Megasealed - Shower Repair. Anyone with Experience?

Lzazutata on 10/03/2022 - 09:30

Trying to keep it short…had 1st floor ensuite renovated around 8 years ago. Totally gutted the room and then had waterproof membrane installed and fully tiled floor and walls. The plumber fitted a strip drain and no problems at all since then. Repainted the living area 2 months ago and recently noticed 3 small water stains on the ceiling immediately above the shower. Insurance company were called and sent an assessor who was very young and didn't really seem to know what he was doing (very confident to start with then gradually became more uncomfortable as I politely challenged his methods of testing for leaks).

I called my local Megasealed who turned up with thermal imaging and moisture detection equipment. Within minutes he had diagnosed a problem with the strip drain wherein it has been properly installed but due to an inherent design fault it can allow water ingress underneath the tiles which has probably (over time) caused a subsequent failure of an area of waterproofing. Megasealed have offered to remove all grout and silicone in the shower area, remove as much adhesive as they can around the strip drain and then treat with a variety of proprietary products finishing up with an epoxy seal. It all sounds very good in theory but just not sure if it will cut it? My only other option is to spend thousands have the glass walk-in shower removed, all tiles taken up, waterproofing renewed and then new tiles installed. Basically a new ensuite!

Anyone with experience of Megasealed or other similar services? Thanks in advance.

Home & Garden

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Comments

  • holdenmg on 10/03/2022 - 09:39
    +1

    What does your Insurance company say about all this?

    Maybe get an Independent Assessor?

    • zazutata on 10/03/2022 - 10:02

      Apparently the majority of insurance companies will not cover a failure of a waterproof membrane but instead they will cover 'events' such as a cracked pipe or damage caused by an 'insurable event'. One option is to push for a 'failure' of the strip drain but not sure what my chances would be. Wonder if the Megasealed report would be enough to push this with the insurers. Haven't heard back from them after initial inspection but I'm not hopeful!

    • JimB on 10/03/2022 - 10:03
      +2

      insurance company will only fix the damage which is repaint or replace plasterboard.

      They won't pay to fix the cause of the problem.

      • jv on 10/03/2022 - 11:54

        They won't pay to fix the cause of the problem.

        If they don't fix the cause, then in will happen again…

        eg. if a roof tile broke in a hail storm and they only repair and paint the water damaged ceiling, and they don't replace the tile, it will just happen again next time it rains.

        • JimB on 10/03/2022 - 12:22

          Yes, they will fix the broken tile and the related damage.

          But they won't fix the replace/fix the whole roof if the tiles were installed incorrectly or had a poor design.

          The problem the OP stemmed from poor workmanship.

          • jv on 10/03/2022 - 12:59
            +1

            @JimB:

            The problem the OP stemmed from poor workmanship.

            No, if you read it, you would see it stemmed from "an inherent design fault"

  • JimB on 10/03/2022 - 10:02
    +2

    Seems like there's no puddle flange.

    Before going with Megasealed, try this product.

    https://www.bunnings.com.au/crommelin-500ml-shower-sealer-an…

    Strip existing silicone and re-silcone the corners.

    Grout and silicone shouldn't be used as waterproofing, but the less water that gets under the tiles the better.

  • Stewardo on 10/03/2022 - 11:39
    +1

    What type of sheet product was the flooring under the tiles?

    • zazutata on 10/03/2022 - 12:53

      The subfloors were all replaced with structural particle flooring boards and they were secured and levelled prior to the waterproof membrane being applied. I am pretty confident the building work was done correctly and I can see the design flaw in the strip drain in that the interior recessed part of it does not come to the top of the tiles and instead stops at the floor level (that makes sense, sorry not very technical). The interior 'block' of the strip drain then sits inside this resting on small brackets so I can see how water would potentially pool under the tiles.

      • Stewardo on 10/03/2022 - 13:44

        If it were my house, it tear that out and start again with a product like Scyon.

  • godofpizza on 10/03/2022 - 11:47
    +1

    might be worth getting a second opinon from a tiler that does showers for a living. There's a youtuber( US based) that offers advice for failed showers ( at a cost) and it pretty much what he does for a living. Repairing and quoting failed showers.

    Does the shower have any of the grout missing/moldly or areas within the shower that water pools in?

    • zazutata on 10/03/2022 - 12:56
      +1

      No missing grout or silicone in the areas it could be pooling although I'm aware that water just travels and pops out at the lowest point so the damp areas on the ceiling are not necessarily an indication of where the failure is above. Thanks for the Youtube advice - I'll do a search and see what I can find.

  • TurboTortoise on 10/03/2022 - 12:25
    +1

    I have experience with a similar company (Same approach). Worked well and has been 2 years. It will never be as good as a full rebuild but I was working on the idea that if I could get a few years that would be worth it. It can pay to shop around. There are smaller contractors who can do it for a better price, but of course you need to be careful. I think I paid $600. Hope that helps.

    • zazutata on 10/03/2022 - 12:57

      Good to know that you had some success with this @TurboTortoise and pricing seems similar to my quote.

  • Chandler on 10/03/2022 - 13:31
    +1

    Used Megasealed to redo sealing of our shower ~10 years ago. From memory were pretty happy with their work.

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