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A failed shower pan cannot be patched. The waterproof layer sits under the tile, so reaching it means taking the tile up, and that is why this job costs what it costs. What we can do is make sure it is genuinely the pan first, and that what goes back is built to outlast what came out.
Before any of this. A shower pan replacement is a four-figure job and at least five other things produce the identical stain on the ceiling below.
| What you notice | What it usually is |
|---|---|
| Wet only after a shower, dry in between | Pan, drain connection, or grout |
| Wet all the time, nobody has showered | Valve body or a supply line in the wall |
| Damp on the wall outside the shower | Pan edge, threshold sealant, or splash |
| Loose or hollow tiles low in the shower | Water is already behind the tile |
| Musty smell, nothing visible | Long-running moisture in the structure |
| Ceiling stain directly under the shower | Consistent with the pan, but not proof |
| Line | Share of a typical job |
|---|---|
| Demolition and disposal | Modest, but unavoidable |
| The pan and waterproofing | The plumbing part, smaller than people expect |
| Tile, setting and grout | Frequently the largest single line |
| The valve, if replaced | $225 – $575 |
| Repairing damage found underneath | Unknown until it is open |
Tile is what moves this number. A standard ceramic floor and an imported stone that is no longer made are the same plumbing job and very different invoices, which is worth knowing before you compare two quotes. Everything we price is on the pricing page.
What we will not do is apply a coating over a failed liner and describe it as a repair. It buys months, it hides the evidence while the structure underneath keeps getting wet, and it is not something a two-year warranty can honestly cover.
The honest part of this job: nobody knows what is under the pan until the pan is out. These are the things that change a quote, and you see photographs of any of them before we continue.
A quote that promises a fixed price with no allowance for any of this is either padded or is going to change. We tell you the base scope, name what could be found, and show you before we do anything about it.
We are licensed and insured plumbers, and this site is about leaks — finding the ones you cannot see and repairing them properly. Roughly half of what looks like a plumbing leak turns out not to be one, so the boundary is worth stating plainly.
Roof leaks are a roofer. Water under an air handler is an HVAC technician clearing a condensate drain. Water under an appliance is appliance repair. Drying, restoration and mold are separate trades again, and gas line repair is SoCalGas or a licensed gas fitter. We detect gas leaks, we do not repair gas lines.
The full list, with the trade to call for each, is on what we don’t do.
Worth being explicit, because it is the boundary most likely to cause a disagreement at the end of a bathroom job.
| Us | Not us |
|---|---|
| Confirming the pan has failed | Choosing tile |
| Demolition of the shower floor and lower walls | Matching a discontinued tile |
| Drain, valve and any supply line work | Full bathroom remodel design |
| Pre-slope, pan and waterproofing | Drying out the structure below |
| Flood testing the new pan | Mold testing and remediation |
| Coordinating the tile work | Painting and finish carpentry |
We coordinate the tile rather than pretending it is a plumbing skill. Being clear about that up front is why the quote has exclusions on it rather than a round number and a conversation on the last day.
If it is the only shower in the house, say so when we scope it. There are sequencing choices that shorten the out-of-use window, and they are much easier to make before the job starts than in the middle of it.
Full terms on guarantees and warranties.
We confirm the pan has actually failed before quoting the work that replaces it.
(714) 386-7923Call or text, day or nightSchedule a VisitNot if the waterproof liner has failed. It sits under the tile, so reaching it means taking the tile up. Coatings applied over a failed liner buy months and hide the problem while the structure underneath keeps getting wet.
Typically $2,000 to $6,000 including pan, waterproofing and tile. Tile is usually the largest single line, which is why two quotes for the same plumbing can differ by thousands.
Timing is the clue and a flood test is the proof. A pan only leaks while water is running on it, so damp that is present when nobody has showered points at the valve or a supply line instead. See the pan test.
Roughly a week for a straightforward job: demolition, pre-slope and waterproofing, a flood test, then tile and grout curing. If it is the only shower in the house, tell us when we scope it — there are sequencing choices that help.
Usually yes. The wall is already open, and a valve replacement done then is $225 to $575 rather than a second job with its own demolition later. On an older shower it is one of the easier decisions on the quote.
You see photographs and a revised number before anything continues. Wet subfloor, rotted framing and a corroded drain body are all realistic finds, and any quote that promises a fixed price with no allowance for them is either padded or is going to change.
Genuinely, sometimes — when the failure is grout, threshold sealant or the corners rather than the liner. It is cheap and it fixes a real subset of cases. It does nothing for a failed membrane, and the flood test is what tells you which you have.
Read your policy. Most treat sudden damage more favourably than gradual deterioration, and a liner that failed slowly over years is often argued as the latter. Dated photographs and a written report are what any claim rests on.
We coordinate it with a tile setter rather than pretending it is a plumbing skill. It appears on the quote as its own line, so you can see what the tile costs separately from what the plumbing costs.
Most often no pre-slope under the liner, weep holes grouted over during the original tiling, or a liner that cracked at the folded corners. All three are installation problems rather than wear, which is why a properly built replacement is a genuinely different proposition.