Shower Leak Repair & Regrouting in Victoria, BC
Cracked grout, hollow or loose tile, a stain on the ceiling below. We find where the water is actually going and fix the cause — and we will tell you honestly whether a regrout is enough or the shower needs rebuilding.
Signs your shower is letting water through
Showers rarely fail all at once. They fail slowly, behind the tile, and the first thing most people notice is somewhere else entirely.
Grout cracking or going dark
Grout that keeps cracking, crumbling or staying dark long after a shower means the bed behind it is staying wet.
Hollow or loose tiles
Tap them: a hollow sound or a tile that moves means it has lost its bond — often because water got underneath.
Stains in the room below
A brown ring on the ceiling, bubbling paint or a damp baseboard next door is usually the shower, not the roof.
Mould that keeps coming back
Black spots in the corners that return a week after cleaning usually live in the joint, not on it.
A soft floor by the drain
Flex or give near the drain, the curb or the toilet means the subfloor has been wet for a while.
Silicone peeling at the tub
The joint between tub and tile moves every time someone stands in it. When it lets go, water goes straight into the wall.
Repair or rebuild — an honest answer
Most of what we see falls into one of two cases. The tile and grout have failed, but the waterproofing behind them has not — then re-setting loose tiles, regrouting and replacing the silicone is a proper fix, and it is a day’s work. Or the shower was never waterproofed properly — tile over plain drywall, or a painted-on coat that did not cover the corners. Then no amount of grout will stop it, and the right answer is to take it back to the studs and rebuild it with a full membrane system.
We will tell you which one you have, with photos, before you spend anything. If it is the first, we will not sell you the second.
Repairs, in our clients’ words
★★★★★ 5.0 from 17 reviews on Google.
“We recently had a serious tile issue in our basement — a leak that our original tiling contractor completely abandoned. Novo Tile, and specifically Vova, gave us real confidence — he clearly understood the scope of work needed and quoted us a very fair rate. Not only did he seal everything back up properly, but he also regraded the tile so it drains better than it ever did before.”
Daryl Allen · Google review
“I would definitely recommend Novo Tile. He repaired two tiles that lost grip and put it back properly.”
Raphael Macasaquit · Google review
“Really pleased with the result! Professional, tidy, and easy to work with. Highly recommend.”
Ulia Ulia · Google review
The fastest way to an answer: text us photos
A wide shot of the shower, a close-up of the worst grout or tile, and the stain if there is one. We will tell you what we think is going on — usually the same day.
Text photos to (778) 676-7365Shower repair FAQ — Victoria, BC
How do I know if my shower is leaking?
The usual signs are a stain or bubbling paint on the ceiling below or the wall beside the shower, grout that keeps cracking or turning dark, tiles that sound hollow or move, a soft spot in the floor by the drain or the toilet, and black mould in the corners that comes back however often you clean it. Any one of these is worth a look; two or more usually means water is getting behind the tile.
Can you just regrout my shower?
Sometimes — and if regrouting and fresh silicone will genuinely solve it, that is what we will recommend. But grout is not a waterproof layer. If water is already behind the tile, new grout only hides the problem for a while. We look first and tell you which one you have.
How much does shower repair cost?
Small repairs — re-setting a few loose tiles, regrouting, replacing failed silicone — are quoted per job, with a $500 minimum project charge. If the waterproofing behind the tile has failed, the honest fix is to rebuild the shower, which we quote after seeing it. Text us two or three photos and we can usually tell you which it is before we come out.
Do you fix showers that someone else built?
Yes, often. One of our reviews is from a family whose original tiling contractor abandoned a leaking basement shower; we sealed it properly and re-graded the tile so it drains better than it ever had. Fixing other people’s showers is a large part of why we are so strict about waterproofing on our own.
Is a leaking shower an emergency?
If water is coming through a ceiling right now, stop using the shower and call us. Most shower leaks are slow, though — they do their damage over months — so the sooner it is looked at, the smaller the repair usually is.
How long does a shower repair take?
A regrout or a few re-set tiles is usually a day, with the grout needing time to cure before the shower is used. A full shower rebuild is closer to a week depending on what we find behind the tile.
Related
If the shower needs rebuilding, see walk-in showers and full bathroom renovations, or the rate card.
Get your shower looked at
Tell us what you are seeing. Photos help us quote far more accurately — but if you only know something is wrong, that is enough to start.
- Free on-site measurement across Greater Victoria
- One firm written price — not an hourly rate that grows
- I’m on site for every job — tile and waterproofing are never subcontracted
- 3-year written workmanship warranty