Waterproofing an upstairs bathroom or ensuite

Find out here what's required when waterproofing an upstairs bathroom, in the last 14 years since I've been involved in the koas of construction at the caulking and waterproofing level I've seen lots of changes with most of them being waterproof related.

Confused Waterproofer's and unhappy customers

In 2001 the industry was confused but confident in what work practise's they followed on a daily basis had been working just fine however would that last forever?. Sure there was failures in bathrooms and balconies but it was hard to point the finger as the job was now finished and the home now occupied with some very very unhappy owners.

To make matters even worse if this bathroom was upstairs and leaking then gravity was in charge allowing water to find the path of least resistance and eventually to the lower ground floor to damage whatever it lands on, normally floor boards only to cost thousands of dollars to fix.

So who pays for all this damage if no one accepts the blame? , the buck stop with the builder as they are ultimately responsible, right?. The warranty of the builder is a 7 year stint with structural defects the core of the warranty as they construct and others finish, like plaster, paint, roof, render ect..

So who will fix my leaking bathroom?

The builder? The waterproofer? The tiler? "who's going to save me?" cries the home owner. In 2001 the industry was unregulated in Melbourne at least and if your builder couldn't pass blame then he was your only hope, so what would he do to stop this river flowing through your house? He would pull out the only thing that would save him time and money and it came in the form of a tube, a tube of silicone sealant. 

It was the only option he had cause he didn't want to even begin to consider pulling up a tile to investigate the leak further, so silicone it was all over the corners, grout lines, shower screen corners and with little regard for aesthetics because he wanted to sleep that night and for the rest of the warranty period.

What if the problem purist's?

Well here's the thing, the problem isn't fixed with some silicone sealant as it's only a bandaid solution....but you have confidence in your builder and trust him to look after you and your property right?, so is that what he is thinking to? I doubt that in most cases of the past as avoidance was a priority but not for much longer as the industry was about to change.

Matt Caulkright