Short answer
In Greensboro, if your shower is leaking, stop using it now, dry the area and check the ceiling or crawl space below. If water runs even with the shower off, close the bathroom shutoffs or the main valve. Then call any hour; a leaking pan or valve does more damage each day.
Signs it is time to call
- Ceiling stain under the bathroomA ring that grows after showers usually points to the pan or drain.
- Loose or hollow-sounding tileTiles that move mean the backer behind them is likely wet.
- Soft floor near the tub or showerGive underfoot means water has reached the subfloor.
- Bubbling paint behind the shower wallPaint lifting in the next room often points to a valve leak.
How we run the job, step by step
- Stop the waterWe help you shut off the right valve.
- Find the sourceWe test the drain, walls and valve separately and watch below.
- Open and dryWet tile, backer and subfloor come out, and the area dries.
- Repair framingRotted subfloor and joists are replaced or sistered.
- Rebuild and flood-testNew waterproofing and tile go in, and the pan is flood-tested.
Shower leaks come from four places: the pan under the tile, the grout and caulk joints, the valve behind the wall, and the drain connection. Each leaks differently. A pan leak shows only when the shower runs; a valve leak can drip all day. Knowing which one you have tells us how much has to come apart.
We start by testing, not tearing out. We run water at the drain alone, then on the walls, then through the valve, and watch the ceiling or crawl space below. Once we know the source, you get a repair scope, anywhere from regrouting to a full pan rebuild and new subfloor.
When the shower pan under the tile leaks
A pan leak shows up as a ceiling stain below or wet framing in the crawl space, usually right after showers. The liner or membrane under the tile has failed, often at the curb or drain, where nails or a loose drain clamp break it. A pan can't be patched from above; the floor tile and pan come out, and we rebuild with a sloped base and an adhered waterproof membrane, then flood-test it. Fixr's Greensboro average for a custom shower is $7,808.
Cracked grout and open caulk lines
Grout isn't waterproof, but it shouldn't have open cracks or missing sections, and caulk at corners and along the tub edge should be continuous. When grout crumbles or caulk pulls away, water gets behind the tile. If the waterproofing behind it is sound, cutting out and replacing grout and caulk fixes the problem. If tiles sound hollow when tapped or shift when pressed, the backer behind them is likely wet, and regrouting alone won't stop the water or the rot behind it.
Soft floor around the tub or shower
A floor that gives near the tub or shower means water has reached the subfloor, usually over months. We pull the flooring, cut back to solid wood, and check the joists from below. Damaged joists get sistered, the subfloor gets replaced, and the leak that caused it gets fixed so it doesn't return. Angi's national range for subfloor replacement is $900 to $3,000 for a 300-square-foot room, or $3 to $10 per square foot, and a bath area is smaller.
A valve leaking inside the wall
A valve leak drips whether or not the shower runs, so it shows up as a constant stain, bubbling paint on the other side of the wall, or a damp closet. If the bathroom shutoffs don't stop it, close the main. We open the wall from the back side when we can, through a closet or the next room, to save the tile, then replace the cartridge or the whole valve. Fixr's Greensboro guide budgets about $2,928 for hidden water damage found during bath work.
What you can safely do tonight
Stop using the shower, and if water still runs with it off, close the bathroom shutoffs or the main. If water has reached a light fixture, switch off that circuit at the breaker. Put a bucket under any drip and keep people out from under a sagging ceiling. Regrouting and recaulking are fine homeowner repairs once the source is known, but fresh caulk over a failed pan only hides the leak.
Remodeling this in Greensboro houses
Shower leaks and North Carolina termites go together. NC State Extension says eastern subterranean termites are widespread enough that homeowners are almost bound to meet them, and they thrive on leaks and damp crawl spaces. They swarm from late winter into fall, and finding swarmers or shed wings inside usually means a colony in or under the house. So when we open a leak-soaked floor, we check the wood for termite tunnels too.
What moves the price of shower repair & rebuild
Cost depends on what failed and how far the water traveled.
- Source of the leak Regrouting costs a fraction of a pan rebuild.
- How long it ran Months of leaking means more subfloor and framing to replace.
- Valve access Opening the wall from a closet side saves the tile.
- Replacement tile Discontinued tile can turn a patch into a retile.
| What the figure covers | Published range | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Hidden water damage or mold in a bath, Greensboro | about $2,928 | Fixr - Greensboro NC bathroom remodel cost guide (Dan Simms) |
| Subfloor replacement (national) | $900 to $3,000 (300 sq ft room); $3 to $10 per sq ft | How Much Does Subfloor Replacement Cost? - Angi |
Published figures are averages from the sources named, not a quote. Your price comes after the walk-through.