I have renovated several bathrooms over the past 30 years.
The reason usually has been incompetent application of waterproofing membrane in the shower.
If you have the time to do it yourself and are reasonably handy with basic tools it is a job where you will save lots of money by DIY.
Definitely be aware of the likelihood of asbestos in older homes. You can usually find such info on the likelihood by googling.
If you suspect asbestos, get the experts. I won't renovate bathrooms in house older than 1990 build.
As for the 'devil's job' of bathrooms..... waterproofing the shower recess:
I remove all tiles and if necessary the lining boards and replace them.
the linings I glue and screw and then epoxy over the screwheads.
I then use Davco super primer to paint the shower recess.
Then apply a 'bond breaker' to wall/floor joints,
then a generous application of Davco Dampflex Reo to both vertical and wall/floor joins ....
then fibrematting is pressed into the wet dampflex and a second coat of dampflex over the matting ....
then dampflex membrane applied to the whole shower ....
the next day I apply a second coat of dampflex with brushstrokes at 90 degrees to the first coat .....
then the next day coat number 3 at 90 degrees to coat 2. (You get the picture ...)
then 24 hours later after checking for any pinholes that might have been missed, the tiling can be done.
Regardless of what anyone tells you YOU NEED to use CEMENT Based adhesives over the waterproofing membrane.
then there the grouting, buffing, polishing .....
Still think you want to do this job yourself
