides.
Apply waterproofing to the cement floor and exposed walls.
Retile the bottom of the walls, then retile the floor.
Fit acrylic 200mm vertical strip to protect door timbers

Will such a solution hold up for 10 years? Can it be improved for minimal new effort? Or is it a bad direction?

Let me know please. Thanks again

MitchellMc

Hi @Roq,

Whether your proposed approach would physically last 10 years is hard to predict, but the bigger issue is compliance. As Eric L. mentioned, Australian standards and the National Construction Code require a continuous waterproofing system that runs from the floor, across to the drain, and up the walls of the shower to well above the showerhead height.

What you have outlined, removing the hob, patching the substrate, and applying a membrane just across the floor and lower wall tiles, creates a break in that waterproof “envelope”. Any water penetrating the wall tiles higher up could bypass your new floor membrane and track down into the structure. That is why you cannot simply paint on a membrane up to the first course of tiles and call it done. It needs to be continuous, like a plastic bag that contains all water and directs it to the drain.

From a standards and insurance perspective, the compliant method would be to strip back all wall tiles in the shower, apply a new waterproofing membrane seamlessly across the floor and up the walls, and then retile. This ensures there are no weak points for water ingress.

I completely understand your motivation to make the shower safer while keeping cost and labour realistic. The method you have outlined may work to some degree, but it would not comply with building codes and may not be covered if you ever had water damage or needed to claim on insurance.

Here's a helpful guide on How to waterproof a shower.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

Roq

Thanks Mitchell for very relevant advice. One question comes to mind. We can see there is a fair amount of surface residue on the exposed floor and wall boards after tile removal. To what extent must I scrape back and smooth off those surfaces before waterproofing and retiling?

JacobZ

Hi @Roq,

You'd want to remove all of the old tile adhesive so there is a flat, clean surface for the waterproofing to bond to.

You can use a chisel or paint scraper to remove the majority of the adhesive. You could then use an angle grinder with a flap disc to remove the more stubborn stuff, ensuring you wear gloves, long protective clothing, ear and eye protection and a mask while doing so.

Let me know if you have any further questions.

Jacob

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