The slow leak behind the tile
Shower and tub leak water damage repair in Los Angeles
A leaking shower pan or valve rarely floods anything. It drips into the wall and subfloor every time someone showers, for months, until the tile loosens or the ceiling below stains.
- Answered 24/7
- Pans, valves and tub drains
- Ceilings below baths
Updated September 2026
24/7 emergency line
(323) 709-0141- 1Stop using that showerUntil the source is found.
- 2We trace itMeters, imaging, a flood test.
- 3Dry, then rebuildPan, tile and ceiling.
Quick answer
Shower and tub leak water damage in Los Angeles usually comes from a failed shower pan, a leaking valve inside the wall, or a loose tub drain or overflow. We find the source with moisture readings and a controlled water test, open only what is wet, dry the wall cavity and subfloor, and rebuild the pan, tile and any ceiling below.
The job
Why shower leaks cause so much hidden damage
Each shower sends a little water somewhere it should not go. Behind tile and under the pan, it soaks framing and subfloor with no visible puddle, so the damage builds for months.
By the time grout darkens, tile loosens or a ceiling stains below, the wood underneath has often been wet long enough to rot.
Cost factors
What shower leak damage costs
2026 guides put shower pan replacement at $900 to $2,300 for most homes, about $1,620 on average, and water damage restoration at $3 to $7.50 per square foot. The pan rebuild and the water damage are separate lines. Planning ranges only.
Leak source
Pan, valve, drain or grout.
How long it leaked
Months of drips can rot wood.
Tile removal
Floor only, or walls too.
Subfloor repair
Rotted wood replaced first.
Ceiling below
Upstairs baths add a ceiling.
Tile matching
Exact match or full re-tile.
Your options
Repair the pan or re-tile the shower?
What failed and how long it leaked decide the scope.
| Situation | Usual repair | Tile |
|---|---|---|
| Failed grout or caulk only | Regrout and reseal | Stays |
| Valve leak inside the wall | Valve repaired from behind | Usually stays |
| Tub drain or overflow gasket | Gaskets replaced | Stays |
| Shower pan failure | Floor out, pan rebuilt | Floor re-tiled |
| Pan failure with rotted subfloor | Subfloor repaired, pan rebuilt | Often full re-tile |
Variations of this job
Shower pan leak
A shower pan leak happens when the waterproof layer under a tiled shower floor fails, often at the drain or where the pan meets the curb. Water soaks the mortar bed and runs into the subfloor, and nothing shows until the floor outside the shower goes soft or the ceiling below stains. We confirm it with readings and a controlled flood test, then remove the shower floor, dry the subfloor, repair any rotted wood, and have the pan rebuilt before new tile.
Shower valve leak
A shower valve leak is inside the wall behind the handle, usually a worn cartridge or a loose connection that drips only while the shower runs. Water runs down inside the wall and appears as swollen baseboard on the other side, or in the room below. We open the wall from the back side where possible, so the tile survives, give the plumber access to repair the valve, then dry the cavity and close it up. A matching access panel can go in if the valve may need service again.
Tub drain and overflow leak
A tub drain and overflow leak comes from the gaskets where the drain and the overflow plate pass through the tub. It leaks when the tub is full or draining. It often shows up only after baths, as a stain on the ceiling below the tub or a musty smell in the bathroom. We check the access panel or open the ceiling below, dry the framing, and have the gaskets replaced before anything is closed. The ceiling is patched and textured once readings are dry.
Los Angeles conditions
Old bathrooms, old valves
Most bathrooms in Los Angeles are decades old, because outside Downtown, Chinatown and Playa Vista almost no neighborhood has added much housing in 20 years. That means mortar-bed shower pans, older two-handle valves and tub drains that have been through thousands of cycles. When one of those finally lets water through, it has usually been leaking for a while before anyone notices.
How the job runs
How a shower leak job runs
WetDry and signed off
- 1
Stop using the shower
Until the source is confirmed.
- 2
Map the moisture
Floor, walls and the room below.
- 3
Test the source
Controlled flood or valve test.
- 4
Open what is wet
From the back side where possible.
- 5
Dry and repair wood
Cavity dried, rotted wood replaced.
- 6
Rebuild the source
Pan, valve or drain by the right trade.
- 7
Tile and close up
Tile, grout, ceiling and paint.
What you might notice
Signs a shower or tub is leaking
Grout that stays dark
Days after the last shower.
Loose floor tile
Tiles that click or rock.
Soft floor by the curb
Outside the shower door.
Swollen baseboard
On the wall behind the valve.
Ceiling stain below
Under the shower or tub.
Musty bathroom smell
Even when it is dry.
Peeling paint
Next to the tub or shower.
FAQ
Shower and tub leak questions
Dark grout that stays wet, a soft floor by the curb or a stain below. A flood test confirms it.
Not until the source is found. Every use adds water to the wall or floor.
Not usually. Valve and drain leaks are often fixed from behind or below.
Only if grout was the problem. A failed pan leaks under the tile regardless.
Sudden failures sometimes are; long slow leaks usually are not.
Drying takes a few days; a pan rebuild and tile add about a week.
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Call and we will trace the leak before any tile comes up.
24/7 emergency line
(323) 709-0141