In a tiled shower, the tile and grout aren't what keeps water out. The waterproof pan liner or membrane underneath does. When that layer fails, water seeps into the subfloor and walls, often for months before anyone notices.
WARNING SIGNS
- Water stains on the ceiling below the shower, worse after long showers
- Loose, hollow or cracked floor tile in the shower or just outside it
- Grout that stays dark for hours or days after showering
- Musty smell that cleaning doesn't remove
- Damaged baseboard or flooring next to the shower
- Mold at the bottom of walls in the room or closet on the other side
IS IT THE PAN OR SOMETHING ELSE?
Several leaks look the same from below. Rule them out in order:
- Shower door or curtain: water splashing out onto the floor.
- Valve or showerhead: run the shower aimed away from the walls and floor, with the drain open.
- Wall tile or grout: spray only the walls for 15 minutes and check below.
- The pan: plug the drain and fill the shower floor with an inch of water, mark the level, and wait several hours. If the level drops or a stain appears below, the pan is leaking.
WHY REGROUTING WON'T FIX IT
Fresh grout and sealer slow water down at the surface, but if the liner below is torn or was never sloped to the drain, water still gets in. Regrouting a failed pan is a temporary fix at best.
WHAT THE REAL FIX INVOLVES
A failed pan means removing the shower floor tile (and often the bottom row of wall tile), replacing the liner or installing a modern bonded membrane, re-sloping the mortar bed and retiling. Any rotted subfloor gets replaced while it's open.
| Fix | Typical DMV Cost |
|---|---|
| Shower floor pan rebuild + retile | $2,200 – $4,200 |
| Full shower rebuild (walls + pan) | $7,500 – $14,000 |
| Subfloor repair underneath | add $400 – $1,200 |
| Ceiling repair below | add $350 – $800 |
Catching a pan leak early is the difference between a floor rebuild and a full bathroom. If you see a stain on the ceiling below, run the flood test this week.
RELATED READING
SHOWER WATERPROOFING: BEHIND THE TILE
Membranes, pans, flood tests, and the questions to ask before anyone sets a single tile.
REGROUT A SHOWER OR RETILE?
When new grout is enough, when it's covering water damage, and what each costs.
SHOWER REMODEL COST IN THE DMV (2026)
Prefab vs. custom tile, glass, valves, and the hidden line items that move the final number.
Planning a project? See our Bathroom Remodel service page for scope, process and recent work.
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